Unbelievable! Chris Kamara receives his MBE at Windsor Castle

Unbelievable! Chris Kamara receives his MBE at Windsor Castle as the much-loved football pundit is recognised for services to football, charity and anti-racism amid his battle with speech apraxia

  • Much-loved Chris Kamara has received his MBE honour at Windsor Castle
  • Kamara was given the honour for his services to football, charity and anti-racism
  • The 65-year-old revealed last year he has been struggling with apraxia of speech

Chris Kamara, one of football’s most popular figures, has received his MBE honour at Windsor Castle. 

Kamara was made a Member of the British Empire by Prince William in the investiture ceremony on Tuesday, with the pair sharing a joke during their exchange. 

The 65-year-old played for nine English professional clubs in a career spanning 20 years before going on to manage Bradford and Stoke, but in more recent years he has become best known for his work as a pundit and presenter on Sky Sports.

Kamara’s inability to contain his enthusiasm for the game and his propensity for gaffes during live stadium video links in Sky’s Soccer Saturday programme became the stuff of legend, often leaving programme host Jeff Stelling and other studio guests in stitches.

‘Unbelievable Jeff’ became Kamara’s enduring catchphrase, and it felt like the end of an era when his departure from Sky after 24 years was confirmed at the end of last season.

Chris Kamara (right) receives his MBE honour from Prince William (left) at Windsor Castle


The much-loved former pundit shares a joke with the Prince of Wales after receiving his MBE

Kamara, from Wakefield, proudly shows off his MBE medal following the investiture ceremony

Kamara is best known for his work on Sky Sports’ much-loved Soccer Saturday programme

https://youtube.com/watch?v=rHyrN9PRioY%3Frel%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26hl%3Den-US

There was a huge outpouring of support for Kamara on social media when he went public about his apraxia of speech (AOS) diagnosis, saying he felt ‘a fraud’ as a broadcaster having learned he had the condition earlier this year. 

WHAT IS APRAXIA OF SPEECH? 

Apraxia of speech is a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult to speak. 

This disorder can make saying the right sounds and words very difficult and can be observed as slurring.

It is caused by damage to the parts of the brain that control how muscles move, leading to apraxia of speech. 

A documentary called for Lost For Words about Kamara coming to terms with the condition was broadcast in December.

Apraxia is a neurological condition that affects the body’s ability to perform natural motor functions, with many sufferers developing problems with speech.

He was also diagnosed with an underactive thyroid in 2021 and has stepped away from the majority of his broadcasting roles due to the issue.

The Middlesbrough-born presenter quit Sky due to the demands of live broadcasting but has continued working for ITV on a number of pre-recorded television shows.

Kamara has fought to overcome his speech issues and recently returned to screens to co-host The Games and Ninja Warrior UK. 

Fans originally became concerned for the pundit when they noticed he was slurring some of his words when reporting live from matches, with Kamara eventually revealing that he had been dealing with the issue for two years.

Born in Middlesbrough of Sierra Leonean, English and Irish descent, Kamara served in the navy before joining Portsmouth for the first of two spells.

Kamara revealed last year he is battling apraxia of speech, causing him to feel like a ‘fraud’

https://youtube.com/watch?v=PVn-LOeyVZw%3Frel%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26hl%3Den-US

He played over 200 games across two stints at Swindon, and also played for Brentford, Stoke, Leeds, Luton, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Bradford.

He also led the Bantams to promotion to what is now the Championship in 1996.

Kamara’s MBE recognised his services to football, charity and anti-racism.

He spoke in 2020 about how a pub in Wetherby had refused to serve him due to the colour of his skin on his way back to Portsmouth after playing for Pompey in 1975.

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