02 March 2024 , 17:00
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He left fans gutted after announcing that he was quitting Capital FM after almost a decade, but Roman Kemp has been suffering with a terrifying condition that he previously feared would lead him to give up his showbiz career.
Announcing that he would be quitting his radio show in February, he revealed that he would be replaced by Radio 1's Jordan North. "It's been the funniest, the saddest, the most outright wild time that I've had being a part of Capital and the Global family and when you set out to do a job of this magnitude, you never think that one day there will be a moment where you have to say goodbye. You don't think that that time will come," he said.
The 30-year-old admitted the decision didn't come lightly, and said he is going to find his eventual departure "tough". He went on to reveal that after almost a decade of super early alarms, he's "looking forward to some lie-ins." He added: "It's been a privilege and an honour to wake up millions of people every day."
Roman previously toyed with the idea of leaving his radio job after receiving a devastating diagnosis of sleep apnoea, caused by his hectic work schedule, in 2022. Opening up about the condition, which causes a person's breathing to stop and start while sleeping, he revealed he had needed to wear an oxygen mask at night time.
Roman quit Capital FM after eight years (Instagram)Speaking to Mail Online, the presenter who has dealt with five years of demanding early starts for his show, said: "My tiredness levels were debilitating, and they said to me it was because of my job and I said this is different. I was talking with people where I thought I was verging on narcolepsy because I was mid-conversation and would be snoring and not realising, it was very strange.
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"The doctors told me I must wear an oxygen mask. There is absolutely nothing sexy about going back to Roman Kemp's house." He then joked: "They are expecting candles and mood lighting but they're getting a Darth Vader impression into an oxygen tank," and quipped that his love life could make a brilliant documentary for the likes of Channel 5.
His plans away from the spotlight revolve around becoming a stay-at-home dad and opening up a dog sanctuary as he insisted he never chose his career for fame. But he does intend to stick around for another five years so that he can mark his decade in the industry. "I want a decade on air at least," he added. "I would love to be able to say I did a decade on that show – whether my bosses will allow that I don't know."