Steph McGovern tears up over Chris Kamara's early life story

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Former professional footballer Chris Kamara, known to fans as Kammy, has admitted he “couldn’t explain” to his wife Anne Kamara why he became so overwhelmed with emotion while talking to Steph McGovern, 38, about his experiences with racism. The beloved Sky Sports pundit opened up on his tearful account of what he had endured, admitting that he “never used to” find it difficult to reflect on the discrimination he has faced.

Detailing his other half’s reaction to his moving TV appearance on Steph’s Packed Lunch, Kammy exclusively told Express.co.uk: “It never used to be [emotionally difficult to discuss racism]. 

“When I came back home that day my wife said to me, ‘That’s the second time I’ve heard you doing an interview and getting upset over it, you’ve been hardened to all this for the whole of your life and now all of a sudden you’re getting emotional’. 

“And I said, ‘I can’t explain it, I really can’t, I don’t know why it’s happening, I don’t know why I’m getting upset about it, it’s done, it’s in the past.’ 

“It was horrible back then, but as I learned to live with it from the age of six, it hasn’t worried me at all.

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“And now, all of a sudden, when I talk about it I’m getting emotional and I can’t explain that to you, I don’t know why, I’ve got no idea why that’s happening.”

The presenter went on to detail the horrific racist comments he was subjected to when he was growing up in Middlesborough.

Kammy continued: “What’s happened now, odd cases aside like the George Floyd and stuff like that, how it was back then was completely horrendous. 

“We as a country will never go back to how it was then, but it’s still around and trying to explain to people what it was like back then, I don’t think they really believe you.

“I don’t think they really believe the TV programmes that were on back then and people in the street would just shout at you, ‘You’re the n-word’ and, ‘Go back to the jungle where you live’.

“They called my mother an ’n-lover’, all those sorts of things. 

“And that wasn’t just once a day, that was five or six times a day, depending on where you were, and people coming and banging on your door.” 

He added: “We’ll never go back to that – but it is 2021, racism should not be happening.

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“But unfortunately we’ll never eradicate it, that’s one thing for sure.”

Kammy went on to urge people to “make a stand” and ensure that others are aware that racism is unacceptable.

He said: “Let’s make a stand, let’s make people be aware that this isn’t acceptable and that’s what seems to be happening now. 

“I am in the fortunate position now where I’m Kammy, Chris Kamara, people don’t actually see any colour, they see the character and the person. So I consider myself very fortunate, but that isn’t the case for everyone.”

It comes after both Kammy and Steph were overcome with emotion on Channel 4 show Steph’s Packed Lunch when the former shared his experiences to mark the beginning of Black History Month last year.

Chris spoke about the Black Lives Matter movement that was sparked following George Floyd’s death, which was caused by a white police officer kneeling on his neck for almost nine minutes in Minneapolis in May 2020.

Kammy said: “It’s a start. It’s like the Black Lives Matter movement, [football] players taking the knee, it’s a start.”

After hearing Chris’ experiences, Steph tried to hold back her tears and said: “I think that deserves a round of applause. I get a bit emotional listening to you Kammy, you’re from my hometown and…” 

Chris then replied to the host, saying: “Don’t make me start crying!”

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