Chris Kamara said receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Bradford was “unbelievable” after the university recognised both his football career and his work raising awareness of speech apraxia and men’s mental health.
The former Bradford City AFC player, manager, pundit and TV presenter was awarded the honorary Doctor of Health on Wednesday. For Kamara, the moment carried added meaning because of his long connection to Bradford and the role it has played in his professional life.
Kamara played for Bradford City AFC from 1994 to 1995 before later managing the club in 1996, when he guided them to promotion to the First Division. That history helped make the honour feel personal as well as professional.
A recognition of career and advocacy
The University of Bradford said the award was not only for Kamara’s work in football and media, but also for the way he has used his platform since being diagnosed with apraxia of speech in 2021. The university also pointed to his wider awareness-raising work around men’s mental health.
Kamara has become known for speaking openly about that period of his life, and he said his health was now good. He also said he had accepted the “new me,” a line that reflected both adjustment and resilience.
His wider record of public service has also been acknowledged before. In 1997, he became a patron of Show Racism the Red Card, and in 2023 he was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list.
Why the award matters
The honorary doctorate adds another formal recognition to a career that has stretched from the First Division to television, while also highlighting the personal causes Kamara has backed in recent years. It also underlines the bond between Kamara and Bradford, something he said has shaped the path that followed.
“My career wouldn’t have happened in TV if it wasn’t for Bradford,” he said, summing up how the city remains central to his story.
He also said he feels able to help others now and believes that giving back matters. “I’m in a position to give back and I don’t know why so many other people don’t do it because it gives you so much satisfaction to help others,” he said.
For Kamara, the honour is about more than ceremony. It is a public nod to a football life, a media career and a personal journey that has included adapting to apraxia of speech while continuing to stay visible and active in public life.
