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Kammy: My Unbelievable Life
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370 pages, Paperback
Published July 4, 2024
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178 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
August 13, 2024
At first I was upset there wasn't as much content related to Kammy's football-playing career as I expected in the book, but by the end I was glad of the mix - I learnt so much more about him as a result! It was written in a very Kammy fashion, which made it even more enjoyable, and the ending was very heartwarming and hopeful
January 6, 2024
The ups and downs of a national treasure!
January 22, 2024
An unbelievable read
December 30, 2024
Tales of Pompey and dealing with 1970s bigotry fascinating; tales of meeting Prince William and Westlife, less so.
April 9, 2025
5/5🌟
Book 28/52
Wow 🤩 what can I say! It’s going to sound cliche but Unbelievable !!
One of the best if not THE best autobiography’s I’ve ever read !
So many fond memories watching Kammy on tv and every time Grumps would always say ‘he was at our Guy’s wedding’ 💙
Book 28/52
Wow 🤩 what can I say! It’s going to sound cliche but Unbelievable !!
One of the best if not THE best autobiography’s I’ve ever read !
So many fond memories watching Kammy on tv and every time Grumps would always say ‘he was at our Guy’s wedding’ 💙
December 6, 2023
The unbelieveable life of an unbelievable man.
July 30, 2024
Such a top fella 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
January 14, 2025
Unbelievable read!
October 24, 2025
Chris Kamara, or Kammy as most know him, is a legend in the football broadcasting world I think it's fair to say. And when he went public with his Apraxia diagnosis it was big news, someone who was known for fast talking, loud and infectious humour suddenly found it incredibly difficult to even get a sentence out at times.
With that in mind, this isn't a standard (ex) footballers autobiography, even more so with his long and successful career after hanging up his boots.
The life story is a great read in itself, from his football career, the breakthrough at Sky Sports and then all that followed such as Ninja Warrior UK and Steph's Packed Lunch. But the bigger story is of course dealing with the Apraxia, how he kept the diagnosis/illness to himself for a long time due to embarrassment and concern for how others would view him, and then finally being open with it and getting help in fighting it.
It's very well written, informative, emotional and honest. It's a great autobiography, I feel better for reading it and would recommend it to anyone who has even passingly heard of Kammy, he's got a lot to say and it's worth reading.
With that in mind, this isn't a standard (ex) footballers autobiography, even more so with his long and successful career after hanging up his boots.
The life story is a great read in itself, from his football career, the breakthrough at Sky Sports and then all that followed such as Ninja Warrior UK and Steph's Packed Lunch. But the bigger story is of course dealing with the Apraxia, how he kept the diagnosis/illness to himself for a long time due to embarrassment and concern for how others would view him, and then finally being open with it and getting help in fighting it.
It's very well written, informative, emotional and honest. It's a great autobiography, I feel better for reading it and would recommend it to anyone who has even passingly heard of Kammy, he's got a lot to say and it's worth reading.
March 30, 2024
What a genuinely lovely man with such a full life. I loved how much joy was evident in the stories included. Not just the big events, either. Many were 'small' events or family based events. It certainly wasn't a book focused on football, goals scored, big wins, stats etc.
I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography. It was very open and intimate. It had humour and emotional elements that were both balanced well. It tackled some huge topics and very well.
I struggled a bit with the structure. It started with the 'past' chapters following a chronological timeline. These were interspersed with 'current day' chapters, which focused primarily on the struggle with apraxia. I didn't mind this contrast and liked the emotional juxtaposition between the two eras and the break up of the timeline because it acted as a bit of a break and refreshed interest.
But then it randomly moved into chapters with less of a tiemline and more category based. So instead of, I did this and that in X order, it suddenly had a chapter on animals and charity work etc. It became hard to remember which point some of these events were coming in the timeline of Chris' life because the timeline had gone by the wayside. Still interesting but a but confusing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography. It was very open and intimate. It had humour and emotional elements that were both balanced well. It tackled some huge topics and very well.
I struggled a bit with the structure. It started with the 'past' chapters following a chronological timeline. These were interspersed with 'current day' chapters, which focused primarily on the struggle with apraxia. I didn't mind this contrast and liked the emotional juxtaposition between the two eras and the break up of the timeline because it acted as a bit of a break and refreshed interest.
But then it randomly moved into chapters with less of a tiemline and more category based. So instead of, I did this and that in X order, it suddenly had a chapter on animals and charity work etc. It became hard to remember which point some of these events were coming in the timeline of Chris' life because the timeline had gone by the wayside. Still interesting but a but confusing.
January 6, 2024
MY UNBELIEVABLE LIFE (Chris Kamara)
What an interesting listen.
I don’t follow football, never have, never will but I was interested in how Mr Kamara had dealt with, and how he was getting on after his diagnosis of Apraxia.
Having had a life changing diagnosis of multiple sclerosis at only 19 years old, it’s interesting to know how others have dealt with their life altering diagnoses.
What can I say ? Listening to the progress and development of his newly diagnosed illness was… unbelievable Jeff; sorry I couldn’t resist, I might not have known much about Kammy and his footballing career but having a football obsessed other half I knew all about this famous Unbelievable Jeff saying.
Listening to this autobiography I learnt a lot about the man, his career in football and progression into television and how he dealt with the Apraxia.
And also what a kind and generous man Chris Kamara is.
Yes I found it to be a little disjointed, but remember two things, 1. Kamara is a footballer not an author. 2. He has an illness that affects his neuropathways.
Just read/ listen and enjoy.
What an interesting listen.
I don’t follow football, never have, never will but I was interested in how Mr Kamara had dealt with, and how he was getting on after his diagnosis of Apraxia.
Having had a life changing diagnosis of multiple sclerosis at only 19 years old, it’s interesting to know how others have dealt with their life altering diagnoses.
What can I say ? Listening to the progress and development of his newly diagnosed illness was… unbelievable Jeff; sorry I couldn’t resist, I might not have known much about Kammy and his footballing career but having a football obsessed other half I knew all about this famous Unbelievable Jeff saying.
Listening to this autobiography I learnt a lot about the man, his career in football and progression into television and how he dealt with the Apraxia.
And also what a kind and generous man Chris Kamara is.
Yes I found it to be a little disjointed, but remember two things, 1. Kamara is a footballer not an author. 2. He has an illness that affects his neuropathways.
Just read/ listen and enjoy.
January 10, 2024
I find Chris Kamara a likable and entertaining character, so enjoyed spending time with him in this book as he recounted his time as a footballer, manager, pundits and light entertainer. The book is elevated above standard celebrity memoir because of the heartfelt and open discussion of his battles with his health that have blighted his career in recent years. He's candid about the struggles he's faced and how he's worked to keep going through them. Despite often being a figure of fun when acting up to his "Kammy" persona in public, this book reveals a deeper and more thoughtful side of the man, which was nice to learn about. Then again, there were also plenty of silly anecdotes, which helped to balance out the serious moments. All in all, a good biography of a much-loved personality.
January 25, 2024
Chris Kamara is just one of those people who everybody loves. He’s a British national treasure, which is why when he was diagnosed with apraxia and started having difficulty with his speech and physical movement he struggled with the changes in his life.
What he probably didn’t realise was the level of affection everybody has for him, whether as a footballer playing for many different clubs or as a tv presenter.
The way he has handled himself throughout is a credit to him and his family.
The book reads as if it is Chris actually reading it to you. That distinctive voice and laugh is in every page.
I don’t do spoilers in these reviews so this is necessarily vague but the fact he’s here and managing to get stronger and live with the condition is just the best news we could have
What he probably didn’t realise was the level of affection everybody has for him, whether as a footballer playing for many different clubs or as a tv presenter.
The way he has handled himself throughout is a credit to him and his family.
The book reads as if it is Chris actually reading it to you. That distinctive voice and laugh is in every page.
I don’t do spoilers in these reviews so this is necessarily vague but the fact he’s here and managing to get stronger and live with the condition is just the best news we could have
July 11, 2024
Loved this book and would really recommend it if you are a fan of football, Kammy or even autobiographies. Kammy has done so much with his life from his beginnings from football to charity work and fighting against racism. It was also interesting to read how he is dealing with Apraxia and bringing awareness to it via his book and documentary. The book does go back and forth to the early days to the current times. It was such an enjoyable read and funny a lot of the time. It is one book I would probably read again. A young lad from Boro has done well. Unbelievable Kammy.
September 1, 2024
Hilarious, bittersweet, moving, humbling, inspirational and definitely UNBELIEVABLE!
Chris Kamara is a national treasure, and every ounce of praise he gets is deserved. His charisma displayed through his playing career, managerial career and perhaps best known, his broadcasting career, shines through on every page.
It is a wonderful and inspirational story of overcoming adversity, pedjudice, and illnesses by a man who has consistently given more back to the game of football and society in general than he ever took. Told with typical Kammy wit and wisdom. I enjoyed every word.
Chris Kamara is a national treasure, and every ounce of praise he gets is deserved. His charisma displayed through his playing career, managerial career and perhaps best known, his broadcasting career, shines through on every page.
It is a wonderful and inspirational story of overcoming adversity, pedjudice, and illnesses by a man who has consistently given more back to the game of football and society in general than he ever took. Told with typical Kammy wit and wisdom. I enjoyed every word.
September 2, 2025
Must read if you’re a fan of Kammy and if you’re reading this review then you must be. Going through his struggles with Apraxia and how much it changed his life was sad to read at times but by the end of the book I was so happy for him. For people that don’t know last year he returned to do a bit of football commenting I believe which is awesome. Kammy talks a lot about Ben Shepard in this so I did a quick online search to see some videos of them together and the first one I watched was them on This Morning, clip only lasted 30secs but it brought a tear to my eye.
February 14, 2025
Honest and entertaining
What an interesting man Kammy is! I’ve always liked him, found him funny and enjoyed watching him on tv but this book has told me all the many other things about his life. The thing that comes over the most is his appreciation and gratitude for his life and experiences. His genuine warmth appears in every recollection and the book felt almost like a conversation with the man himself, unafraid to be self deprecating and very funny!
What an interesting man Kammy is! I’ve always liked him, found him funny and enjoyed watching him on tv but this book has told me all the many other things about his life. The thing that comes over the most is his appreciation and gratitude for his life and experiences. His genuine warmth appears in every recollection and the book felt almost like a conversation with the man himself, unafraid to be self deprecating and very funny!
December 8, 2025
Reposted from CB Book Reviews on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBLSlSjB...
‘Unbelievable Jeff!’
Have you ever seen a clip of a reporter at a football match, completely unaware of what he’s been reporting on, repeatedly saying ‘I don’t know Jeff’ whilst the presenter and panel are laughing hysterically? Yes, that’s him.
Chris Kamara is the other half of the Stelling and Kamara comedy duo that have synonymously become the faces of Soccer Saturday.
Chris, or ‘Kammy’ as he is affectionately known, is another of the legends of Sky Sports. A former footballer and football manager, Kammy has arguably become more famous since his retirement from the game and subsequent move into the media as a roaming football reporter, and later as a tv presenter.
In his first book ‘Mr Unbelievable’, Chris provides an entertaining overview of his life, from childhood to 2011. He shares details of his experiences within life, including the attitudes and barriers that he had to fight as a young man, as well as funny stories from his own playing days and beyond, finishing in 2011.
During the early stages of his second book ‘My Unbelievable Life’, Kammy alternates chapters between some of the life events detailed in his previous book, and the early struggles of his battle with the neurological disease Apraxia which has left him feeling ‘a fraud’ compared with his former self. Chris explains the inconsistencies of the disease that kept him clinging on to hope, and how it has affected not just his speech, but also his physical co-ordination and abilities as well as the mental toll. As we as the reader move further along into the book, Chris goes on to
bring us up to speed with more of his recent life events such as his friendship with fellow presenter Ben Sheppard, following England at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, releasing two Christmas albums, his numerous amounts of charity work which resulted in him being awarded an MBE, before finally returning to the topic of Apraxia and his recent trip to Mexico to receive groundbreaking experimental treatment.
As you would come to expect, this is all delivered in an ‘unbelievably’ Kammy way, with plenty of humility and humour.
I enjoyed reading this book. Not only has it shared more recent events that Chris has been fortunate enough to experience, but it also takes the reader into his struggles with his illness, how long it took for him to accept that something was wrong and seek help, and within that how he felt as his symptoms developed. I feel that I know Kammy the man more than I would have previously, and I really hope that his recovery continues following his treatment.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBLSlSjB...
‘Unbelievable Jeff!’
Have you ever seen a clip of a reporter at a football match, completely unaware of what he’s been reporting on, repeatedly saying ‘I don’t know Jeff’ whilst the presenter and panel are laughing hysterically? Yes, that’s him.
Chris Kamara is the other half of the Stelling and Kamara comedy duo that have synonymously become the faces of Soccer Saturday.
Chris, or ‘Kammy’ as he is affectionately known, is another of the legends of Sky Sports. A former footballer and football manager, Kammy has arguably become more famous since his retirement from the game and subsequent move into the media as a roaming football reporter, and later as a tv presenter.
In his first book ‘Mr Unbelievable’, Chris provides an entertaining overview of his life, from childhood to 2011. He shares details of his experiences within life, including the attitudes and barriers that he had to fight as a young man, as well as funny stories from his own playing days and beyond, finishing in 2011.
During the early stages of his second book ‘My Unbelievable Life’, Kammy alternates chapters between some of the life events detailed in his previous book, and the early struggles of his battle with the neurological disease Apraxia which has left him feeling ‘a fraud’ compared with his former self. Chris explains the inconsistencies of the disease that kept him clinging on to hope, and how it has affected not just his speech, but also his physical co-ordination and abilities as well as the mental toll. As we as the reader move further along into the book, Chris goes on to
bring us up to speed with more of his recent life events such as his friendship with fellow presenter Ben Sheppard, following England at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, releasing two Christmas albums, his numerous amounts of charity work which resulted in him being awarded an MBE, before finally returning to the topic of Apraxia and his recent trip to Mexico to receive groundbreaking experimental treatment.
As you would come to expect, this is all delivered in an ‘unbelievably’ Kammy way, with plenty of humility and humour.
I enjoyed reading this book. Not only has it shared more recent events that Chris has been fortunate enough to experience, but it also takes the reader into his struggles with his illness, how long it took for him to accept that something was wrong and seek help, and within that how he felt as his symptoms developed. I feel that I know Kammy the man more than I would have previously, and I really hope that his recovery continues following his treatment.
September 18, 2024
Chris Kamara (2023) KAMMY: MY UNBELIEVABLE LIFE (AUDIOBOOK)
BorrowBox - Macmillan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars
BorrowBox writes, "Presenter, commentator, (sometimes masked) singer, footballer, manager and campaigner, Kammy's action-packed career has made him a bona fide British hero. But it hasn't always been plain sailing.
Kammy had a tough upbringing, faced racism on the terraces during his playing career and has, in recent years, dealt with a rare brain condition – apraxia – that has affected his speech and seen him say goodbye to Sky Sports. Despite this, Kammy’s star has only risen as he’s met every challenge with courage, determination and his infectious smile.
With entertaining stories of his playing career from Pompey to Leeds and beyond; his management at Bradford City and Stoke; his crazy travels around the world; of Soccer Saturday banter; presenting Ninja Warrior; and the incredible friendships he's made along the way, Kammy is an unforgettable ride from one of Britain's best-loved broadcasters."
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Excellent. Thoroughly recommend!
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#ChrisKamara #KAMMYMyUnbelievableLife #Book #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads #Audiobook #Audiobooks #BorrowBox
BorrowBox - Macmillan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars
BorrowBox writes, "Presenter, commentator, (sometimes masked) singer, footballer, manager and campaigner, Kammy's action-packed career has made him a bona fide British hero. But it hasn't always been plain sailing.
Kammy had a tough upbringing, faced racism on the terraces during his playing career and has, in recent years, dealt with a rare brain condition – apraxia – that has affected his speech and seen him say goodbye to Sky Sports. Despite this, Kammy’s star has only risen as he’s met every challenge with courage, determination and his infectious smile.
With entertaining stories of his playing career from Pompey to Leeds and beyond; his management at Bradford City and Stoke; his crazy travels around the world; of Soccer Saturday banter; presenting Ninja Warrior; and the incredible friendships he's made along the way, Kammy is an unforgettable ride from one of Britain's best-loved broadcasters."
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Excellent. Thoroughly recommend!
=====
#ChrisKamara #KAMMYMyUnbelievableLife #Book #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads #Audiobook #Audiobooks #BorrowBox
June 30, 2024
Listened to this on Audiobook and I have to admit, the guy doing the reading REALLY annoyed me. I thought he was awful. Also, I really like Kammy, but in fairness, he could have cut this book in half if he hadn't mentioned all the famous people, Royaly and the chapters he just spends name dropping. He's had a long and interesting enough career as a Footballer, Manager and TV Personality, along with his illness, to more than make up a good book, but to me he seems to rush through the bits of his Football stories to get to the bits where he could mention all the famous people he knew and who recognised him and invited him out to parties and to meet important people. If I could give a 2.5 I would, but personally, I don't think Kammy comes out of this the best ( altough, admittedly, the bloke doing the Audio cerainly didn't help him -)
November 23, 2024
Audiobook. Chris’ legendary sense of humour didn’t come across as much as I’d hoped. I am not too familiar with his work so it was interesting to learn more about the ambition and professionalism that led to his success as well as his experience with apraxia. The football and broadcasting sections in the middle were great, apart from that I didn’t find the book to be very engaging. Was not keen on the narration and large sections came across more like bland and disjointed diary entries. (Ascot, holidays in Brazil etc)
January 4, 2025
Listened on audiobook. A very interesting, entertaining and educating listen. Having only really knowing about his time on Soccer Saturday it was very interesting to learn about his playing and managerial career as well. I liked how the early chapters flipped between the past and present with a focus on his time dealing with apraxia which was a very eye opening and certainly raised awareness on it. Great read.
March 16, 2024
A really enjoyable book with the image of Kammy’s infectious smile embedded throughout. As Steph McGovern says ‘This book will make you laugh and cry in equal measures’ His football story is only the beginning and his battle to hide and then open up on his apraxia has raised awareness and given hope to so many others. Thoroughly recommended!
December 25, 2024
Great read and thoroughly inspiring! Wide range of topics covered including football and the magical relationship with Jeff Stelling and the Saturday soccer team. His journey to dealing with the apraxia challenge is a lesson to us all. Basically, never give up and ask for help! Great book from a great lad! One of our own!
January 7, 2025
A reasonable read which replicates the author in words. Sadly he has a slightly debilitating illness which took him a while to come to grips with. His tale comes across as a little overbearing where he effectively succeeds at everything he does except for football team management. But reality is he’s a very likeable character and this comes across in the ghosted words
March 5, 2025
Chris Kamara comes across as genuine as ever giving an honest and frank account of his life since his apraxia diagnosis, whilst also displaying his light hearted humour. Interesting to learn more about his personal life rather than just his playing career. Very enjoyable, would absolutely recommend to anyone, not just football fans.
November 18, 2023
Tony Marshall is a dreadful choice for the narrator, he has a thick Lancashire accent and Kammy is from my hometown Middlesbrough.
Text is wonderful, flows beautifully, extremely interesting insights into his life and career
Text is wonderful, flows beautifully, extremely interesting insights into his life and career
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2024
Really good. Love his honesty, his openness.
Really like the structure too, a chapter for his career, a chapter for his condition, alternating for much of the book. Really broke up the book, I flew threw most of this.
Dips a bit towards the end with some boring stories but still ace overall!
Really like the structure too, a chapter for his career, a chapter for his condition, alternating for much of the book. Really broke up the book, I flew threw most of this.
Dips a bit towards the end with some boring stories but still ace overall!
February 5, 2024
Both heartwarming and deeply upsetting, Kammy brings his onscreen charm to the page with great aplomb.
The navigation of his career from Middlesbrough lad to national treasure is a delight to read, and should be heralded as how to write an autobiography.
The navigation of his career from Middlesbrough lad to national treasure is a delight to read, and should be heralded as how to write an autobiography.
February 14, 2024
A thoroughly enjoyable with Kammy laying him open for all to see. He discusses his health problems in such a way that, hopefully, it could encourage others to face their problems in a similar way.
It is a perfect mix of sporting and personal anecdotes.
It is a perfect mix of sporting and personal anecdotes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews