I’m A Celeb star in city to film TV show on suicide
ROMAN JOINS SPECIALIST TEAM FOR PERSONAL DOCUMENTARY
RADIO host Roman Kemp visited Nottinghamshire Police headquarters to film a programme about male suicide and mental health.
The I’m A Celebrity star showcased the joint work of police and mental health nurses who deal with potential suicide victims in a new documentary set to air next week.
Roman Kemp: Our Silent Emergency is a candid and personal exploration of mental health and suicide in young men, and the effect it has on those left behind.
The programme, which will be shown at 9pm tomorrow on BBC One and BBC Three, follows the death of Roman’s close friend and producer Joe Lyons, who unexpectedly died last August.
It will show Roman joining the police force’s street triage team on a night shift as they provide emergency help to vulnerable people in need of immediate mental health support.
The programme will explore what can be done to encourage people to seek help and what preventative action can be taken.
It will also look at the lasting impact mental health issues and suicide can have on the friends and families of those involved.
Roman filmed with the street triage team – one of the first to be set up nationally consisting of police officers and adult mental health nurses – to highlight the help available for when people need it most. The team combines officers with mental health practitioners to respond to calls where members of the public are in distress. Together they provide a specialist response to people with mental health issues, who come into contact with police and in need of urgent help.
Examples include incidents when members of the public threaten to jump off city centre car parks. Roman said: “Being with the team was truly aweinspiring. It is was great to see the work they do to help people when they are at the lowest point in their lives.
“There is no doubt a team like this saves lives which otherwise might have been lost and well done Nottinghamshire for realising this is needed. It was a privilege to witness their work.
“There is a growing mental health crisis going on right now, and without the right support, the results can be tragic. I hope by making this documentary we can bring attention to a subject affecting thousands of young men across the country, and show there are ways to reach those suffering and need our help.”
In the documentary Roman accompanies nurse Louise Chapman from Nottinghamshire Healthcare and PC Dan Gilbert as they visit a man who had made an attempt on his own life. He was located by the team at home where they assessed his mental health. He also observed a call to a man who had taken an overdose, left their home and would not engage with ambulance staff. The team were able to speak to him on the phone, get his location and get officers to him, ultimately being able to persuade him to go to hospital, where they stayed to help limit his anxiety.
Other jobs included concerns for a suicidal 13-year-old boy and a 16 year old who told parents he was suicidal.
Louise said: “It was a delight to go out with Roman and show him what we do. We have been seeing some people’s difficulties are becoming more severe as the challenges posed by lockdown add to preexisting conditions. We are here to help people realise there are alternatives to ending their lives and while the situations can seem scary that we attend, we know our work is vital to helping save lives.”
Police Sergeant Anthony Horsnall, Mental Health Coordinator at Nottinghamshire Police, who has recently been presented with a High Sheriff medal for the work of the team, added: “Isolation, loneliness and financial security are all factors which impact on people’s mental health. When you add poor coping mechanisms to that – such as drinking more – this can lead to an increase in mental health related calls to police.
“If you are struggling, and particularly if you have suicidal thoughts, I urge you to seek help. There is support available and you are not alone.”