Roman Kemp has opened up about his decision to leave Capital Radio 10 years after presenting his first programme for the station, admitting “I need time to myself”.

The 31-year-old left Capital Radio last week on March 28 after first announcing his exit in February.

It was recently confirmed that Jordan North will replace him, who will also host Capital’s Summertime Ball in June 2024.

Jordan will be making the move over from BBC Radio 1 after leaving the drive-time show – his role has since been taken over by Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing.

Why did Roman Kemp leave Capital Radio?

But now speaking to The Mirror, Roman revealed why it was time to move on and said “I've been living that same day over and over again” following the death of his producer and friend Joe Lyons who died.

Roman was in the middle of hosting his show in August 2020 when he found out Joe had died after taking his own life.

He explained: “I need this time for myself. I've been at that company (Global) for ten years, on that show for seven now. I've tried to spin the plates and tried to do everything and I've realised it's getting in the way of my life. You can't enjoy your own life. If you think of a radio show, every day you've got to go out in front of the public and dance and every now and then you've got to give yourself a rest and I've not been doing that for myself. It came to that point of 'I need to leave this behind now'."

Roman went on to say he thinks “a big decision in wanting to do it and wanting to move on and feeling like I need to close this chapter isn't anything to do with radio or the occupation.”

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He added: "It's to do what happened for me. That sounds wild but I mean it, it's not normal, imagine a tragedy happened in your house you're going to want to move.

"The bosses at Capital know this and I said it, it's difficult, I went through such a horrible moment in that room in that studio, four years on and I've been living that same day over and over again, without the awful event.

“For me, I'm quite ready to go 'OK, close that door now, don't keep going back living that horrible day over again. That's sad that obviously affects me but it does. Every day I walk in there and I see Joe, that's a weird thing to do. I think it's going to be really good for me to move on with my life. I had an opportunity in my life, I can go and enjoy my life for a bit and I want to enjoy what I have achieved."