Black History Month: Ex-Leeds United footballer Chris Kamara and Steph McGovern in tears after talking about racism on Channel 4 show

The football personality today appeared on Steph’s Packed Lunch, which is filmed at Leeds Dock, to mark the start of Black History Month.

Presenter Steph McGovern spoke to the Sky Sports star about his experiences of growing up in Middlesbrough, which is also her home town.

Talking about growing on Teesside, he said: “Growing up in Middlesbrough for me and my family was so hard.

"People talk about how difficult it is in these days. They just don’t realise, when you’re the only Black family on your estate, the only Black people in your town and Middlesbrough is a big town, how devastating that effect that had on my dad.

"It did on our future as well, he was trying to protect us much as possible, but it was really difficult for him and people of his ilk.”

Asked if he felt different growing up in Middlesbrough, he replied: “Well, I remember once going to the shop to get ten woodbines for my mum, but before the shopkeeper could give me the woodbines, somebody burst into the shop demanding a loaf of bread.

He said, 'I’m just serving this fella' and she said ‘Oh him and his lot should go back to where they came from’ – but we only lived five doors away from her! And that was when you first realise that you’re different.

“And when you go to school, you’re the only Black person in your school. It became a decision for me to get my head down and work as hard as you possibly can because outside people will try and stop your progress.”

McGovern asked if he felt that if he genuinely felt like people were trying to stop him because of the colour of his skin.

He said: “Absolutely, you grew up with it. It became the norm. When I first started playing football, Love Thy Neighbour and Alf Garnett were on the telly.

"So I would go into training the next day – and I like a laugh and I would laugh along with these programmes same as anyone else – but when you would walk in the changing rooms, the players would stop talking and they’d go ‘Oh you’re alright Kammy, you don’t mind’ and I couldn’t mind – because I was the minority – I was the one person.”

Discussing Black History Month and the Black Lives Matter movement, he added: “It’s a start. It’s like the Black Lives Matter movement, players taking the knee, it’s a start.

"People have already suggested after the George Floyd death, have we now done away with that? Has everyone their little bit to try and accommodate colour? No, no. The players are still taking the knee, people are still interested, people are learning that we are all people, we’re all one colour – or we should be.”

Both McGovern and Kamara became tearful as the studio audience gave the footballer a round of applause.

Steph’s Packed Lunch airs weekdays at 12.30pm on Channel 4.