FORMER Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler has revealed he underwent surgery to save his iconic voice.
Tyler, who has one of the most recognisable voices in football, faced the terrifying prospect of permanently losing his voice after the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
The 78-year-old revealed his vocal cords were affected by the climate in Qatar, meaning he struggled to talk.
He was subsequently diagnosed with Keratosis of the larynx and underwent surgery.
Tyler said: “I overused my voice and the climate in Qatar affected my cords so I realised I needed help.
“My voice is my identity but the thought of not working again wasn’t the worst part of it, not being able to socialise was a real prospect.
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“Not being able to answer the phone, go for coffee with friend and only talking to those who were very close me was frightening.
“I’ve had a very long career so losing my living had financial implications, but it was the loss of socialising that hit me.
“When I lost my voice I had to go to a few events and it was very difficult. I either had to hide my condition or reveal to people I was close to and who I trusted.”
After his operation, the legendary commentator required help from St George’s Hospital’s speech and language therapy team and was assigned Elissa Finn as his speech therapist.
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He continued: “Elissa was amazing, I have had a very fortunate life but this was the roughest time for me.
“It was by far the worst. Elissa saw me at my best and she saw me at my worst. I couldn’t have asked for more from Elissa and from everyone else.”
Tyler also heaped praise on the hospital staff, adding: “I cannot be more grateful to how I was treated at St George’s. They are wonderful people at looking after patients’ best interests.
“I am really grateful for their care. I was treated splendidly with care and with humour, which is very important to keep your spirits up.
“Since my treatment I have done 40 commentaries. It’s a miracle. It (my voice) didn’t mean anything to me before, but it now means to me not taking my voice for granted. The loss of my voice and the potential of losing it forever was the worst-case scenario.”
Tyler has enjoyed a commentary career that has spanned over 50 years.
He spent 33 years at Sky Sports before being “stepped down”.
He has since continued working for overseas networks this season.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
