"If I Was Choosing Again, I'd Choose a Stammer" - Ed Balls Opens Up About Overcoming His Interiorized Stammer

From the world of politics to the sizzle of the "Strictly" dance floor, Ed Balls has led a life with many twists and turns. But what many might not know is how his battle with a stammer influenced his life. In his recent memoir "Appetite," he dishes out this profound discovery, offering insight, inspiration, and a fascinating look into how he transformed his challenges into triumphs.

From Cabinet to Confession: Ed Balls' Hidden Challenge

The 54-year-old former Labour MP wasn't fully aware of his stammer until he was already in the Cabinet, a revelation he made public in his new memoir. “I didn’t know it was a stammer until I was already in the Cabinet I’d found out that I had a challenge while speaking publicly in certain situations,” Balls explains.

Upon reflection, he remembers painful moments of silence filled with loud jeers from Conservative MPs. It was his father, who had a stammer too but didn't realize it, who first identified Ed's speech pattern. Balls admits, “It got worse when I became a Cabinet minister. We went off to investigate and was told it was an ‘interiorised stammer’ (much like Colin Firth’s George VI in The King’s Speech).”

Facing the Stammer: Therapy, Advocacy, and a New Dance

Ed Balls was initially in denial, arguing with his speech therapist, Jan Logan, whether it was indeed a stammer. Eventually, he committed to therapy every week for three years, and the journey was a transformative one. “It took me another two or three years before I finally agreed to go public, and it was a very big liberating thing,” he shares.

He even got actor Colin Firth to join him in raising awareness for stammering and has become a vocal advocate and Vice President of Action for Stammering Children.

Balls' advice to others struggling with a stammer? “It’s not something you catch or something which is cured. It’s just part of you. Owning it and accepting it and making it part of you is really important. Covering up or denying it causes huge problems in terms of avoidance.”

And how has it impacted his life? In his words, “For me, being public makes a massive difference. I stammer all the time but I’m really good at riding it and managing it now.”

The ex-politician, celebrity cook, and 'Gangnam Style' Strictly star has shown that stammer or not, he's not one to shy away from life's challenges. Whether it's dancing with grace or speaking with courage, Ed Balls proves that with acceptance, therapy, and a touch of tenacity, there's nothing that can hold him back.

As he cheekily puts it, “If I was choosing again, I’d choose a stammer.”

His story continues to dance off the pages, inspiring many to face their own unique hurdles and challenges head-on.

(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)