Hartlepool graduate to star in ITV documentary on stammering

Emily Booth, 21, from Seaton Carew, has been stammering since she was a young child, but has no idea why.

“I asked my mum and dad and they said it was when I started school, aged six or seven, but there was no initial trigger,” she said.

Emily has recently graduated from Durham University as a primary school teacher - but says that while her speech was not a problem in the classroom, it was a different matter when it came to job interviews.

“I wouldn’t stammer when I was teaching, so I was able to get away with it, and most of the time I can conceal it quite well, but in interviews, because I am nervous, I can’t hide it.

“I never knew how bad my stammer was until I went into interviews,” she said.

Emily had tried NHS speech therapy without success and had heard of a new technique, the McGuire Programme, which trains sufferers to control, rather than lose, their stammer.

She realised the time was right to take action and researched the technique.

“I had worked so hard to be where I wanted to be but I could not get a job,” she said.

An on-line search revealed a TV production company was planning to produce a documentary about the technique and was looking for people to take part.

“I emailed them, explaining all about how it had affected my life,” she said.

Emily was invited to an interview and soon found herself taking part in the show

“Six of us went to London and were there for four days,” she said.

“You learn four techniques, completely new ways to breath, so you are in control of your stammer.

“Everyone involved has a stammer - the coaches, the regional manager, the creator of the programme - so everyone know what you are going through.”

“From the get-go, I have not worried about stammering again,” she said.

• Emily’s documentary School for Stammering is on ITV1 at 9pm this evening.