Martin Kemp’s heartbreaking admission to Roman as son fears
Martin Kemp’s heartbreaking confession to son Roman ‘won’t be here anymore’ (Image: ITV)
Martin Kemp and his son Roman Kemp have teamed up for a father and son adventure in Martin & Roman’s Irish Road Trip, a new three-part Channel 4 travel series where the pair explore the island’s landscapes, history, folklore and traditions. The series takes them from the north of Ireland to the south where they investigate everything from ancient legends and ghost stories to music and sport.
In a heartbreaking on-screen moment, Roman, 33, opened up about his fears around mortality and those of his loved ones, as he confessed he struggles to sleep even thinking about death. In tear-jerking scenes, he confessed that there will be a point “when you and mum aren’t here anymore”.
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The father and son had just spoken with Dr Marian Corfield who discussed how previous generations dealt with loss and grief compared to that of modern society.
Roman commented: “We all experience loss at some point in our lives but I think more and more of us are realising that bottling things up isn’t the answer.
Martin Kemp and Roman Kemp are starring in a new Channel 4 series (Image: Channel 4)
I’ve reached a weird point in my life, because I’m 33, and for some reason most guys when they reach this age, mortality really starts to become a thing, and sometimes I can’t sleep and I think about it.”
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Turning to his dad, he said, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but there’s going to be a point when you and mum aren’t here anymore.
Martin leaned toward his son as he attempted to reassure him.
“Don’t worry about it too much. It’s a long way to go yet,” the 64-year-old remarked.
Martin Kemp pictured with his wife Shirlie Kemp (Image: Getty)
He explained further: “You don’t worry about it when you’re younger, you get older you think about it. The older you get the more you think about it. Until you reach a point, where I am now, you just carry on.”
Addressing his own mortality, Martin confessed: “You know it’s coming. One day it’s going to come. You can’t put it off. What are you going to worry about?”
The Spandau Ballet and EastEnders icon has been ever-present on UK screens and stages since the 1980s. Martin has been married to Shirlie Holliman since 1988.
The pair share a daughter, Harley Moon, and a son, Roman, who is a regular presenter on BBC’s The One Show.
Martin & Roman’s Irish Road Trip airs Mondays on Channel 4 at 10pm.
