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Martin Kemp on ‘worst moment of his life’ that wife Shirlie ‘can’t even talk about’: ‘It put me into shock for several days’

'I was crying my eyes out'

Martin and Shirlie Kemp previously opened up about a terrifying experience they went through when son Roman “nearly died” as a child.

Singer Martin and Shirlie have been married for almost 40 years. They are parents to Roman and Harleymoon – who are currently appearing on Celebrity Race Across The World, which repeats today (November 22).

However, the family were hit with panic when Roman “nearly died” while on holiday in France as a youngster, with Martin calling it the “worst moment” of his life.

Martin, Shirlie and Roman Kemp
The pair are parents to Roman and Harleymoon (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Martin Kemp on ‘worst moment’ of his life with Shirlie

In April this year, Shirlie appeared on Martin and Roman’s podcast FFS! My Dad is Martin Kemp. During the chat, the family discussed the harrowing event involving Roman that occurred in the 1990s.

The family were in Saint Tropez at the time, staying at pal George Michael’s luxury home. However, things took a worrying turn when a toddler Roman accidentally fell into the pool.

On the podcast, Roman asked his parents: “Do you remember when I nearly died?” Mum Shirlie replied: “I can’t even talk about it.”

Martin then added: “It was the worst moment of my life. It put me into shock for several days.”

Roman Kemp on Lorraine
Roman accidentally fell into a pool while on holiday (Credit: ITV)

Roman ‘almost died’ in pool

Martin recalled: “I was lying there, by the pool, with my eyes closed, looking up at the sun, and all of a sudden, for some reason, I opened my eyes and I saw you underwater, in the pool.

“And I saw you splashing around and I jumped in, looked down at you, and I had this crashing memory of your face underwater with your bright blue eyes and me looking down at you and just dragging you out.

“You’d stepped into the water and you know the jets on the side of the pool, the little jets, they’d pushed you out into the middle.”

Martin called it the ‘worst moment’ of his life (Credit: ITV)

Martin was ‘crying his eyes out’

Despite being around five years old, Roman can remember the scary experience. He recounted the ordeal: “I remember going into the pool and not having armbands on.

“What is so weird is the memory I have of it is, all of a sudden, being at the bottom of the pool and looking up. But looking up and seeing he had a crocodile lilo and looking and seeing that lilo and over the top of that was the left of me, you jumping in.”

Dad was beside himself.

Mum Shirlie then shared her regret over the situation as he had been out at the market at the time. She admitted: “The terrible thing is, I went to the market and then I felt guilty that I had gone to the market in Saint Tropez and got back and saw Dad, and then I blamed myself that I wasn’t there.”

Revealing her shock when she came back to find Martin in shock, Shirlie explained: “Dad was beside himself and said: ‘Something terrible happened.'”

Martin then said: “I was crying my eyes out. I had terrible PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] over it.”

Watch Roman and Harleymoon on Celebrity Race Across The World on Saturday (November 22) at 5:15pm on BBC Two.

Read more: Spandau Ballet star Tony Hadley admits he’s watching ex-bandmate Martin Kemp on I’m A Celebrity amid long-running rift

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Joey Crutchley
Freelance Writer