I’m A Celebrity star Martin Kemp is clearly having the time of his life in the jungle. Sure, he’s been accused of getting very little airtime, but he remains a favourite with viewers.
However, underneath the camaraderie and sing-alongs at the Jungle Arms, Roman Kemp shared a heartbreaking secret about his father.
As per usual, Roman took to X to post his thoughts about last night’s (December 2) episode of I’m A Celebrity. But followers didn’t expect what was coming next.
Roman Kemp makes emotional Martin Kemp admission
“One thing I have noticed is my dad keeps saying ‘my new friends,'” Roman wrote. “He genuinely doesn’t have mates, so he means it, he’ll really be chuffed. Again, not being mean, that’s the truth.”
In the replies, viewers made their feelings known. “Why would you write this about your dad on the internet?” one asked. To which Kemp replied: “I mean, we are pretty open. Also the fact he’s said it on about a million podcasts.”
“Power to your Dad for not feeling the need to tick social norms,” another wrote. While a third added: “Stop it Roman, I was already tearing up at the huge grin on his face. This has sent me over the edge.”
Users also stepped up to be friends with Martin themselves.
A fourth declared, “Happy to be his friend, anytime pop in for a cuppa,” while a fifth told Roman, “Your dad has gained the entire nation has friends. He’s all our dads now.”
I’m A Celebrity star Martin Kemp on friends
Back in 2023, Roman came under fire for saying his father has no friends. He went on to address this with Martin on their shared podcast (via The Express) in 2024.
“Yeah, that’s quite true,” Martin replied, adding: “I don’t have any mates,” while admitting: “I don’t know why.”
Martin insisted that it’s “not that I don’t like people” and “enjoy people’s company”.
The heartbreaking reason for Martin’s lack of friends revealed
While Roman insisted his father was likeable, the Spandau Ballet star then went on to say that if this was true, why hadn’t anyone invited him to the cinema? He then admitted that he hasn’t “hung out” with anybody for 35 years.
“The only people that I’ve ever seen as mates, as real mates, that I trust completely are the people that are in my band, that I spent a lifetime with, we travelled the world together and we discovered our personalities together,” Martin told his son.
“They are the people that I would think of as my real friends, we have shared secrets that only us know of.”
However, after the band’s fraught ending, which saw multiple members sue for royalties, Martin concluded that he struggles to trust people to this day.
“The way the band fell apart in the end is the reason I start thinking, ‘can I really trust anyone?'” he asked. “Maybe that’s why I don’t have any friends.”
Read More: I’m A Celebrity star Martin Kemp told ‘his fate might be sealed’ ahead of tonight’s elimination
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