Martin Kemp has opened up about his noticeably low screen time during his stint on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, suggesting his younger co-stars were actively vying for the cameras' attention.
The 'fatherly role' in the jungle
The 64-year-old Spandau Ballet icon was voted off the ITV reality show on Thursday evening, following the exits of Ruby Wax, Kelly Brook, Vogue Williams, Eddie Kadi, and Alex Scott. After viewers complained about his scarce appearances, Kemp appeared on Good Morning Britain via video link on Friday to shed light on his camp demeanour.
He told hosts Adil Ray and Charlotte Hawkins that he deliberately took a back seat, adopting a 'fatherly role' to bring calm to the camp. "I suppose my role was to let the kids be kids and bring a little bit of calm into the camp," Kemp explained. "I knew that was going to be my role. I'm not one who wants to jump in front of the camera and do magic tricks."
A generational divide in camera awareness
Kemp, who described the whole experience as a "weird trip" he enjoyed, pointed to a clear difference in priorities between himself and the younger contestants. He noted that stars like favourites Aitch and Angryginge were at a stage where impressing the cameras was crucial for their careers.
"Those guys are at the beginning, they're starting off in their careers and that's what they wanna do and I absolutely get it," he said. "I'm at the other end of the scale and I'm just there for the experience and I love that!"
Kemp's pick for King of the Jungle
When asked who he would like to see win the series, Kemp gave a heartfelt endorsement for Celebs Go Dating star Tom Read-Wilson. "I would love Tom to win. Tom is the most authentic, biggest heart I have met for years," he said. "He's the only man I've met for a long time who looks you in the eye, tells you he loves you, and you know he means it."
He also backed former EastEnders actress Shona McGarty, who sweetly called him "dad" as he left camp. "She is the most beautiful songbird ever," Kemp said, adding that his time in the jungle taught him "how patient I am and how emotional I am. I felt like crying all the time."
Fan reaction and romance rumours quashed
Fans were disappointed to see Kemp leave, with one social media user writing, "How can you not love Martin Kemp...so sad to see him go tonight." Another questioned, "How has Martin Kemp been voted off when you still have Jack Osbourne in there."
His exit followed fellow camper Ruby Wax revealing that any speculation about a jungle romance between Shona McGarty and rapper Aitch was unfounded. Wax disclosed that McGarty had confided in her that Aitch, 25, was 'not her type at all', preferring "hunky, bigger men." Wax had initially hoped to play matchmaker, joking, "I thought we could have children and we'd live in the forest forever."
Reflecting on his overall experience, Martin Kemp concluded, "I feel like I've done everything I wanted to do, experienced it, and I can walk away with some brilliant anecdotes....I always felt like I was a bit on the outside, a bit calmer than everyone else."
