Spandau Ballet star Martin Kemp has made a heartfelt admission to his son Roman after the 33-year-old opened up about his fears around mortality. The pair are starring in a new three-part Channel 4 travel series, Martin & Roman's Irish Road Trip, which sees them explore the island's landscapes, history, folklore and traditions from the north to the south.
Roman's emotional confession
In a heartbreaking on-screen moment, Roman confessed he struggles to sleep even thinking about death, admitting there will be a point "when you and mum aren't here anymore". The father and son had just spoken with Dr Marian Corfield, who discussed how previous generations dealt with loss and grief compared to 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. 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."
Martin's reassuring response
Turning to his dad, Roman 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, 64, leaned toward his son and reassured him: "Don't worry about it too much. It's a long way to go yet."
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?"
Family life and career
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.
