At 64, Martin Kemp is ready to turn up the heat in the Australian jungle – and he’s not shying away from those infamous waterfall showers that have left fans swooning for years. The Spandau Ballet icon, whose 80s heartthrob status still has women across the UK weak at the knees, is gearing up for his stint on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, and he’s already plotting his strategy for that steamy rite of passage.
In an exclusive chat with the Mail on Sunday, Kemp teased: “I hope I get a Jungle shower moment. I’m not sure I’ll be doing an old Myleene Klass – I haven’t had time to work out – but listen, I won’t be avoiding the Jungle shower, let’s put it that way.” With his chiseled good looks earning him ‘silver fox’ credentials, it’s no wonder the nation is buzzing. Even his son, Roman Kemp – the BBC’s The One Show presenter and a 2019 jungle alum – jokingly calls him a ‘nepo-daddy,’ flipping the nepotism script on its head.
Following in Roman’s footsteps (who placed third in his series behind soap stars Andy Whyment and Jacqueline Jossa), Martin revealed his son was his first port of call for advice. “Roman was the first person I asked about whether I should take the job, and he told me to go for it – he even said he was jealous!” Kemp laughed. “But then he kept trying to give me tips, and I had to shut him down. I was like, ‘Just leave it, Roman,’ because if I do well, he’ll claim all the credit. And if I win? Oh, he won’t live it down!”
Spotted jetting off from Heathrow on Monday night, the musician is diving headfirst into the adventure, drawing on decades of life experience to navigate the camp dynamics. “If you go in trying to play a role, it never works,” he explained. “I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, and sometimes that’s what the group needs. But I’m not worried about judgments – I’ve never been fake, and I’m not starting now.” A true trooper, Kemp added: “I wouldn’t walk out for anything. I’ve never quit in my life.”
Having toured the world with Spandau Ballet, he’s no stranger to bunking with big personalities. “Living with the band taught me how to handle group living,” he shared. And with wife Shirlie Holliman – his partner of over 35 years from the pop duo Pepsi & Shirlie – cheering him on from home, Martin’s got solid support. “Shirlie’s glad I’m doing this,” he said. “She knows I need some ‘me time’ after DJing three nights a week up and down the country. It’s something I’ve always wanted to try.”
But Martin’s arrival couldn’t come at a worse time. The Daily Mail reports that the jungle camp has been hammered by relentless thunderstorms, turning the site into a soggy nightmare. With a stream slicing through the area, heavy rains often cause overflows, forcing celebs to huddle in the Bush Telegraph for hours. ITV bosses are crossing their fingers for drier skies this year, as bad weather can crush spirits and derail the show.
Just look at recent history: In 2023, Britney Spears’ sister Jamie Lynn Spears bailed amid the downpours, followed by food critic Grace Dent, who cited plummeting morale. Last year brought the worst rains in the show’s 22-year run, though no one quit. A camp insider dished: “This level of rain ruins everything – it’s miserable for everyone involved and kills the vibe.”
As the second Kemp to brave the bugs and Bushtucker Trials (Roman was in series 19), Martin is set to bring his rockstar resilience and charm to the mix. Will he conquer the jungle – and that shower – with style? Stay tuned; this silver fox is about to roar!