Underneaththe jokes, Dad is my hero and best mate
DJ Roman Kemp talks about growing up with famous parents in his new book
IF THERE’S one thing in life Roman Kemp is grateful for, it’s the enduring support of his popstar parents Martin and Shirlie.
They’ve been there for the Capital FM DJ and broadcaster throughout his highs and lows – and Roman says they are his best friends and closest confidants.
In his new book, Are You Really OK?, Roman lifts the lid on how he was diagnosed with chemical depression when he was 15, his plans to take his own life before he entered the I’m A Celebrity... jungle in 2019 and his shock when best friend and Capital Radio producer, Joe Lyons killed himself last year, at the age of 31.
Now, in an extract from the book, which is part self-help, part biography, 29-year-old Roman reveals all about his relationship with his parents and how much he admires their 40-year marriage...
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Who knows how life works, but if someone asks me what’s the best thing to ever happen to me, it’s undoubtedly the parents I was given.
Not because they’re famous, and certainly not because they’re rich – they’ve endured real financial struggles over the years – but quite
simply because they’re the world’s nicest people.
I was a chunky little thing with big blue eyes, long lashes and a mop of blond hair. I looked like a little girl, so that’s exactly how my mum styled me, posing me up for many pictures bizarrely lying naked in flower beds half the time.
Mum and Dad’s parenting style was definitely what you’d call “bohemian”. They always made a point of treating my sister Harley and I as their mates, rather than their children to boss around.
People might assume our house would have been filled with famous people when I was growing up. But it wasn’t like that at all. In reality, Mum and Dad are quite homely people, they’re insanely loved-up, even after nearly 40 years together, and are very happy just being in their own company. Not hosting famous types.
They didn’t throw parties, they’re just not extravagant people like that.
Their strong marriage is something I admire so much. As a teenager it was one of my biggest fears, them splitting up. I never wanted Dad to do Strictly Come Dancing in case the famous curse struck and it broke them up!
Anyone who’s seen us together on telly will know that Dad and I rinse each other constantly. Whether it’s on Celebrity Gogglebox or Weekend Best, how we banter and take the p*** out of each other on telly is exactly what we’re like in real life.
But underneath the jokes, Dad is my hero and my best mate and we are insanely close. I am absolutely blessed that we have one of the best father-and-son relationships of anyone I know.
We can and do talk about anything and everything. Dad will cheerfully tell me – and all the viewers at home – about his daily “manscaping” preferences.
He likes to sit on the loo backwards so he can shave his bits and use the top of the cistern to rest the razor on. (Er, thanks for that tip Dad, appreciated.)
And once I had actually to walk off the sofa during Gogglebox when Dad insisted that I would have found my Mum “tasty” when she was younger. (Ewwww. That made me feel quite ill thinking about that.)
At 60, Dad still has his fair share of female admirers, which he’s a bit sheepish about and which Mum thinks is hilarious and ridiculous.
But I have to admit he’s the best-looking member of our family and in some ways I’m looking forward to going grey like him one day, he’s working the silver fox look so well.
Being the son of Martin Kemp means people often come up to me in the street, in cafes, wherever I am, and say, ‘I love your dad! He’s so amazing!’ Blah blah blah.
It’s nice that people like my dad, and nice they want to talk about him, don’t get me wrong. But I always want to say to them, ‘And what about my mum?’ Because my mum is wicked.
I always want to stand up and sing her praises – she played at Live Aid too, she had a number one record, she was part of the first Western pop band to ever play live in China (Wham!).
Uncle Gary needs a special mention too, because people ask about him because of Spandau Ballet.
He wrote most of the songs for the band and was always uber bright, creative and talented.
He got into a smart and very musical grammar school, Dame Alice Owen’s, where he met friends like Steve Norman, John Keeble and Tony Hadley, who he ended up forming the band with before drafting in Dad.
By the time I was growing up, Gary had split from his wife, the actress Sadie Frost, so I didn’t see a lot of her at family gatherings. But their son, Fin, my cousin, and I are still close.
And when Sadie went on to marry the actor Jude Law, I’d often head over to their house in Primrose Hill to hang out with Fin. Jude would treat us to the first screenings of some of his films.
Uncle Gary and my dad are very different though. Dad was a homebody, happiest with Mum and us kids rather than being in company.
Whereas Uncle Gary’s home was often filled with famous people.
He’s the opposite of Dad, the real extrovert of the family who loves socialising.
So if ever we popped into his house he’d be holding court with creative characters round the kitchen table – Bill Nighy... Ian McKellen.
Gary is intelligent and mingled with them. Our side of the family were more the class dunces!
At 60, Dad still has his fair share of female admirers, which he’s a bit sheepish about and which Mum thinks is hilarious and ridiculous
Are You Really OK? by Roman Kemp is published by Mirror Books, £18.99. Save £3 with offer code RB5 at mirrorbooks. co.uk