Martin Kemp
Actor and musician Martin Kemp, 56, first found fame as a member of Spandau Ballet, then as Steve owen in EastEnders. He’s currently playing lawyer Billy Flynn in the West End production of chicago.
SAVOUR YOUR SUCCESS
My daughter, harley, worked in advertising and now has her own media company. My son, roman, presents Capital radio’s breakfast show. they’re both doing really well in their careers and I couldn’t be happier for them.
as they were growing up, I would tell them the same advice: when things are working out, try to stop and savour those moments. When good things happen, stand back and breathe them in.
I remember being young and always in such a rush to get to the next stage. When Spandau Ballet started taking off, my big dream was to play to 2,000 people at hammersmith Odeon. as soon as we’d done that, I set my sights on playing for 10,000 people at Wembley. after that, it was Wembley Stadium and an audience closer to 100,000.
I was always looking forward, never soaking in whatever was the latest milestone. It’s why I’ve always had a deliberate policy of urging harley and roma to enjoy life as it unfolds.
even though my parents were poor, they always encouraged me to follow my interests. after school, I got a job in the same printing firm as my father. But I quite quickly realised I wanted to gamble on joining a band. and my dad, who might very well have told me not to throw away a good trade, wrote a letter to the manager asking him to release me from my apprenticeship so I could try my hand at becoming a pop star. I still find that leap of faith incredible.
It worked out for me, even if initially I didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have done. Similarly, I’ve always supported my kids in their ambitions, although it was easier for me to do that because I was financially secure.
But it still comes down to support, to being there for your children even if they fail. and part and parcel of that is to instil in them the lesson of taking nothing for granted. yes, be ambitious. But never lose sight of your achievements, never be in such a hurry that you forget to savour them along the way.