Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp has said he believes he may have just “10 years” left to live after a series of health scares.
The former bassist for the New Romantic band opened up about his thoughts on his life and health on an episode of his son Roman’s podcast, FFS! My Dad is Martin Kemp, where he spoke candidly about his fight with brain tumours as a younger man.
Kemp, 63, said in response to a question asking how long he believes he will live: “I’ll be really honest with you, 10 years.”
The musician, who is also a successful actor, known for playing Steve Owen in EastEnders from 1998 to 2002 and Reggie Kray in The Krays in 1990, had surgery in 1995 to remove two benign brain tumours.
“When I went through all of that brain tumour scare, I spent two years of my life thinking I was going to die,” he continued. “And I think, after that, everything else, every day, every year, every month that I’ve lived, every experience that I’ve had has been a bonus.”
Expanding on his memories of such a serious health scare, he added: “It’s really strange that when I was 34 and stuff and I went through that brain tumour stuff, I was practically resigned to the fact that I was going to die, but I was quite happy with my lot, because I had lived the most incredible experiences.”
“By the time I was 34 and I thought I was going to die, I spent two years thinking about it, I was quite happy, I thought, ‘If I go, do you know what? What a life, and that was back then’.”
Kemp had been a child actor alongside his brother Gary, appearing in shows such as Dixon Of Dock Green and Jackanory, before he and Gary became founding members of Spandau Ballet in 1979.
The group – also including singer Tony Hadley, saxophonist Steve Norman and drummer John Keeble – recorded six studio albums together, and released hit singles including ‘True’, ‘Gold’ and ‘Only When You Leave’.
They also appeared on the 1984 Band Aid single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’, which it has been announced will be receiving a ‘2024 Ultimate Mix’ later this month.
Kemp married Shirlie Holliman in 1988, who was a former backing singer for Wham! and once half of pop duo Pepsi & Shirlie. In recent years, he has appeared alongside his son Roman on television shows including Martin & Roman’s Sunday Best and Celebrity Gogglebox.