Martin Kemp makes touching death admission to son Roman after health scares

Edinburgh Live

08-07-2025

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Martin Kemp had a touching admission to son Roman after battling major health issues. The Spandau Ballet star had two metal plates put into his head in the 1990s after having two brain tumours.
It led the EastEnders icon to take a three-year break from his professional career while he recovered. Martin, who won a plethora of awards for his role as Steve Owen in the BBC soap, said the tumours left him with 'controlled epilepsy'.
After the surgery, he struggled with the use of one leg and said he had problems with one of his eyes. He even believes the tumours caused his dyslexia.
Martin, 63, has previously confessed he doesn't believe he will live for another decade. It has led to a series of frank discussions with The One Show star Roman.
On his You About? podcast with Tom Grennan, Roman said: 'I always say to my dad, 'What do you want to be known as when you die? What's on your grave stone?' And he literally says, 'A good man'.
(Image: Dave Benett/WireImage via Getty Images)
'And I'm like, 'What is that?' Because it's not anything to do with success and that's what intrigues me. And I always think about that with people in the limelight.'
Roman went on to say his father's desire to be remembered as a 'good man' gives him one big worry in life. He added: 'My worry about it is when I think about it, I go, 'Okay, am I a good person?'
'And then you think if it's how you treated people or if it's who you truly know yourself to be. You can't be nice to everyone.'
During a conversation with Roman, Martin said "spent two years" believing he was on the brink of death after being diagnosed with the tumours in his thirties. He now sees each year he's lived "as a bonus".
On their FFS! My Dad is Martin Kemp podcast, the Spandau bassist explained he has even considered his own funeral arrangements after the health battle. Martin said he would like to limit the 'private' event to around 20 people - although he previously confessed he believes only six would turn up, including his dog.
After Roman pressed him for names, he said: "I wouldn't want to put anyone under pressure to come to the funeral, you know."
(Image: Channel 4)
Martin went on to recall similar sentiments when he once hosted a joint birthday party with his brother Gary Kemp, adding: "I hated it because I was putting people under pressure to come out for me, and I didn't like it at all."
Further grilled by his son about the numbers, Martin continued: "I don't mind if it's 20 people or whether it's six, I'll be quite happy if it's six people, I don't mind.
"I want a private funeral, I don't want people coming just to have a look or just to say, 'I was at Martin Kemp's funeral'. I don't want that at all, I would rather have six people that are there to say goodbye to me, because that's who I am."