Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Woman & Home
Woman & Home
Lifestyle
Lucy Wigley

'Everything I do in my life, I do it for her' - Martin Kemp reveals secrets that have kept his marriage strong for almost 40 years

Shirlie Holliman and Martin Kemp attend a special screening and Q&A for 'WHAM!' at The Ham Yard Hotel .

Revelations from the I'm A Celebrity jungle are coming thick and fast. Ruby Wax wasted no time in getting the camp members talking about body image and menopause, and Lisa Riley has shared raw insights in her road to sobriety.

In further candid moments from the camp, Martin Kemp has offered both campmates and viewers insights into his marriage to wife, Shirlie Holliman.

The couple have been married for 37 years, and it appears they're still just as in love today as the day they met.

The Spandau Ballet star revealed that one of the biggest secrets to marriage longevity is being great friends. "Love will only come out of that if you look after that friendship," he says.

Sharing adorable words about his words in the Bush Telegraph, Martin adds, "Shirlie is everything for me, everything I do in my life, I do it for her."

The couple met back in the early 80s - Martin first noticed Shirlie after seeing her perform as part of Wham!'s backing singers, Pepsi and Shirlie, on Top of the Pops.

Shortly after Martin had seen Shirlie on his TV screen, the pair bumped into each other at an event and exchanged numbers, although Shirlie took her time calling her future husband.

When they eventually went on their first date, Martin was surprised to find Shirlie had brought a friend with her. The friend was none other than George Michael.

According to Metro, Martin once said of this first date, "As I was walking down Camden High Street, I saw Shirlie standing on the corner and my heart sank because she had brought her mate, and her mate was George Michael."

"We spent the evening trying to lose him," he added. Clearly, having the legendary Wham! singer tagging along for their date didn't hinder the relationship, because Martin and Shirlie went on to marry in 1988.

Their daughter, Harley Moon, was born in 1989, followed by their son, Roman, in 1993.

(Image credit: ITV/Shutterstock)

While in the jungle, Martin has also delved into the fertility struggles the couple had experienced before welcoming their children.

"Shirlie was trying to get pregnant for a couple of years before we got married," he told his fellow campmates, adding, "And it wasn't happening because she had endometriosis."

However, on their wedding night, Shirlie fell pregnant. "Meant to be," Lisa replied when Martin shared this piece of information from his life.

According to the NHS, endometriosis is where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the body. Symptoms include severe period pain that stops you from doing your normal activities, heavy periods and difficulty falling pregnant.

It's not yet known what causes endometriosis, and there is no cure. However, treatments are available to help manage symptoms.

During an appearance on Loose Women, Shirlie revealed that from the age of 13, she suffered agonising pain when she had her period. When she was older, she'd have to cancel work "for the whole week" once her period arrived.

Shirlie recalled being in labour and telling midwives the pain was just the same as her period pain - it was then that her pain levels were taken seriously and she was eventually given a diagnosis of endometriosis by a private doctor.

I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! airs every night at 9 pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.