Martin Kemp says he may have '10 years to live' after opening up on brain tumour

Martin Kemp has candidly discussed his thoughts on mortality, admitting to his son Roman Kemp that he believes he might only have around ten years left. The father and son duo, who have recently launched their new podcast 'FFS! My dad is Martin Kemp', broached the topic of death in their debut episode.

When quizzed by Roman about how long he thinks he's got, the ex-EastEnders actor mused, "10 years, I don't know!" Reflecting on his health battles, the 62-year-old Spandau Ballet legend recalled being diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of 34, an experience that forced him to confront the reality of his own mortality.

Martin shared: "I was the age of 34 when I went through all that brain tumour scare and I went through two years of my life thinking I was going to die." In 1997, the Spandau Ballet singer had pioneering treatment for the tumour after noticing a worrying lump on the back of his head.

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He expressed his appreciation for the additional time he's been granted, stating: "Every day, every year, every month that I've lived has been a bonus. When I was 34 and I went through that brain tumour stuff, I was practically resigned to the fact I was gonna die," the Express reports.

The artist looked back fondly on the extraordinary moments of his life, particularly his prime in the 1980s with his band. He reminisced: "I was quite happy, because I'd lived the most incredible experiences. I lived through the 80s in a rock band, the people I met, the things I'd done.

"When I was 17 I was flying around Europe on jets drinking Champagne at 7am." Martin reflected on his past health scare with a sense of gratitude, saying: "When I thought I was going to die I thought, you know what, I'm quite happy.

"And that was back then, so every year that I live, every month that I'm alive now is a bonus." The father-son duo, Martin and Roman, who have entertained the nation on Celebrity Gogglebox, are set to explore new territory together with their podcast venture, marking their first joint project in this medium.

Martin, who has also braved the challenges of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, expressed his heartfelt reason for teaming up with his son: "I want to do things with you because I like that when I'm older, if I have grandkids, I have evidence to show my relationship with you."

This development comes after Roman's candid discussion about his departure from Capital FM, where he had been a staple for a decade. His exit in March was partly due to the profound impact of his close friend and Capital FM producer Joe Lyons' suicide in 2020.

Roman has been open about how Lyons' passing at just 31 left a lasting impression on him, making it challenging to continue working in the same environment filled with memories. He explained his feelings to The Mirror: "Imagine a tragedy happened in your house you're going to want to move," and added, "I went through such a horrible moment in that studio...I've been living that same day over and over again."

The One Show's host shared his desire for closure, stating: "I'm ready to go 'OK, close that door now, don't keep going back living that horrible day'. Every day I walk in there and I see Joe...I think it's going to be good for me to move on with my life."

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