Martin Kemp has admitted he enjoys taking “time alone” after a “make or break” moment in his marriage to wife Shirlie.
The star opened up during a day in the life interview with the Telegraph about why exactly he thinks his marriage has been going from strength to strength across their 36 years together. The star wrote for his column: “I like my alone time on tour. I’ve always said that’s why Shirlie and I are still going strong after 35 years. Our time when we’re together is so much more important.”
Opening up more about his home life in the same 2023 interview, Martin said: “Our house is practically teetotal but I don’t deny myself a couple of glasses of wine if we go out. Shirlie is vegetarian and I was for some years, but now I allow myself to eat a steak every now and then.”
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Martin’s son Roman has also opened up about his dad needing time alone, joking that his dad doesn’t have any friends – something he got a lot of backlash for. He told Closer magazine “I’ve gotten a lot of stick because I ended up saying that my dad has no friends, which he doesn’t. But it goes back to that thing of, ‘What is your happiness in life?’”
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He concluded Martin’s life revolves around his mum Shirlie – despite their marriage once hitting a “make or break” moment. The pair might look like the poster children for everlasting love, but it hasn’t always been easy – especially not when Martin was diagnosed with two brain tumours in the 90s.
He told Classic Pop Magazine: “The time when I was really sick was when it could have ended for me and Shirlie. For most couples, that moment makes you or breaks you. It made us stronger, but the stress is so humongous it can tear couples apart.”
(Image: (Image: Getty))
Shirlie added: “When you’re with someone who’s that critically ill, it strips away everything. You see life for what it truly is and we realised life is so precious.”
The lovebirds tied the knot in Saint Lucia in 1988, after meeting on Top of the Pops when Shirlie was performing with Wham!. It was George Michael who encouraged Shirlie to call Martin up after getting his number – so the pair have the Last Christmas hitmaker to thank for their long romance.
(Image: Getty Images)
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The pair share son Roman and daughter Harleymoon together. Along with Martin’s health battle, they’ve faced numerous issues – including Shirlie being declared bankrupt in 1996. They even released a joint autobiography to offer other couples relationship advice.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
