Shirlie Kemp has shared a marriage update as former Spandau Ballet member Martin prepares to tackle life in the Australian jungle, as one of ten celebrities taking part in I’m A Celebrity. The couple got married in an intimate ceremony in 1988, which was at the height of the Spandau Ballet star and the Pepsi & Shirlie star’s fame.
They renewed their vows in another ceremony, taking place in 2013. The special occasion saw family and friends gather to celebrate the couple. Martin previously admitted the first wedding took place on a clifftop in St Lucia, with just himself and Shirlie in attendance.
On Instagram this morning, Shirlie, who found fame as a singer in the 1980s with Wham! and as part of the duo Pepsi & Shirlie, shared pictures alongside her husband. She captioned the post: “Our 37th wedding anniversary today and so very lucky to be growing old together.
“Sharing our passion of being outside and gardening has replaced our days of late nights, clubbing & partying. I most probably wake up now the same time as we used to get in,either way we have had a lot of fun together.”
The couple have two children together, a daughter named Harley Moon Kemp who was born in 1989 and a son named Roman Kemp born in 1993. Martin has previously discussed the relationship he has with with his kids with Hello! He said: “Me and Shirlie have a relationship with the kids where we talk about anything and everything.
“There’s nothing that can embarrass us, we will only find the fun in things. And our podcast is close to the knuckle sometimes but it’s just meant to be fun.”
Shirlie will be celebrating the wedding anniversary alone as Martin is in Australia filming for I’m A Celebrity. The singer is among this year’s star-studded cast. The former EastEnders actor, 64, is following in his son Roman’s lead as he takes on the ultimate challenge Down Under.
Roman Kemp competed back in 2019, and later backed his dad to follow in his footsteps. Speaking about joining the cast after Roman, Martin said: “I voted for him to do the worst trials, he said to me he was going to get his revenge, but he told me to go in and enjoy it all.”
He added: “He said it’s the most fun he has ever had and he said, ‘I am really jealous. I know how much fun you are going to have’.” Martin’s former Spandau bandmate, Tony Hadley, 65, also competed on the reality series back in 2015, finishing in sixth place.
When asked about what he will miss about the UK, Martin said: “What am I going to miss? My family, but it’s going to be an adventure. I don’t want to take things too seriously and just enjoy it.”
Explaining why he was happy to move some of his DJ gigs to take part on the show, Martin told ITV: “I’ve had to cancel some jobs but when Roman was on I’m Celebrity I was addicted. I watched it every day and enjoyed it so much.
“I felt it was now time in my life for an adventure. I have been on this journey of DJ’ing over the last five years, it has been non-stop and I thought it was time to give something back to myself. I absolutely love the show, it is iconic TV, which I love being part of.”