It turns out one of I’m A Celebrity’s biggest revelations this year has nothing to do with jungle trials — but with a royal connection no one saw coming.
Behind the cameras, Martin Kemp, 64, and his wife Shirlie Holliman, 63, have enjoyed a surprisingly warm friendship with the Princess of Wales, after an unexpected encounter arranged by their son, Roman.
What began as a professional request soon turned into one of the most charming behind-the-scenes royal visits in recent years.
Roman Kemp revealed that the Princess reached out to him directly while working on a mental health initiative he was fronting. After discussing the project online, Kate suggested filming at Roman’s home — but he redirected her to the family house instead.
It was there that Kate, future Queen, stepped through the door… and immediately offered to remove her shoes after noticing the rest of the Kemp household were barefoot.
Roman later described the moment as “surreal — you don’t expect to see a member of the Royal Family padding around your living room in socks.”
Before she left, Martin and Shirlie handed Kate a bottle of their own home-pressed apple juice — a simple gesture that turned out to be an unexpected hit at Kensington Palace.
Weeks later, a handwritten letter arrived, thanking the family… and revealing that Prince George had been asking for more.
Kate also sent Roman a personal note, which he admits he proudly framed.
After a Zoom call with Kate, she asked to come to his house for filming for the project but he instead suggested they instead go to his parents’, Martin Kemp and Shirlie Holliman
Martin, who is currently in Australia in the I’m A Celebrity jungle, left his campmates and viewers speechless on Monday after revealing he’d lost out on the role of James Bond to Pierce Brosna.
While Kemp’s royal story charmed the nation, he shocked his jungle campmates with another revelation earlier this week: he once auditioned for James Bond.
Martin recalled meeting Barbara Broccoli herself, prompting fans online to insist he would have been “the sexiest Bond ever.”
Kelly Brook added her own stamp of approval in the Bush Telegraph: “He’s tall, charismatic, those blue eyes — he’d have nailed it.”
Pierce Brosnan ultimately landed the role in the 1990s, but viewers were left imagining an alternate universe where Kemp wore the iconic tux.
Friday’s episode delivered another viral moment when EastEnders star Shona McGarty, mid-trial and covered in critters, asked Martin an unintentionally cheeky question about the size of his “tool.”
Martin burst into laughter, responding, “Mine’s a bit bigger!”
Shona later teased him again, leaving the entire camp in hysterics.
