Inside Martin and Shirlie Kemp's relationship history from 'falling in love through the television' to over three decades of marriage
They're approaching four decades of marriageI’m A Celebrity star Martin Kemp has been married to his wife Shirlie for 37 years now, having first tied the knot in 1988.
From being set up by George Michael, to starring on The Masked Singer together in 2023, here’s an inside look at their long-lasting romance…
How did I’m A Celebrity star Martin Kemp meet Shirlie?
Back in the 1980s, Martin rocketed to fame as part of the new-wave band, Spandau Ballet.
Alongside his brother, Gary Kemp, Martin, who played the bass, helped make Spandau Ballet one of the biggest bands in the country during the 80s. They even won a BRIT Award in 1984 for Technical Excellence.
Meanwhile, his future wife Shirlie Holliman, who started out as a backing singer for Wham!, found fame as one half of the duo, Pepsi & Shirlie, alongside Helen ‘Pepsi’ DeMacque.
Whilst they didn’t meet in person until the mid-80s, Martin and Shirlie have since confessed they’d been attracted to each other for years prior to their romance.
Speaking to The Mirror in 2020, Martin revealed he’d fallen in love with Shirlie after watching her with Wham! on Top of the Pops in 1982.
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‘Absolutely fell in love’
He admitted that he “fell in love through the television” after seeing her on there.
Meanwhile, Shirlie confessed that she’d had a crush on Martin after seeing him in a magazine.
Knowing of Shirlie’s crush on Martin, Shirlie’s pal, George Michael, organised a meeting between them. Martin left her his number, but Shirlie was too scared to ring.
“I thought he might be out of my league. I left his number in my pocket for ages. George was like, ‘I just don’t understand why you’re not calling him’. I told him it was intimidating to call him. I mean, he was – he is – just so gorgeous. It was George who called Martin in the end. We were in his bedroom, and he picked up the phone, dialled the number and just gave me the phone. I was in at the deep end by then,” she said.
“I really don’t think Shirlie would have called me if he hadn’t done that. We owe him everything. And he went on to be a massive part of our lives. He wasn’t George Michael the superstar, he was one of our best mates,” Martin added.
Martin and Shirlie’s low-key wedding day
Martin and Shirlie tied the knot in 1988, with a ceremony in St Lucia in the Caribbean. The wedding was intimate and very lowkey. So much so that it was just them!
“Our wedding was on a clifftop in St Lucia. It was just me and Shirlie,” Martin told the Daily Record in 2013.
“At the time, I was in the Spandau chaos and Shirlie was part of Wham! and Pepsi & Shirlie. The last thing we wanted was a wedding where people were standing next to you taking pictures, so we got away and did it on our own,” he said.
“For me, it didn’t matter because if you love someone and you want to get married, it really didn’t matter where I was. I’d have done it in a registry office and got on with it because I was in love with Shirlie.”
Health battles and kids
A year later, they welcomed their daughter, Harleymoon Kemp, who can currently be seen on Celebrity Race Across the World.
In 1993, they welcomed another child, son Roman Kemp, best known now for his hosting gig on The One Show, amongst many other shows.
However, in 1995, the couple went through some difficult times. Martin was diagnosed with two benign brain tumours. He was just 34 at the time.
Martin was unable to work for three years, and the family had to downsize. The star had invasive surgery to remove the largest tumour, the results of which left him with dyslexia, memory loss, and epilepsy.
Shirlie, however, prevented him from having a second operation to remove the other tumour, worried that her husband might die. Eventually, they found another way to remove the second tumour, which involved blasting lasers at it, rather than having an operation. It was a success, and Martin has admitted that he has “no doubt” Shirlie saved his life.
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Spending time apart and working together
In the same interview with The Mirror, Shirlie and Martin revealed that one of the key aspects in their relationship that has made it such a success is the fact that they spend time apart.
Though they admit they “hate” it, they believe it’s the secret to a lasting marriage.
“When we do have to be apart, we appreciate each other more when we’re together,” Martin said.
Over the years, Martin and Shirlie have collaborated on several projects. 2019 saw them release their first album together, In the Swing of It. The album, which peaked at number 12 on the UK Album Charts, also featured two songs written by daughter Harleymoon.
In 2020, they wrote a memoir together, titled Shirlie and Martin Kemp: It’s a Love Story.
2023 saw the couple make a surprise appearance together on The Masked Singer. Singing together as Cat and Mouse, they were the third to be unmasked.
And you can bet that Shirlie will be meeting Martin on the bridge when he finally leaves the I’m A Celebrity jungle!
Read more: I’m A Celebrity 2025: Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews’ relationship and dating timeline
Catch Martin on I’m A Celebrity tonight (Friday, November 21) from 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
