Martin Kemp's son Roman breaks silence on his concern for his father after saying 'he has no friends' | Celebrity News

Roman Kemp, who was criticized for implying his famous father had no friends, revealed he didn’t mean it as an insult.

The former Capital FM DJ controversially claimed towards the end of last year that his father, former Spandau Ballet bassist and EastEnders star Martin Kemp, 62, “doesn’t have a single friend “.

Roman, 31, told the Radio Times that his father lived a “lonely” life and that Martin’s “favorite person” was his wife, Shirlie Kemp, but after being “stuck” for his comments he, for so to speak, put the matter aside.

In an interview with Closer, Roman said, “I got a lot of criticism because I ended up saying my dad didn’t have any friends, which is not the case. But that brings us back to to this question of ‘What is your happiness?’ in life?'”

Roman’s original statement came as he was discussing fame and how it is often associated with loneliness, but he was quick to remind readers that it wasn’t a “bloody story for famous people”.

He said at the time that his father lived his life that way because he knew so many people he “thought he could trust”, only to find out that wasn’t the case.

Roman developed a passion for raising awareness of mental health, after releasing a BBC documentary on the subject, Roman Kemp: The Fight For Young Lives.

The One Show presenter also opened up about his 16-year battle with depression and ADD, bravely admitting he is “still on treatment” which has “changed” his life.

He added: “But I have to think: ‘Has this changed my life in a positive way and does it continue to do so?’ And the answer is “Yes”, so why should I change?

“I tried stopping Sertraline (an antidepressant), but realized that lifestyle wasn’t for me. The only time I had actual suicidal and intrusive thoughts was when I stopped taking it suddenly.”

Roman, who remains hopeful for the future, said ADD can be a “great power” because you can become “so determined” to not let it “get the better of you.”

A life in showbiz seems to suit the TV star, although he sometimes experiences “imposter syndrome” and is called a “nepo baby” because of his famous parents.

In addition to his stacked list of famous friends, which includes Ed Sheeran, Lewis Capaldi, Harry Styles and his former neighbor Niall Horan, Roman also revealed that he sometimes receives words of support from Bradley Walsh over the phone.

Roman said he had reservations about the cruelty of the industry, but his biggest fear was never becoming a father, saying it was “the most important thing”.

He said: “I even went for a sperm test when I was 30. Honestly, I think I’m a very family-oriented person. I’m so grateful for the life I was able to have growing up. .I couldn’t think of anything better.”

Martin and Shirlie Kemp will appear on Celebrity Antiques Road Trip on BBC on Saturday June 22 at 7:35 p.m.