Martin Kemp, the renowned bassist of Spandau Ballet and former EastEnders star, has opened up about a terrifying health crisis from the 1990s that nearly cost him his life. In 1995, while pursuing a Hollywood career with his wife Shirlie in Los Angeles, the 64-year-old was diagnosed with two benign brain tumours, forcing him to halt his ambitions and return to the UK for urgent treatment.
Having earned acclaim for his acting debut in ‘The Krays’ alongside his brother Gary and roles in films like Waxwork II: Lost in Time and Embrace of the Vampire, Martin’s life took an unexpected, dramatic turn. “There were times when I wasn’t going to make it," he told The Times. “One minute I was working harder than I’ve ever done, then all of a sudden I was on the operating table. It’s like a car crash; it comes out of nowhere.”
The ordeal kept him in hospital, where he was so frightened he even had to prevent his family from visiting. “It all went wonky for about five years. It was terrifying for my family. I remember lying in hospital and I had to stop them from coming in because they were scaring me too,” Martin recounted.
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By 1998, Martin made a remarkable comeback, starring in The Bill and soon after joining EastEnders as the iconic businessman Steve Owen. His portrayal earned him the Most Popular Actor title at the 2000 National Television Awards and Villain of the Year at the British Soap Awards.
Despite his professional success post-recovery, Martin continues to grapple with the effects of his brain tumours, notably struggling with dyslexia. He revealed on the podcast FFS! My Dad is Martin Kemp, co-hosted with his son Roman, that he often relies heavily on maps to navigate, as he can’t always recognize street names or spatial layouts.
“I am completely dyslexic, I struggle to read terribly. But my dyslexia, because it came from a physical thing that happened in my brain, it wasn’t just about what I can read and what I can’t read and stumble, it’s about me finding my way as well,” Martin explained. “I have dyslexia when it comes to thinking what street is in front of another street. So everywhere I go, even if it’s just around to my local shops, I use my maps. That all goes back to the brain injury that I had.”
Reflecting on his career, Martin has stated that his role on EastEnders “saved his life.” Despite warnings that the character could damage his career, Martin took the opportunity as a lifeline during a dark period. “All of my friends, all of them said—when I got offered the part in EastEnders as Steve Owen—they all said ‘Don’t do it, it’ll ruin your career,’" he shared with the BBC. “But what they didn’t understand was I didn’t have a career. I was coming out of a four-year period that was probably the darkest moments in my life. And this show saved my life.”