Martin Kemp has shared that his chainsaw accident, that left his hospitalised just weeks before I’m A Celeb starts, was not going to stop him entering the jungle
Martin Kemp is preparing to enter the I’m A Celeb jungle (Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
I’m A Celebrity star Martin Kemp has opened up for the first time about the terrifying chainsaw accident that left him hospitalised just weeks before heading into the Australian jungle.
The Spandau Ballet legend, 64, was rushed to hospital after trying to cut a piece of wood in his garden of his Hertfordshire home, a mishap his son Roman later revealed that his dad had been “lucky not to lose his hand”.
Roman shared on his podcast that the family first realised the severity of the situation when a photo of Martin’s fingers, wrapped tightly in bandages, appeared in their WhatsApp group chat.
Now, ahead of his jungle debut, Martin has reflected on how suddenly the accident unfolded, calling it a freak moment of bad luck. “I was taking the scabbard off,” he said. “It was electric and it came to life.”
He continued: “It was about three weeks ago now. It got reported I had done it, and then it was reported in a paper ten days after, so by then it was already on the mend. It has all healed up. It is pretty amazing how skin heals like that. It was my own fault, nobody else’s.”
Although the scare initially looked serious, enough for a tip to the hospital, Martin stresses that the visit was more precaution than emergency. “It was really just for an injection to make sure everything was all right,” he explained. “They wrapped it up and that was it.”
Martin sent a pic of his hand into the family WhatsApp group chat(Image: Image: TikTok)
Thankfully for ITV bosses, there was never a moment where Martin though the accident might jeopardise his place in the jungle line-up. Even as he healed, his mind was already fixed on I’m A Celebrity and the infamous Bushtucker Trials that await him.
He admits the eating challenges are the main thing making him nervous about entering the jungle. “I do not think I am going to get given a burger in there at all,” laughed Martin, explaining that he and his wife Shirlie are “partially vegan” at home, even if he still eats meat when traveling for work.
Despite the unexpected chainsaw accident, Martin insists the near miss hasn’t damaged his enthusiasm for diving headfirst into the challenges the jungle has in store.
Although he is ready to tackle all the Bushtucker Trials he fears that Roman, who previously appeared on the show in 2019, is going to influence things.
Being put up for the Bushtucker Trials by Martin, Roman is bound to be itching for revenge(Image: Getty Images)
“I don’t think it’s the public that’s going to target me….it’s Roman who is going to bring all his followers to target me,” he laughs.
Roman endured multiple Bushtucker Trials during his time in the jungle, thanks to Martin encouraging his followers to nominate his son for the challenges. So, it’s fair to say Roman will want to get back at his dad after all these years.
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