Pepsi & Shirlie singer Shirlie Kemp has been married to I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! star Martin Kemp for 37 years, but there’s still one issue that causes them to clash.
Kathryn Ingate Deputy Editor of Trendswatch
13:39, 04 Dec 2025
Martin Kemp and Shirlie Kemp
Martin and Shirlie Kemp have worked together on renovating their Victorian property into a stunning dream home, but the Pepsi & Shirlie singer has admitted the couple often disagree on how to organise their personal belongings.
Shirlie, who is currently in Australia supporting her husband while he competes in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, recently opened up about how she and Martin, 64, frequently clash due to her tendency to be ‘a hoarder’.
However, the 63-year-old star says she still doesn’t understand Spandau Ballet musician Martin’s minimalist preferences, confessing she “feels sorry for him” as a result.
Speaking on the Three Rooms podcast back in October, Shirlie revealed that her ‘eclectic’ outlook comes from her dad, before explaining how growing up without much money shaped her values.
Shirlie Kemp is supporting Martin in Australia(Image: ITV screengrab)
The mum-of-two divulged: “The problem is, going back to my dad, my dad was eclectic. I’m also a bit of a hoarder like my dad was, and Martin isn’t, and I think that’s a subconscious move.
“I think a lot of times I keep things because it might come from when I was a child, we didn’t have any money so I wouldn’t throw things.”
Shirlie went on to point out that even though her other half “grew up even poorer than I did”, his attitudes differ drastically to hers.
She continued: “Although, Martin grew up even poorer than I did, but will throw anything and everything away. He would live in a white box.
“He doesn’t like stuff, he’s such a minimalist, so sometimes I actually feel sorry for him because I really love going to junk shops and second hand shops, and I like bringing furniture home, I like painting it.
“I should kind of do it and give it away or sell it, but then I end up keeping it and then he’s like, ‘what are you doing with that?’ and I’m like… [Shirlie sighs].”
Shirlie and Martin Kemp share two children, Roman and Harleymoon(Image: Getty Images)
Despite their disagreements on the matter, Shirlie conceded that she’d prefer it if she was more willing to “let go” of things.
She added: “So I wish that I could let go a lot more because I think we shouldn’t hold on to things, I think we should let go. But you do need someone else to say to you, ‘do you really need that? Is that blocking energy?'”
Martin and Shirlie share two grown-up children, daughter Harleymoon, 36, and son Roman, 32, who are also currently on our TV screens competing in Celebrity Race Across The World.
Meanwhile, BBC’s The One Show presenter Roman has been commenting on his dad’s journey in the Australian jungle, with the star sharing his surprise at how quickly the pop star has bonded with his fellow campmates.
Roman remarked: “One thing I have noticed is my dad keeps saying ‘my new friends’. He genuinely doesn’t have mates so he means it, he’ll really be chuffed. Again not being mean, that’s the truth.”
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, while Celebrity Race Across The World also airs tonight at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
