Spandau Ballet legend Martin Kemp has officially become the sixth celebrity to leave I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! — closing the chapter on one of the show’s quietest yet most strangely fascinating journeys.
Dubbed the camp’s “jungle ghost” by his son Roman Kemp due to almost zero airtime and multiple missed Bushtucker Trials, the 64-year-old guitarist finally walked across the famous bridge after 20 intense days — looking visibly relieved to be out.
Fans watched as Martin was greeted by his wife Shirlie, 63, who secretly flew to Australia to surprise her husband of 40 years. The emotional reunion came after eliminated campmates had already hinted that Martin had been desperate to see her again.
🔥 The Hidden Health Scare Behind His Trial Exemptions
Following his exit, Martin revealed the real story behind his mysterious trial absences. Immediately after landing in Australia, he suffered a sudden health issue that required quiet monitoring by ITV medics.
He pushed to take part fully, but doctors insisted on exemptions — a detail that fueled days of online speculation.
“I WANTED MORE THAN ANYTHING TO STAY UNTIL THE VERY END… BUT I COULDN’T.”
Despite wanting to carry on, the toll of the jungle and medical concerns meant he simply couldn’t safely participate in every challenge.
🔥 “I Have Dreamt About This Moment”
Speaking to Ant and Dec, Martin reflected on his time in camp:
“I HAVE DREAMT ABOUT THIS MOMENT. IT’S BEEN A WEIRD TRIP. I LOVED SITTING AROUND, TALKING WITH EVERYONE. I’M NOT ONE FOR MAKING NEW FRIENDS — THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS, AND I LOVED IT.”
He added that he felt content with his exit:
“I’VE DONE EVERYTHING I WANTED. I WASN’T THE GUY DANCING AND SINGING — I JUST BROUGHT CALM ENERGY.”
And he even joked that he was relieved not to beat Roman’s third-place position from 2019.
🔥 Roman Kemp Reacts: “THE GHOST OF THE JUNGLE LIVES”
Roman immediately posted on X:
“OH NOOOO.”
But quickly followed with a heartfelt tribute:
“LOVE HIM… HE’S THE MAN I ASPIRE TO BE. TOM FOR THE WIN!”
Throughout the series, Roman had repeatedly mocked his dad’s low visibility:
- “THE GHOST OF THE JUNGLE.”
- “IS HE THE ONLY ONE WHO HASN’T DONE A TRIAL?”
- “WITHOUT MY POSTS, NO ONE WOULD KNOW HE’S THERE.”
He also shared a surprisingly personal detail: “MY DAD DOESN’T REALLY HAVE MATES — SO WHEN HE SAYS ‘MY NEW FRIENDS,’ HE MEANS IT. HE’LL BE SO CHUFFED.
Finally Doing a Trial — and Still Splitting the Audience
Earlier in the episode, fans were stunned when Martin finally appeared in the Lethal Libraries trial with Tom Read Wilson, 39.
But while Tom crawled through snake-covered bookshelves, Martin handled the questions — prompting an immediate social media storm:
“MARTIN KEMP IS DOING SOMETHING!!!”
“A CONVERSATION AND A TRIAL IN ONE EPISODE? UNREAL.”
Others weren’t convinced:
“HE’S IN THE TRIAL… BUT NOT REALLY DOING IT.”
🔥 Vogue Williams Confirms the Exemptions
After her elimination, Vogue Williams revealed in a hotel livestream:
“MARTIN WAS EXEMPT FROM SOME TRIALS. HE WANTED TO DO THEM — EVERYONE DID THIS YEAR.”
She added that his quieter personality meant he willingly let others jump in first:
“HE’S JUST SUCH A LOVELY, SOUND GUY.”
ITV has yet to comment officially, though age and health-related exemptions are common in the show’s history.
Even as he finally stepped into a challenge, viewers continued joking:
“ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER TRIAL MARTIN ISN’T DOING.”
“IS HE WEARING AN INVISIBILITY CLOAK?”
Now safely reunited with Shirlie and out of the jungle, Martin Kemp’s calm, gentle presence has unexpectedly become one of the most talked-about storylines of the entire season — proof that even the quietest contestants can make the loudest impact.
