Roman Kemp says George Michael was 'like an uncle' during candid I'm A Celebrity discussion

The Wham! singer was Roman's godfather 
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Rachel McGrath18 November 2019

Roman Kemp has said the late pop star George Michael was like an uncle to him as he was growing up.

The I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! contestant, 26, is the son of Martin Kemp and singer Shirlie Holliman and in Monday's episode, the contestant revealed how George played a big role in getting his parents together.

Kemp explained how his mother confided in George long before she married Spandau Ballet star Martin, 58.

“My mother always said that she said to George Michael at a party that she was going to marry him [Martin]," he revealed. “They were at some party and one of George’s friends brought him over and they started talking."

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"My dad gave my mum his phone number and my mum went back to George’s house and George forced my mum to call him," he continued.

“But their first date, George went with them. My mum didn’t want to go on her own. They went to see Sade at the Camden Palace.

"My dad spent the whole date trying to get rid of him.”

Geore Michael, seen here in 2008
Getty Images

Kemp said his “uncle” Michael was “an amazing guy”, revealing: “You’d see him at dinners, Christmas, the lot. It is really nice that all the memories I have are so nice, going on holidays, and having my parents compete with Christmas presents.

“One year, I must have been four or five and my dad bought me a bike, a Raleigh bike.

“I remember George came round to the house and brought in my present and he’d gone to Harrods and bought one of those electric cars but not just that, it was a Batmobile. I’ve still got it.”

Happily Married: Martin and Shirlie Kemp recently attended the Last Christmas premiere
PA

“Memories like that, they’re so nice to have but it’s strange because for me it was just my mum’s best mate,” he added.

George died at the age of 53 on Christmas Day in 2016.

Discussing how the superstar had "third wheeled" on his first date with Shirlie, Martin previously called George "one of the world's nicest people."

"He was so generous - not just financially with his friends but emotionally," he said in a 2017 interview with John Bishop.

"He would sit and listen and you could talk to him for hours about anything or anyone. He was the most caring person, it's such a shame and we miss him so much in our house."

With reporting by Press Association.

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