In a stunning revelation from the Australian jungle, Spandau Ballet legend Martin Kemp has disclosed he was seriously considered for the role of James Bond before Pierce Brosnan ultimately secured the part.
The Campfire Confession That Shocked Campmates
During Tuesday night's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, the conversation turned to dream careers when rapper Aitch expressed his ambition to become a James Bond villain. This prompted the 64-year-old pop icon to share his own brush with 007 fame.
"I met Barbara Broccoli," Kemp revealed to his impressed campmates, referring to the legendary James Bond producer. When model Kelly Brook asked who ultimately won the role, Kemp confirmed it was Pierce Brosnan who became the fifth official Bond.
Kelly Brook's Verdict: "They Missed a Trick"
The disclosure sparked high praise from fellow contestant Kelly Brook, who insisted Kemp would have made an exceptional Bond. "You'd have been a great Bond," the 45-year-old model and actress told him directly.
Later in the Bush Telegraph, Brook elaborated on her conviction: "He would've been the sexiest James Bond of all James Bonds. He's got those beautiful blue eyes, he's very tall, he's got so much charisma. I think they missed a trick there."
The Timing of Kemp's Near-Miss With 007
The Bond casting discussions occurred during a particularly challenging period in Kemp's life. Brosnan was officially announced as the new 007 in June 1994 and made his debut in GoldenEye in November 1995.
During this same timeframe, Kemp was recovering from two brain tumours, with one described as the size of a grapefruit. The extensive surgery required to remove them left the musician with epilepsy, which he continues to manage with medication today.
Beyond his Bond aspirations, Kemp also shared with campmates his admiration for the medical profession, revealing he'd always fantasised about becoming a surgeon. "Getting inside, fixing people, making people better. The idea of that, I absolutely love," he confessed.
The Bond revelation came during the same episode that featured a music trivia challenge where campmates correctly guessed that Spandau Ballet had more UK top 40 singles than films Kelly Brook had appeared in. The band actually achieved 17 chart hits, slightly more than Kemp's estimation of 15-16.
