Martin and ShiMasked Singer was 'so nerve-racking'

Martin Kemp has described his stint on ‘The Masked Singer’ with wife Shirlie Kemp as very “nerve-racking”.

The Spandau Ballet star and his spouse - who was a backing singer in Wham! and one half of Pepsi and Shirlie - confessed it was the most “nervous” either of them had ever been performing, despite their decades long music careers.

While on air at Greatest Hits Radio on Sunday (15.01.23), Martin, 61, said: “I’ve never done anything so nerve-racking in my life. I was more nervous. I could literally hear my heart in my ears.”

Martin - who has starred in West End productions like ‘Chicago’ - doesn’t see himself as a great vocalist but loves the “endorphin rush” of singing.

The bassist said: “I’ve never thought of myself as a singer but I love doing it because when you sing at the top of your lungs you get this incredible endorphin rush. That’s why people sing at football and sing in church.”

The former 'EastEnders' actor also revealed that it is tough singing in the costume, because you get so hot.

He said: “It’s so much harder to sing in the mask than you imagine it will be. You can only spend three minutes at the most in that mask… it’s so hot.

The pair revealed they went on the Joel Dommett-helmed show to “embarrass" their two children, daughter Harley, 33, and son Roman Kemp, 29.

Roman - who hosts the Capital FM breakfast show - was disgusted at himself for screeching “take it off” to his parents when the reveal was made on Saturday (14.01.23).

After finding out the top secret news, he tweeted: "ARE YOU F****** JOKING #MaskedSingerUK I JUST SHOUTED THE PHRASE “TAKE IT OFF” TO MY PARENTS I CANT UNDO THAT #MaskedSingerUK."