Positive Thinking - ‘My Parents Have Taught Me How To Love'

TV And Radio host Roman Kemp on why his mum and dad are a tough act to follow and his bid to boost our mental health

- Joel Cooper

When we catch up with Roman he’s running a few minutes late, but he apologises profusely. It turns out his Wi-Fi isn’t working, so he’s wandering the streets of London to get enough signal to video call us. What a darling!

The radio host has designed a new line of face coverings and bandanas for Topman, in association with the mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). It’s a cause close to Roman’s heart after the tragic death of his Capital FM senior producer Joe Lyons, who sadly passed away in August.

In our exclusive interview, Roman, 27, who has an older sister Harley, 31, opens up about growing up with famous parents Martin and Shirlie Kemp, and confesses he longs to become a husband and father himself one day.

You’ve followed in your parents’ footsteps working in showbiz. Are they a tough act to follow?

Yeah. Am I going to play Live Aid? No. Can I go on Top Of The Pops? No. Therefore I will never reach their heights. The stuff that I find hard to follow with my parents isn’t their career success, it’s the resilience my mum had when my dad had brain tumours and got her family through that. I respect the amazing relationship that they have with each other. That is terrifying to me.

Why does it terrify you?

The thing I’m most scared of is being with someone and having to get divorced. Because that would mean I’ve failed my parents, I’ve failed to build a loving, strong relationship. It’s not failing at what my parents have taught me, because the most important thing my parents have taught me is how to love. If I can’t get that right, I’ll be really upset.

Is there anything that you wouldn’t tell them?