Martin Kemp Nearly Loses Leg In Latest Series of 'The Island'

Everyone's heard of The Island - Bear Grylls' TV show where people go to a desert island and attempt to survive there for a month. And I'm sure most of us have watched it and thought: 'What's the big deal?'

It essentially involves living on a beach on some remote getaway with a group of other people, detached from the stresses of life and the addiction of TV and mobile phones, sleeping in a simple shelter and occasionally catching a snake or something to eat.

You can have worse holidays, surely. Well, not necessarily. And don't call me Shirley.

One person who would definitely disagree is Spandau Ballet and Eastenders star Martin Kemp, who took part in this year's edition of Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls.

He may have lost two stone during his time on the show, but he also almost nearly lost one of his legs after a four-inch gash along his shin bone became infected.

Medics from the Channel 4 show had to step in to help the singer and actor, 56, and he thankfully walked away with both limbs intact.

He told the Mirror: "The humidity doesn't let you get better. A small cut just opened up into a massive gully. It started to get poisonous.

"I'm looking at my leg, thinking, 'I'm going to get gangrene if I'm not careful and I need my leg!'"

He was joined on the show by Towie's Pete Wicks, American actor Eric Roberts, TV doctor Saleyha Ahsan, double Olympic gold medalist James Cracknell and boxer Anthony Ogogo.

Martin said the experience was like "rehab".

"It worked for me, not just ­physically but psychologically as well. I love everyone 10 times more than before I left," he added.

He also said he had come back disheveled and bearded, looking like Uncle Albert from sitcom Only Fools And Horses.

Celebrity Big Brother's Roxanne Pallett had also been due to appear in this series, but reports have resurfaced recalling that she had only managed to last five days on the show.

The Emmerdale star has been embroiled in controversy this week after demanding Corrie star Ryan Thomas be removed from the Big Brother house for 'punching her' - though she has now admitted she may have 'got it wrong' and has apologised to Ryan.Featured Image Credit: Instagram/Martin Kemp

Topics: Entertainment, Celebrity, bear grylls

Nathan Standley

Nathan Standley is a freelance journalist and LADBible contributor. He graduated from Durham University with a degree in Anthropology before going on to do a Master’s degree in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. He also writes articles for The Versed and is the Cultural Editor of The Common Sense Network.