Ross Kemp facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ross Kemp
Kemp at the 2009 BAFTA Awards
Born	Ross James Kemp (1964-07-21) 21 July 1964 (age 61) Barking, Essex, England
Occupation	Actor author presenter reporter
Years active	1985–present
Spouse(s)	Rebekah Wade ​ ​ (m. 2002; div. 2009)​ Renee O'Brien ​ (m. 2012)​
Children	4

Ross James Kemp (born 21 July 1964) is an English actor, author, reporter, and TV presenter. He became very well known for playing Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He also played Graham Lodsworth in Emmerdale and Detective Inspector Monk in Birds of a Feather. Ross Kemp also hosted the award-winning documentary series Ross Kemp on Gangs.

Early Life and Education

Ross Kemp was born on 21 July 1964 in Barking, Essex, England. His mother, Jean, worked as a hairdresser. His father, John, was a high-ranking police officer. Ross has one brother.

He went to Shenfield High School. Later, he studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out in Acting

After finishing drama school, Ross Kemp began his acting career. He appeared with famous actors like John Thaw and Richard Wilson.

He also acted in training films for the UK Ministry of Defence. He then joined the ITV soap opera Emmerdale Farm (now Emmerdale) as Graham Lodsworth. Ross also made guest appearances in shows like London's Burning and Birds of a Feather. In 1987, he had a small part in the film Playing Away.

In 1990, Kemp appeared in the police drama The Chief. He played Police Constable Dennis Scovell in an episode called Call Sign Bravo. Around the same time, he was in a TV advert for Kellogg's Fruit & Fibre cereal.

Playing Grant Mitchell in EastEnders

Ross Kemp is most famous for his role as Grant Mitchell in EastEnders. He first appeared in February 1990. His character quickly became a big part of the show's stories in the 1990s. These included his difficult marriages to Sharon Watts and Tiffany Mitchell. There was also a major storyline where his brother Phil Mitchell had a secret relationship with Grant's wife.

Kemp announced in March 1999 that he would leave the show after almost 10 years. His character left in October 1999 and moved to Brazil. Ross Kemp returned to EastEnders for a short time in October 2005. He came back again in March 2006 before leaving in June that year.

In January 2016, it was confirmed that Kemp would return briefly for the death of Grant's mother, Peggy Mitchell. He appeared in three episodes in May 2016. He filmed more scenes and returned for short periods from July to September 2016.

It was announced on 1 January 2025 that Ross Kemp will play Grant again. This return is to celebrate the show's upcoming 40th anniversary.

Other Acting Roles

After first leaving EastEnders, Ross Kemp moved to ITV. His first role for ITV was in Hero of the Hour. During filming in October 1999, a stunt went wrong. Kemp needed hospital treatment after being hit by safety glass and a blank round. He recovered fully from his injuries.

In 2000, Kemp starred in ITV's A Christmas Carol. He also played lead roles in the TV series Without Motive and In Defence. From 2002 to 2006, he played Army Staff Sergeant Henry Garvie in Ultimate Force. He also played "Cirra" in the 2004 TV film Spartacus.

In 2005, Kemp appeared in an episode of BBC's Extras. He also presented on The Friday Night Project. He was a guest host on The Paul O'Grady Show in 2007 and 2008.

Kemp appeared on BBC's motoring show Top Gear twice. In 2009, he was the "Man in Boot" of a car tested by Jeremy Clarkson. The test ended with the car driving into water. Kemp also appeared in the first series of Top Gear in the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" segment.

Since 2022, Kemp has hosted the game show Bridge of Lies on BBC One. He also hosts celebrity versions of the show. He has said that the TV world has changed, and actors now do many different types of shows.

Documentary Work

In 2004, Ross Kemp filmed Ross Kemp on Gangs. This show won a BAFTA award. He then made other documentaries like Ross Kemp in Afghanistan, Ross Kemp in Search of Pirates, Ross Kemp: Battle for the Amazon, and Ross Kemp: Extreme World.

In 2022, Kemp had planned to film a documentary about the Titanic shipwreck. He wanted to dive to the wreckage in a special submarine called Titan. However, the project was stopped because the production company thought the submarine was not safe.

In September 2024, Kemp launched a new documentary series called "Mafia and Britain".

Writing Books

Ross Kemp has written several books. Many of his early books were connected to his TV documentaries. In 2011, he published his first fiction book, Devil to Pay. Another novel, Moving Target, came out in 2012. In September 2023, Kemp released Take Nothing For Granted: Tales from an Unexpected Life. This book looks back at his career.

Political Views and Involvement

In 1999, Ross Kemp was chosen as the Rector of the University of Glasgow. However, he did not attend local meetings. In October 2000, students asked him to resign, and he did. He was the first rector in 50 years to leave the job early.

In August 2014, Kemp was one of 200 public figures who signed a letter. The letter was sent to The Guardian newspaper. It was against Scottish independence before the 2014 vote on the issue.

In June 2017, Kemp supported the Labour Party in the 2017 UK general election. He helped campaign for Labour candidates.

In 2022, Kemp supported a "National Thank You Day". This day was to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.

In 2023, Kemp publicly supported Keir Mather of the Labour Party. This was for the 2023 Selby and Ainsty by-election. Mather won the election and became a Member of Parliament.

In the 2024 general election, Kemp publicly supported Mark Francois. Francois is a Conservative Party MP for Rayleigh and Wickford. Kemp called him a "fantastic MP," and Francois kept his seat.

Personal Life

On 11 June 2002, Ross Kemp married Rebekah Wade. They divorced in March 2009. In October 2010, Kemp had a son with his partner, Nicola Coleman.

Kemp married Renee O'Brien from Australia in 2012. They have three children together.

In May 2025, Kemp appeared on the BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?. He learned that his grandfather survived the sinking of the SS Duchess of York during World War II. His grandfather was 50 years old at the time.

Film and TV Appearances

Stage Performances

Awards and Recognition

See also

In Spanish: Ross Kemp para niños