Ross James Kemp (born 21 July 1964) is a BAFTA award-winning English actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. Since 2006, Kemp has received international recognition as an investigative journalist for his critically acclaimed and award-winning documentary series Ross Kemp on Gangs.

Acting career

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Before he was a well known soap actor in EastEnders, Kemp made a TV commercial for the Kellogg's company for their Fruit 'n Fibre breakfast cereal.

His first credited television appearance was in 1986, playing Graham Lodsworth in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale Farm (now Emmerdale). He then made guest appearances in episodes of London's Burning and Birds of a Feather.

His most famous role to date was his award-winning portrayal of hardman Grant Mitchell in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. Kemp debuted as hard-man Grant along with Steve McFadden, who played Grant's brother Phil Mitchell, in February 1990. On-screen, Kemp, as Grant, was often at the centre of EastEnders' plots, amongst them marrying Sharon Watts, played by Letitia Dean, daughter of "Dirty" Den Watts, before divorcing, after Sharon had an affair with Phil, and subsequently setting fire to their home. He married Tiffany Mitchell played by Martine McCutcheon, fathering a daughter in a rocky and sometimes violent marriage that ended when Tiffany was run over and killed by Grant's stepfather Frank Butcher following an argument.

Kemp left EastEnders in 1999, on a storyline that had Grant hijacking a drug deal which ended in him crashing his getaway car into the River Thames and presumed dead until a week later when he was seen with daughter Courtney at the airport getting on a plane to Brazil. He then moved from the BBC to ITV for a reported £1.2 million.

In the same year he won the award for Best Actor at The British Soap Awards.

Kemp, himself, refused to rule out an eventual return to EastEnders, and, almost from the beginning, there were countless media reports that he would be returning to the series.

After EastEnders

Kemp's first role for ITV was in Hero of the Hour. During its filming, on October 27, 1999, Kemp required treatment in the hospital after being shot in the face when a stunt went wrong. He suffered cuts to his chest and face after safety glass shattered, and was also hit in the face by a blank round. He was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to Barnet Hospital in north London. Despite the dramatic-sounding incident, Kemp recovered quickly and went back to acting.

He also starred as the main character in ITV's Christmas edition of Scrooge.

Star of the television series, Without Motive, and, In Defence, in 2000, he continued to play to type in the 2002 series, Ultimate Force, where he took the role of tough-talking Staff Sergent Henry (Henno) Garvie in the British Special Air Service. He continued to star in this role until 2006. He also gained the role of "Cirra" in the 2004 TV film, Spartacus.

In 2005, Kemp starred in an episode of Extras, as an exaggerated version of himself. Playing on his reputation for "hard" roles (such as Grant Mitchell), Kemp starred as a posturing version of himself who had landed a role as Horatio Nelson in a television historical drama, but was in reality timid.

In 2005, he starred in a two-part adaptation of the Gerald Seymour novel A Line In The Sand for ITV.

In 2006, Kemp was the guest host for an episode of the third series of Channel 4's, The Friday Night Project.

He also presented The Paul O'Grady Show on November 9, 2007.

Brief return to EastEnders

In early 2005, the BBC confirmed that Kemp would be returning to EastEnders later in the year after six years away from his iconic role as Grant Mitchell. Kemp admitted that it was co-star Barbara Windsor who convinced him to come back. His first comeback lasted just a few weeks, with Kemp's absence from the series being covered in a storyline in which Grant returned to Brazil.

Kemp's break from EastEnders lasted three months before he returned — this time, Grant was joined by his wife, Carla, and daughter Courtney. His comeback lasted three months before Grant and Courtney fled to Portugal after he fell out with Carla.

BBC bosses have left Kemp's role open for a possible future return, but no plans for another comeback were announced at the time of his latest exit, and none have been announced since.

During his return to Eastenders he won the Best Actor award at the 2006 British Soap Awards and was also nominated in the same category at the Inside Soap Awards and TV Quick and Choice Awards.He was also nominated in the category of "Most Popular Actor" at the 2006 National Television Awards.

In April 2008 Kemp's agent announced that they were in negotiations with Grenada Television to produce a one-off Christmas musical special loosely based on Kemp's Eastenders character entitled "Mitchell: You Muppet!"

In an interview with Paul O'Grady in late 2007, Kemp said he would like to return to the square someday.

Ross Kemp on Gangs

In 2006, Kemp featured in the series, Ross Kemp on Gangs, in which he interviewed gang members around the world. In the first series, the show featured gangs and police corruption in Brazil, Maori gangs in New Zealand, neo-Nazi skinheads in California, and gangsters in London. The second series featured gangs, including "MS13" from El Salvador, neo-Nazis in Russia, skinheads in Poland, American "Bloods" and "Crips" in St. Louis, and the Numbers gang in South Africa. In May 2007, Ross Kemp on Gangs was awarded a BAFTA award for factual programming. September 2008 saw Kemp return to his ever popular Sky1 show Ross Kemp on Gangs. It started in California, Compton and featured a total of four shows.

In early 2007 Kemp also released his book 'Ross Kemp. Gangs' in which he retold his past show experiences in form of a book. Other Ross Kemp on Gangs paraphernalia includes his DVD series of Ross Kemp on Gangs which features his series and exclusive extras from the series

Ross Kemp in Afghanistan

On 21 January, 2008, Sky broadcast the first episode of a five-part series Ross Kemp in Afghanistan, which entails Kemp following the 1st Battalion of the British Army's Royal Anglian Regiment during their deployment to Afghanistan's Helmand Province from March to August 2007. In preparation for the assignment, Kemp had to participate in military training for personal defence, including use of the SA80 assault rifle. Kemp has a personal interest in the East Anglians, as he is from their recruiting area, and his father served with their predecessor regiment, the Royal Norfolk Regiment, in Cyprus.

Glasgow University association

In 1999 he was elected as Rector of the University of Glasgow as the candidate of the Glasgow University Labour Club. However, he resigned in 2001 after the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council passed a motion requesting him to do so, as many students had become dissatisfied with his performance in the role. It was pointed out that, through pressure of work, he had failed for two successive years to deliver the Fresher's Address, perhaps the most important public duty in the rector's calendar. He apparently alleged a vendetta against him by the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association, who he claimed were embittered by the fact that he had beaten their candidate, Ian Hamilton QC. He was succeeded by another actor, Greg Hemphill.

Personal life

Kemp, who was born in Barking, Essex, is the son of a retired Detective Chief Inspector and attended Watford Grammar School for Boys. On June 11, 2002 Kemp married (although is now separated from) Rebekah Wade, the editor of The Sun Newspaper.

His mother Jean was a hairdresser and his father John a DCI in the police force,he also has a brother named Darren who is a film maker for the BBC.

On November 3, 2005, it was reported that Wade had been arrested that morning following an alleged assault on her husband. Wade was later released without charge and no further action is to be taken. Kemp refused medical attention for a swollen lip.

It was reported in Private Eye, Issue 1177, (February 2, 2007), that Kemp and Wade are now separated and living in different parts of London — he in the Battersea marital home, and she in Chelsea

Kemp is a fan of West Ham United FC.

References

External links

• The Unofficial Ross Kemp Fansite
• More On Ross Kemp's Sky One Shows
• Tribute to Ross Kemp