‘My hero… my role model…’: Ross Kemp announces the heartbreaking death of his beloved father aged 88 — as the EastEnders legend shares an emotional tribute and a final photo ahead of the funeral… - suong
ROSS Kemp has announced the tragic loss of his dad aged 88.
The Eastenders star, 61, paid a heartwarming tribute to his late father, who he described as his “hero and role model”.
Writing on social media, Ross said: “John Kemp 1937 – 2025. Served his country, served his community served his family.
“My hero. Love you always Dad.”
Posting a black and white picture of his dad in the army ahead of his funeral, Ross joked about his dancing skills.
He added: “Burying my Dad, tomorrow. My hero, my role model and a great dancer!”
TV hardman Ross was reduced to tears earlier this year in an episode of BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?
Kemp – who is best known for playing Grant Mitchell in Eastenders – apologised to historian Sarah Louise Miller for “getting emotional”.
The television tough guy made a sensational return to the BBC soap this year.
He joined fellow Walford legends Patsy Palmer and Paul Bradley for the show’s 40th anniversary.
Speaking to The Sun on his return, the celebrated
He added: “Kate Phillips [BBC Controller of Entertainment] asked me to do the 40th anniversary documentary, and I was very thankful.
“It was weird going back, but amazing to see so many familiar faces, people I’d worked with since 1989. It’s a home from home.
“It was great working with Steve again. And with Paul, Letitia, Patsy – they were the four I worked with most.
“I’ve been very lucky to be able to go off around the world and make documentaries. But it’s also quite
Ross has long advocated for the Royal British Legion and is often seen selling poppies with members of the armed forces.
Last year, the hardman trained with the Gurkhas – some of the Army’s toughest troops – hoping to raise £1million in one day.
RBL ambassador Ross began the day working out at the Tower of London with nine super-fit members of the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers.
He took part in the military guards’ morning routine, running shoulder to shoulder around the Tower grounds and joining in shadow boxing.
Later, he joined serving personnel and Poppy Appeal collectors on a double-decker bus at the start of Europe’s biggest one-day collection.
Speaking at the time, he said: “Punching pads and running around the Tower with Gurkhas is not the kind of thing I expected to be doing at 60.
“The poppy is synonymous with service both present and past.
“The Royal British Legion hands out £900,000 in grants every month of the year.
“And 17,000 households rely on money given to them by the British Legion.
“They are not just veterans, they’re serving personnel and also their families who often suffer equally when somebody’s not well.
“We’re remembering people who suffered some sort of mental trauma linked to military service because often those scars are not apparent.”
Sam Thompson breaks silence on ‘hard launching’ new girl Talitha – and reveals why she’s not his girlfriend yet liennhi
SAM Thompson has broken his silence on ‘hard launching’ his new girl Talitha Balinska – and revealed why he hasn’t asked her to be his girlfriend yet.
The Sun revealed last month that he was
The pair have been on several dates after they first met last year on a photoshoot for Sam’s sunglasses brand Dinelli Eyewear.
And since he was crowned King of the Jungle in I’m A
Because it seems that Sam is pulling out all the stops with the model and DJ – who has 511,000 TikTok followers.
Sam, 33, was snapped treating his new model girlfriend Talitha, 25, to a snack from Bite Mi in Chelsea’s Duke of York Square recently.
And they stepped out for a romantic date night in London, after recently confirming their relationship.
Now, speaking to his best pal Pete Wicks on their Staying Relevant podcast, Sam confirmed their romance but said they aren’t official yet.
Pete asked Sam what stage the pair were at and said: “So look, you are dating, I think it is clear now. Are we just admitting that you are currently dating?”
A smiling Sam confirmed he was indeed officially dating Talitha reports The Mail.
But Pete wanted more details and asked: “So how are you going to ask her to be your girlfriend?
“Will you do it like Love Island?”
Sam replied: “No mate, there’s not been any chat about that. There’s no pressure, and that is the beauty of it.
“There’s no pressure, there’s no time frame.
“The worst part about this is, if she sees this, I could get canned next week.”
Pete alluded to Sam’s split with Zara and said: “Oh, we can’t go through another break-up, not this year.
“At least wait till next year, darling. So, where are we at with it?”
Sam smiled back: “Mate, I don’t know, everything is just super relaxed, you know what it is like with dating. We are just enjoying it.
“Realistically, if I were to ever ask anyone out, I wouldn’t even know how to do it. I would panic. I haven’t asked someone out in years.”
Pete asked when he would get to meet her: “I am on the edge of my seat. I’m waiting for the call-up. When will that be?”
Sam replied: “I just don’t know if I can do it. You wouldn’t even want to meet people I’m dating. Would you want to meet people I’m dating?”
Pete said: “No. Sam did invite me on a double date at the weekend. It was him and his friend and peep and his respective fiend’s peep and just me, so I declined.
“It was sort of an invite that was thrown out there because he said he was gonna see me and then made it a double date.
“So, then I said, “Am I still seeing you later?”
Pete jokingly continued: “Now, what that says to me is, “Come if you want, but it will be weird, and we don’t want you there.
“We don’t want you there, alright, because we’re going to be lovey-dovey feeding each other at the table and all the rest of it, and it might be weird for you to sit there.
“I know you’re sad, lonely, and depressed so it might be too much for you”.’
Sam laughed and declared Pete was “wrong” and that his claims were “not true”.
Sam has already introduced Talitha to his sister Louise, her fiancé Ryan, and their son Leo when they played with Lego together.
