Ross Kemp
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Ross Kemp (born July 21, 1964 in Barking, Essex, England) is a British actor.
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Early life
His mother, Jean, was a hairdresser and his father, John, was a policeman with the Metropolitan Police force. He has a brother named Darren who is a documentary producer for the BBC.
Kemp attended Shenfield High School, where he is remembered as an excellent athlete. He wanted to be an actor from a young age and went on to study drama at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. He has rarely been out of work since leaving the academy in 1985, appearing on stage, in films, on television and in various advertisements.
Acting Career
EastEnders
His first credited television appearance was in 1986, playing Graham Lodsworth in Emmerdale Farm (now Emmerdale). But by far his most famous role to date was his award-winning portrayal of hardman 'Grant Mitchell' in the popular BBC series 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 fathered a child with Sharon's best friend Michelle, and married Tiffany Mitchell played by Martine McCutcheon, fathering a daughter in a rocky and sometimes violent marriage that ended in him chasing Tiffany under the wheels of a car.
Grant left EastEnders in 1999, on a storyline that had Grant hijacking a drug deal, and moved from the BBC to ITV for a reported £1.2 million.
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 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 he was 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.
Kemp was also star of the television series Without Motive and In Defence, in 2000. He continued to play to type in the 2002 series Ultimate Force. He also gained the role of 'Cirra' in the 2004 TV movie remake of the film Spartacus.
In 2005 it was rumored the BBC was finalising a deal that would have Kemp return to EastEnders as Grant Mitchell, 6 years after leaving.
Personal life and Glasgow University association
In 1999 he was elected as Rector of Glasgow University as the candidate of the 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.
He is married to the journalist, Rebekah Wade, editor first of The News of the World and later of The Sun tabloid newspapers.
External links
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- The Unofficial Ross Kemp Fansite (http://www.rosskempfans.com)