News | Entertainment
30 Mar 2024 2:21
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Martin Kemp's "heart sank" when he realised Shirlie Holliman had brought George Michael along on their first date

    The Spandau Ballet star had arranged to meet the Wham! backing singer at London's Camden Palace and was unimpressed to arrive and realise she'd brought her pal as a chaperone - and the late 'Careless Whisper' hitmaker didn't enjoy the evening very much either


    Martin recalled: "As I was walking down Camden High Street I saw Shirlie standing on the corner and my heart sank because she had brought her mate, and her mate was George Michael.

    "We spent the evening trying to lose him."

    Shirlie added: "He said, 'I didn't know you'd be snogging all night.'

    "He was just my mate. I didn't have another friend at the time. Him and me would go clubbing together."

    But George was instrumental on getting the couple - who have children Harleymoon and Roman - together in the first place.

    Marin told the Daily Mail Weekend magazine: "I'd seen Wham! on Top Of The Pops singing Young Guns, and I couldn't take my eyes off Shirlie. I thought she was the most beautiful woman I'd seen.

    "Two weeks later we were at some VIP screening and there she was. I gave her my number, but she didn't call me for three weeks."

    Shirlie explained: "It wasn't because I didn't want to call. He was this big pop star and I was scared he would be a proper pop star. He was so good-looking.

    "I was at [George's] house and he kept saying, 'Are you going to call him?' He was a big Spandau fan. He called the number and gave me the phone.

    "Martin's mum answered and I said, 'Is Martin there, please?' She asked who it was and I was so embarrassed, she probably had girls phoning all the time for him. Then he came on and said, 'I'm so pleased you called.' He sounded really happy I'd phoned. So that was it."

    Shirlie, now 57, admitted she was reluctant to get involved with Martin, 58, because he was so handsome.

    She said: "It's always been like that. I remember my mum meeting him for the first time. She said, 'Oh, Shirl, he's the most handsome man I've ever seen. He's like Elvis.'

    "He looked so much like a pop star that I thought he would be like a pop star, and I didn't want that. Then I discovered he was the kindest man I'd ever met."

    © 2024 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     29 Mar: Heidi Klum would've "loved" a role in 'Griselda'
     29 Mar: Tom Schwartz "made out" with Scheana Shay 12 years ago
     29 Mar: Mel B vowed she would never marry again following her split from Stephen Belafonte
     29 Mar: Eva Mendes has branded her mum "incredible" for retaining her sense of humour during her battle with cancer
     29 Mar: Katie Maloney doesn't "hang out" with her 'Vanderpump Rules' co-stars
     29 Mar: Jessica Chastain found it "difficult" to film 'Mothers' Instinct' with her showbiz pal Anne Hathaway
     29 Mar: Queen Camilla hosted authors and actors at a star-studded event in London to celebrate reading
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The Chiefs are backing young first-five Josh Jacomb to step up in tonight's Super Rugby clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    New Zealand Food Safety is supporting Matakana Smokehouse in its recall of a specific batch of two of its salmon products because of the possible presence of Listeria More...



     Today's News

    Rugby League:
    NRL Good Friday: Bulldogs take on desperate Rabbitohs, Broncos renew rivalry with Cowboys 23:07

    Law and Order:
    Gisborne Police have charged three people with graffiti vandalism and have identified a fourth suspect after the city's rainbow crossing was defaced with white paint earlier this week 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Heidi Klum would've "loved" a role in 'Griselda' 21:53

    Law and Order:
    Police have left the scene of a party that erupted into a disturbance on Auckland's Princes Wharf 21:37

    Entertainment:
    Tom Schwartz "made out" with Scheana Shay 12 years ago 21:23

    Entertainment:
    Mel B vowed she would never marry again following her split from Stephen Belafonte 20:53

    Entertainment:
    Eva Mendes has branded her mum "incredible" for retaining her sense of humour during her battle with cancer 20:23

    Entertainment:
    Katie Maloney doesn't "hang out" with her 'Vanderpump Rules' co-stars 19:53

    Entertainment:
    Jessica Chastain found it "difficult" to film 'Mothers' Instinct' with her showbiz pal Anne Hathaway 19:23

    Rugby:
    The Chiefs are backing young first-five Josh Jacomb to step up in tonight's Super Rugby clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch 18:57


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2024 New Zealand City Ltd