Acting career

Early career

After training at Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, Kemp received his Equity card when appearing alongside John Thaw and Richard Wilson at the Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea. He went on to feature in training films for the Ministry of Defence and the ITV soap opera Emmerdale Farm (now Emmerdale) as Graham Lodsworth. Guest appearances in London's Burning and Birds of a Feather followed, before getting a minor role in the 1987 film Playing Away alongside Neil Morrissey.

EastEnders

Kemp's best-known role to date is that of hardman Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Making his debut in February 1990, his character was often at the centre of major storylines, including abusive marriages to Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and Tiffany Mitchell (Martine McCutcheon), as well as the "Sharongate" storyline, which saw brother Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) having an affair with Grant's wife.

Kemp announced in April 1999 that he would be leaving the soap later that year after nearly a decade. His exit was aired in October 1999 when his character moved to Brazil after surviving a car crash. Kemp refused to rule out an eventual return to EastEnders, and various media reports over the next few years speculated that he would be returning to the series at some stage. In early 2005, the BBC confirmed that Kemp would be returning to EastEnders later that year after six years away. It was co-star Barbara Windsor who convinced him to go back for a brief period. His first comeback lasted just a few weeks from the late autumn of 2005, but he returned for a period of three months in 2006, before departing once again in June that year. Kemp has won various awards for his portrayal of Grant.

In January 2016 it was confirmed that Kemp would make a brief return to the show for the death of Grant's on-screen mother, Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor), appearing in three episodes from 13 to 17 May It was later announced that Kemp would initially appeared in three episodes, from 13 to 17 May 2016, but Kemp later signed a one-year contract extension to film a few episodes at a time between 2016 and 2017, and his second return will air in the summer. with Kemp making brief returns over the next year.

Other roles

Following his initial departure from EastEnders, Kemp moved from the BBC to ITV for a reported £1.2 million two-year deal. Kemp's first role for ITV was in Hero of the Hour. During its filming, on 27 October 1999, Kemp required hospital treatment 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 the discharge from a blank round. He was treated at the scene by paramedics, but made a full recovery.

He also starred as the lead in ITV's Christmas edition of A Christmas Carol. He took the lead roles in the television series, Without Motive and In Defence in 2000, and in 2002's Ultimate Force, where he took the role of Army Staff sergeant Henry Garvie from the British Special Air Service. He continued to appear in this role until 2006. He also gained the role of "Cirra" in the 2004 TV film, Spartacus.

In 2005, Kemp appeared in an episode of BBC's Extras and in a two-part adaptation of the Gerald Seymour novel A Line in the Sand for ITV, and he has also presented, on The Friday Night Project and appeared as a stand in host on The Paul O'Grady Show (2007; 2008).

Kemp appeared in the 4th episode of Series 14 of BBC's motoring show Top Gear. He was the "Man in Boot" of a Renault Twingo Sport being tested by Jeremy Clarkson. The test ended with Clarkson driving the car off the quayside of Belfast Harbour, after which Clarkson joked that Kemp was killed.

Writing

Kemp has written several books. Initially focusing on tie-ins to his various TV documentaries, 2011 saw the publication of his first fictional story, 'Devil to Pay'. A new novel, 'Moving Target', was released in summer 2012.

Politics

In 1999 Kemp was elected as Rector of the University of Glasgow as the candidate of the Glasgow University Labour Club, but resigned in 2000 after the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council passed a motion requesting him to do so. Kemp was succeeded by Greg Hemphill.

In August 2014, Kemp was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.

Personal life

His mother Jean was a hairdresser and his father John was a Detective Chief Inspector in the police force. He has one brother, Darren, who is a filmmaker for the BBC. He attended Shenfield High School and the Webber Douglas Academy.

On 11 June 2002 Kemp married Rebekah Wade, the then editor of The Sun. In November 2005 Wade was arrested following an alleged assault on her husband. Kemp refused medical attention for a swollen lip and no action was taken. In March 2009 Kemp and Wade divorced, and in October 2010, Kemp became a father to a baby boy by ex-partner Nicola Coleman who was his makeup artist.

Ross Kemp married Renee O'Brien in 2012. On 9 April 2015, Kemp announced via Twitter that he had become a father for the second time to a baby boy.

Awards

Year	Group	Award	Won	Film/television series
1996	National Television Awards	Most Popular Actor	Nominated	EastEnders
1997	National Television Awards	Most Popular Actor	Nominated	EastEnders
1999	British Soap Awards	Best Actor	Won	EastEnders
	British Soap Awards	Villain of the Year	Nominated
	British Soap Awards	Best Storyline (for Tiffany discovers Grants affair with her mum)	Won
	Inside Soap Awards	Best Actor	Won
	Inside Soap Awards	Villain of the Year	Nominated
	TV Quick and Choice Awards	Best Soap Actor	Won
	National Television Awards	Most Popular Actor	Nominated
2006	British Soap Awards	Best Actor	Won	EastEnders
	British Soap Awards	Best Storyline (for The Mitchells' Return)	Nominated
	British Soap Awards	Spectacular Scene of the year (for Phil's Close Shave)	Nominated
	Inside Soap Awards	Best Actor	Nominated
	Inside Soap Awards	Sexiest Male	Nominated
	Inside Soap Awards	Best Storyline (for The Mitchells' Return)	Nominated
	TV Quick and Choice Awards	Best Soap Actor	Nominated
	TV Quick and Choice Awards	Best Soap Storyline (for The Mitchells' Return)	Nominated
	National Television Awards	Most Popular Actor	Nominated
2006	BAFTA Awards	Best Factual Series	Won	Ross Kemp on Gangs
2008	AIB Media Excellence Awards	International TV Personality	Won	Ross Kemp in Afghanistan
2009	BAFTA Awards	Best Factual Series	Nominated	Ross Kemp in Afghanistan
2009	BAFTA Awards	Current Affairs	Nominated	Ross Kemp: A Kenya Special
2014	Asian Media Awards	Best Investigation	Won	Extreme World: India

Filmography

TV

Year	Show	Role	Notes
1985-86	Emmerdale	Graham Lodsworth	Recurring: 32 Episodes
1988	London's Burning	Liver Salts	1 Episode: 1.3
1989	Birds of a Feather	Detective Inspector Monk	1 Episode: Shift
1990	The Chief	PC Dennis Scovell	3 Episodes: 1.2, 1.3 & 1.5
1990-99, 2005-06, 2016	EastEnders	Grant Mitchell	Series Regular
1993	Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time		Crossover Spin-off
1998	City Central	Dilly Dally	1 Episode: Nothing Like a Dame
	EastEnders: The Mitchells - Naked Truths	Grant Mitchell	Spin-off Video
2000	In Defence	Sam Lucas	Guest: 4 Episodes
	A Christmas Carol	Eddie Scrooge	TV Movie; Lead Role
2000-2001	Without Motive	DC Jack Mowbray	2 Series; 12 Episodes
2002, 2009	Top Gear	Himself	Guest: 2 Episodes
2002-2006	Ultimate Force	Staff Sgt. Henry 'Henno' Garvie	4 Series; 21 Episodes
2003	The Crooked Man	Harry Fielding
2004-2009	Ross Kemp on Gangs	Himself	Journalist
2005	Extras	Himself	1 Episode: 1.2
2007	Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind	Trooper No. 2	Voiceover Role
2008-2009	Ross Kemp in Afghanistan	Himself	Journalist
2009	10 Minute Tales	Liam	1 Episode: The Running of the Deer
	Ross Kemp in Search of Pirates	Himself	Journalist
2010	Ross Kemp in the Middle East
	Ross Kemp: Battle for the Amazon
2011	That Sunday Night Show	Himself	Guest Panelist
2011-present	Ross Kemp: Extreme World	Himself	Journalist
2016	Ross Kemp's Britain

Films

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1987	Playing Away	Sonny
2011	Quick Slip Me a Bride	Trevor	Nominated: Golden Globes

[ Source: Wikipedia ]