TV legend Ross Kemp has opened up about his career and says he gets nervous when he’s hosting his game show Bridge of Lies, in case things get too tense for contestants
Ross Kemp gets nervous about ramping up tension on his quiz Bridge of Lies. The host worries that if he goes all out to make it exciting TV, the contestants won’t be able to cope.
EastEnders legend Ross, 60, told the Daily Star Sunday: “You want to ramp the jeopardy up as much as you possibly can, but you do have to be careful. You have to do a quick psycho analysis of the person you’re dealing with. You don’t want to push it too much. You’ve got a responsibility to think about how they’re doing.
“You are dealing with people who could have sensitive issues.” Many contestants are crippled by nerves because they’re so keen to win.
Ross added: “On Bridge of Lies, it’s not the same kind of money you see on other shows. But it’s still life-changing money to some people.
“I can’t help them with answers, but I often feel like I should because I can see how much it means to them.”
Bridge of Lies has become a TV sensation since launching in 2022. It’s a ratings smash for the BBC and has already racked up well over 100 episodes.
Ross reckons he knows why it’s a hit. He said: “This show is novel and different to anything else that’s out there. As a format, it’s original.
“It suits my personality because it’s a bit giggly and a bit fun. And then at the end it can get quite tense.”
Ross is thrilled he gets to host the show because it means he’s finally doing something family friendly. He said: “It’s the only thing I’ve ever made that my children can watch.
“We watched an episode recently and they went, ‘Oh that’s dad on the TV’. And then they went back to watching YouTube!”
Ross admits he never expected to become a game show host. He said: “A game show is the last thing I thought I would ever do. But when I got sent details about it, I could visualise it. I could see myself doing it.
“When I talked it through with the execs, I could see it working.”
Bridge of Lies is such a hit that Ross regularly gets recognised by its viewers when it’s out in public.
He said: “When I’m at the supermarket, no one mentions EastEnders or documentaries these days. “It’s Bridge of Lies. The people at the checkout will talk to me about it.
“I do get some people mentioning Grant Mitchell, but not as much as they used to.”
