Ross Kemp might be one of the biggest names on British TV thanks to his award-winning documentaries, but when it comes to his family life he prefers to keep a low profile.
This week, however, he took to Twitter to share a very rare personal photo with his fans.
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Father-of-four Ross shared a sweet selfie with his dog Bruno as he headed out for a run on Wednesday. The former EastEnders actor can be seen smiling for the camera as he bends down for a photo with his beloved golden retriever.
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Ross, 56, is besotted with Bruno, and previously said he couldn't imagine his life without him. In a 2017 interview with the Express, he said: "My golden retriever Bruno is absolutely gorgeous. No matter what time of day it is, he is unfailingly affectionate and always so happy to see me.
Ross posed for a sweet selfie with his dog, Bruno
"The other night I got back really late and everyone was asleep. However the minute I opened the door, Bruno came bounding up to me and started nuzzling my leg. It was such a lovely welcome and after a long day his energy and zest for life always puts me in a good mood."
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Ross is a proud father of four children – and it seems they are just as devoted to their family dog. In April, he posted a snapshot showing his two sons running around with Bruno, writing: “Two boys and their dog… what it’s all about.”
The star previously shared a photo of his sons with the family pet
Ross became a first-time father in October 2010 when he welcomed a son with his then-partner, makeup artist Nicola Coleman. He later met and married his wife Renee O’Brien, mother of his three youngest children. The couple share Leo, who was born in 2015, and twins Ava and Kitty, who arrived in 2017.
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In a 2019 interview with the Daily Mail, Ross said having children has made him the happiest he has ever been and admitted he wished he had started a family sooner.
Ross pictured with his twin daughters shortly after their arrival
"I'm very happy I've got my children and wouldn't have it any other way. I could have done it about a decade earlier though, I should've done," he said.
"I was old, I was in my 40s, I was quite selfish before, in terms of you put yourself first, you look at what's going to be best for you and that totally goes out the window when you have children, you put your children way in front of everything you do."
The star is a very proud father-of-four
Asked about his family's dynamic, Ross confessed: 'I'm the last one in the pecking order. I usually come after the golden retriever.
"I got back from the prison, I'd been away for a couple of days and I think my wife’s response was 'Well you think you've had it hard, well I've had it harder' and there's my four-and-a-half year old screaming his head off because he had to take his Captain America T-shirt off. It's that kind of stage. You could make a documentary of the Kemp household."
