Ross Kemp Recounts Viral Encounter with Armed Gang in Papua New Guinea
The documentary filmmaker shared details of a harrowing 2014 ambush where he confronted armed assailants, questioning their intent.
Documentary maker and actor Ross Kemp, known for his role in EastEnders, discussed a viral clip from his 2014 series Ross Kemp: Extreme World during a recent episode of the Daily Mail's "Tales From The Celebrity Trenches" podcast. The footage shows Kemp being confronted by an armed gang in Papua New Guinea.
In the clip, the gang orders Kemp to sit down and hand over money. Instead of complying, Kemp squares up to one of the gunmen and repeatedly asks, "You gonna kill me?" The confrontation eventually ends without further incident.
Kemp described the gang as notorious in the region for attacking and sexually assaulting local people, recalling an incident prior to his visit where two tourists were allegedly tied to a tree and assaulted. He noted the extreme danger of the area, stating that no insurance company would cover a female crew member due to the risks.
"This is an incredibly lawless country, and it still is," Kemp explained. "Why did I behave like that? It's totally against what you're trained to do in a hostile environment. You're supposed to get down on the ground."
He revealed that in addition to firearms, the attackers were armed with spears. Kemp stated he believed it was better to risk a gunshot wound than the alternative, although he acknowledged he might have sustained both. "I felt like I'd been burgled, like someone had invaded my territory," he said, admitting his anger was more pronounced after the event.
Following the standoff, the gang's leader reportedly commended Kemp's bravery, calling him a "warrior."
Kemp also shared how his career shift into documentary filmmaking was not part of a pre-planned strategy. The concept for his BAFTA-winning series "Ross Kemp on Gangs" originated from a chance encounter in Compton, Los Angeles, with an individual who claimed to have been shot 26 times. This individual's resilience and intelligence, despite his difficult circumstances, deeply impacted Kemp and sparked the idea for his investigative work.
"When I got back to my apartment, I rang my then girlfriend, who happened to be on a boat with the then head of Sky, and I pitched it," Kemp recounted. "That's how you got commissioned in those days."