Ross Kemp has revealed he thinks Christmas in lockdown is pretty much inevitable.
Speaking exclusively to Entertainment Daily to launch this year’s Poppy Appeal, Ross said he thinks we’re in the “middle of a second storm”.
The former EastEnders hardman also urged Brits to “act responsibly”.
Ross Kemp thinks second lockdown is on its way
“We’re in isolation,” Ross said of his family. “We’re keeping ourselves very much low-key and locking the doors because I think we’re in the middle of a second storm.
“It’s really important that people, and it seems very obvious, should act responsibly. COVID is no joke,” he added, before referencing his coronavirus documentary that aired on ITV in the spring.
“I’ve seen first hand in ICUs during the first outbreak. I imagine this outbreak will be just as bad. I foresee us going into a lockdown.”
Read more: Nadia Sawalha says her daughters would rather ‘curl up and die’ than see their mum pose naked again
Ross also said he doesn’t think the government’s tiered alert level system is “working”.
“From what we are seeing, putting certain areas into different levels doesn’t seem to be working. It doesn’t seem to be containing it,” he said, before revealing his fears for the older members of our community.
“I’m an ambassador for the Royal British Legion,” he said. “And I have real grave concerns for some of the older members of the Legion. They need help.”
How you can support the Poppy Appeal
Offering that help is simple. All you have to do is buy a poppy in the run up to Remembrance Day on November 11.
“I think the most important thing is to get that message out there about just what we owe our Armed Forces community,” Ross said.
From what we are seeing, putting certain areas into different levels doesn’t seem to be working. It doesn’t seem to be containing it.
“As time goes on, unless you’re directly connected to the military, there is a disconnect. I want us to reconnect.
Read more: Olivia Attwood reveals she’s set the date for her wedding to Bradley Dack
“A lot of people have been made better by people from the Royal Medical Core and they don’t even know it. Because they’re wearing uniform, they are effectively members of the NHS, I guess.
“But they’re there if we need them and, if things get worse and we go into a real harsh lockdown, the Army and the Air Force may be deployed to people in isolated communities, to get food flown in by helicopter,” he said.
“We can always turn, in our moment of need, to our Armed Forces. So this is an opportunity for people to say thank you. Buy a poppy. Every poppy counts,” he added.
An update on Barbara Windsor
Ross took over the launch of the campaign from his good friend Dame Barbara Windsor.
He revealed: “I have had the honour of taking over from Dame Barbara Windsor as the person who launched London Poppy Day last year and technically this year, although not physically.
“I FaceTimed her a Sunday and a half ago,” he added, “and she is as you would expect someone with Alzheimer’s to be.”
Asked if he thought Barbara would be proud of his work with the Royal British Legion, Ross said: “We didn’t really go into that.”
What he will be doing to help the cause, though, is putting up a huge poppy in the window of his home – alongside his NHS rainbow.
“I think it’s scandalous that anybody who’s risked their lives for my security and keeping a way of life that I enjoy in a democracy, if those people are prepared to do that for me then I don’t think they should risk losing their homes because they can’t afford to pay their mortgage.
“They haven’t turned their back on us and I don’t think we should turn our back on them,” he concluded.
For more information on how you can support this year’s Poppy Appeal, visit the Royal British Legion website here.
Head to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and tell us what you think of our story.