Sexy pop star Kim Wilde is just wild about Christmas so don’t be too surprised if she turns up on your doorstep with an angelic smile and a song. Every year Kim Joins her rock ‘n’ roll star father Marty Wilde and big brother – and goes out carol-singing round the houses near her family home. Marty remains one of rock’s legendary figures after his hits in the late 1950 s and ‘6os, and brother Ricky was a pop idol in the ‘7os. Startled Christmas revellers have been known to answer the door to “yet another bunch” of carol singers only to find a sensational all-star line-up. “It’s great fun,” grins Kim. “You have to see the look on their faces to believe it! Carols are part of Christmas and I love singing them. Afterwards we’ll all gather round the piano at home and have a good old sing-song. Families should get to gather at Christmas time.”
Kim already has a very special present this Christmas the chance to share the celebrations with her 75-year-old grandmother. She explains: “My granny had open heart surgery earlier this year. She had been very poorly and we all feared that she might not be with us. “She’s my father’s mum and I’ve loved her all my life. My dearest wish was that she’d pull through and thankfully she is recovering from it all. It was a very traumatic time for us all when she had the operation, but she’s a brave old lady and she’ll be the VIP at our family Christmas Party.”
Another importent person in Kim’s lite at the moment is madcap Mel Smith the co-star of Kim’s Rocking Around The Christmas Tree hit single. The record was made to raise funds for the Comic Relief Appeal, which had a No I hit last year with Living Doll by Cliff Richard and The Young Ones.
“Comic Relief were trying to think up ideas for this year’s single.” says Kim, “and they were keen on teaming up a singer and a comedian again. They tried all sorts of people but all they could come up with was Mel and I. I’m not sure which one of us was the singer and which was the comedian! Using the name Mel & Kim was a bit cheeky — but the other Mel & Kim were kept fully informed of what was going on, and they didn’t mind.”
Recording a single with Mel Smith might seem like a hazardous affair, but Kim escaped the treatment he usually lavishes on TV partner Griff Rhys Jones. Rehearsals for the Alas Smith & Jones series often end up in chaos when Mel ad-libs outrageously, leaving his partner shaking with uncontrolled laughter.
“It wasn’t like that”, recalls 27-year-old Kim. “Mel is a very, very funny man and he’s great to be around – but he’s also very professional. I don’t mean that to sound as if he’s boring – he’s anything but! He made me feel totally at ease and both the single and the video went smoothly. I’ve been in this business for a while now, but Mel’s been doing it a lot longer than I have. He’s very talented and very clever.”
The Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree hit has had only one drawback. It’s brought Kim to the attention of Central TV’s Spitting Image team. Series producer John Lloyd – also involved with Comic Relief – is considering using Mel and Kim as the models for the latest latex puppets from his wicked workshop. “I think that Spitting Image is a marvellously entertaining show”, says Kim. “I love watching the series and seeing all the puppets. But I don’t know how I would react if I saw a Kim Wilde puppet on the screen. I think I would cease to regard the series as totally wonderful…”
