Soap hard man Ross Kemp was attacked with a rocket propelled grenade on the battlefield of Afghanistan. The former EastEnders actor dived to the ground fearing for his life as grenades and bullets sped by just inches from his head in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan.
Kemp is following the One Royal Anglian regiment in their fight against the Taliban for his Sky One series Ross Kemp in Afghanistan.
He was following troops on the banks on the Helmand River in preparation for an attack on a Taliban strong hold when his company were spotted by a sniper.
After the attack Kemp said: "I've never hugged the ground in my life. You hear about it in books and you may see it in the movies but the real thing is very very f***ing different.
"We've just been ambushed. We're in open ground as well f**king getting bullets in over the top of us.
"I've just had a bullet whizz over my head. I can feel the air move as they pass inches from my head. You can feel the whoosh and the explosion behind you.
"Normally this place would be full of children playing and adults working but it's completely empty which leads them to suspect that the Taliban have come in here and told them to clear out because they are going to have a contact with us.
"I've had some surreal mornings in my life but this tops them all."
During the attack the regiment lost one of their men and killed the sniper.
Kemp said: "It's a natural reaction of relief when the person trying to kill you is killed themselves.
"It's been the most exhausting thing that I've ever tried to cover or attempt to film.
"Most of the guys on the ground who've been fighting say it's the toughest thing they've ever had to do.
"I'm deaf in one ear, I've got an ear infection, I've got pus running out between my feet. They're cracked and infected but that pales into insignificance in terms of the people who've seriously been hurt in this operation and people who have been killed.
"I believe it's been a success in terms of what the British forces set out to achieve. It's certainly been tough on everybody. I hope good comes from it.
"One of the things that worries me is that we're only half way through our time here and I am absolutely exhausted."
By Owen Williams, Jan 29 2008 © Copyright 2008 - Showbiz Spy
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