Charlie Simpson was left terrified by a lion during a trip to Kenya with his wife.
The singer/songwriter’s spouse – who he won’t publicly name – was raised in the African country and he was very excited when she first suggested they take a safari trip.
However, when night fell the former Busted musician was nervous about the animal’s behaviour at night and one roaring beast, that he was unaware was a lion, left him petrified.
He told BANG Showbiz: "My wife’s parents are English, but her parents moved over to Kenya about 30 years ago so she was raised in Kenya and came over to Britain when she was 16 to go to school here. She feels more Kenyan than she does English because that’s where she grew up.
"I remember one of my first trips there, we were in a tent one night and I kept hearing this strange noise, and turned to my wife and said, ‘What is that noise? It sounds like a diesel engine.’ She didn’t tell me what it was because she knew I’d freak out. I found out the next day that a lion was just four feet from our tent; I was absolutely crapping myself when I heard that!
"She knew what it was but just wouldn’t say. It’s the most terrifying noise you’ve ever heard. I was getting ready to run as fast as I could.
"The guards you have with you, you have guys with bows and arrows and stuff and you think, ‘God are you really going to be able to take down a lion if one decides to attack?’ It’s quite an experience.
"As humans I think we feel as though we claim ownership over every part of our world. In the Maasai Mara I felt for the first time in my life that I was a guest in someone’s else’s kingdom, the animals are running the place and we’re not top of the pile."
Despite the experience, Charlie loves the country and he and his wife make an annual trip there.
The musician – who released his second solo LP ‘Long Road Home’ this year – admits he always feels inspired to write music when he is in Kenya.
He said: "I go to Kenya every year, it’s a magical place. When I did my first solo record I went to the coast to write a couple of songs. I find it a really tranquil place to write music."
Charlie Simpson terrified by lion
