SHE’S daughter of one of Australia’s most-respected journalists, but Jenna Martin admits growing up with a famous father made her wary about making friends.
“I realised I was a target because he was famous,” the 29-year-old told Sunday Style of her dad, Ray.
“When I was in year 5, a girl asked if I could come over on the weekend because her mum wanted to meet dad. I remember, at 10-years-old, thinking ‘that’s messed up.’ I certainly found it difficult to trust people.”
And there were times when Martin’s assignments as a 60 Minutes reporter put his family at risk.
“When I was writing a story on the drug trade and Australian mafia and received threats…we had an armed guard at our home during the night. It is pretty tough when you’re only 10 and there’s a guard in the yard,” Martin, 69, said.
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Ms Martin spent her teenage years trying to escape the spotlight.
“If I wanted her to do something, I’d threaten to give her a kiss,” Martin said.
“So quite often I could get huge advantages if I agreed not to be seen with her.”
Ms Martin, who has just written her first novel, explained: “I was an awkward, slightly dumpy, fifteen-year-old and I didn’t want people taking my photo and putting it in the paper. It wasn’t [about dad] – he’s not that daggy; just a bit weird.”
Read the full interview with Jenna and Ray Martin in Sunday Style today.
