Synopsis

Kim Wilde performs "Chequered Love" inside a stylized, steamy bathroom lined with dark tiles. The video combines direct-to-camera singing with tightly framed shots of Wilde moving through the confined space, creating an intimate and slightly claustrophobic mood. Water, wet hair, mirrors, and dramatic lighting reinforce the song's image of an attraction that is exciting but emotionally unstable. Rather than presenting a separate narrative, the clip uses atmosphere and performance to visualize the song's turbulent romantic tension.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Chequered Love" was released on April 27, 1981, as Wilde's second single, following "Kids in America."

• The song was written by Kim Wilde's father, Marty Wilde, and her brother, Ricky Wilde, who also produced the recording.

• The lyrics were inspired by Marty and Joyce Wilde's contrasting personalities. Kim described her parents as almost complete opposites whose differences attracted them to each other.

• The song was written under considerable pressure to provide a follow-up to "Kids in America." Ricky Wilde reportedly spent several days working on ideas, while the finished song was recorded in only two days.

• Kim Wilde recalled that filming the shower sequence was physically uncomfortable because the water was extremely cold. She ended up soaked and freezing during the shoot.

• The video was made on a small budget, but its sharp visual style gave the single useful television exposure when Wilde was unavailable for live promotional appearances.

• "Chequered Love" reached No. 4 in the United Kingdom and became an even bigger hit in several other markets, reaching No. 1 in South Africa and No. 2 in West Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium.

• The track later appeared as the sixth song on Wilde's self-titled debut album, released in June 1981.