90s pop legend Kavana has revealed that he received a 'lifetime ban' from Loose Women following a drunken appearance on the ITV chat show in 2007. The singer, whose real name is Anthony Gerard Kavanagh, admitted that he can barely remember his live performance from that time due to his struggles with addiction.
In his new memoir Pop Scars, Kavana wrote: 'I can’t remember much of my “performance” on Loose Women apart from the odd flashback.' He recalled receiving a voicemail from his agent at 10am the following day, saying: 'I’m afraid they’re not happy with you. They have given you a lifetime ban on Loose Women. You can never go on again.'
Kavana also recounted that producers were unimpressed when he left the set for 15 minutes to go to a local pub, with staff frantically searching for him. He was located just minutes before his slot. Additionally, he pressed then-panellist Carol McGiffin for details of her sex life, alarming producers. He was eventually escorted off the premises and helped into a car by a driver who nearly refused to take him due to his level of intoxication.
Earlier this year, Kavana appeared on Lorraine where he spoke about his alcohol dependency and mental health struggles. He described alcohol as his 'medicine' that took away fear and anxiety, but urged viewers to seek help: 'If anyone is watching this, there is help out there… Speak to somebody, don’t be ashamed, because once I surrendered, that’s when the light got in.'
