Terry Coldwell, the sole remaining founding member of 1990s boyband East 17, has cast doubt on any prospect of a full reunion, saying the original members are not in contact. Speaking ahead of the 30th anniversary of their Christmas number one 'Stay Another Day', Coldwell told the BBC: 'No-one talks in the band, not one member.'
The 49-year-old, who still performs with a new line-up featuring singer Robbie Craig and dancer Joe Livermore, admitted he had tried repeatedly to reunite the original group. 'I've tried getting the band together so many times, spent so much energy doing it, but it's never come about,' he said. 'As you get older you have to be on the same page and we're just not on the same page.'
Coldwell, a father of six now based in Hemel Hempstead, explained that the current East 17 line-up had worked hard to restore the band's reputation after a history of cancelled gigs. 'We keep the name alive and all the hits alive,' he said. 'The new line-up has made the name East 17 good again, so I don't think it's [the reunion] ever going to happen now.'
East 17 enjoyed 11 top 10 hits between 1992 and 1997, with 'Stay Another Day' remaining their only UK number one. The song, written by Tony Mortimer about his brother's suicide, was never intended as a Christmas track but producers added sleigh bells during production. Coldwell recalled hearing the news of its chart-topping success while having Christmas dinner at his parents' house.
Reflecting on the song's enduring popularity, Coldwell said: 'All these years later, it's played a million times as I'm getting my shopping in Tesco, I put my cap down a little bit. That's the legacy that gets left behind when I'm long gone, which is hopefully not too soon.'
