Hear'Say, the first band ever formed on British television, have announced plans to reunite more than 25 years after they made history. The pop group, originally made up of Danny Foster, Suzanne Shaw, Noel Sullivan, Kym Marsh, and Myleene Klass, were put together on the reality show Popstars in a world-first. The programme aired in February 2001 and spearheaded the wave of music reality shows that followed, including Pop Idol, Popstars: The Rivals, which was won by Girls Aloud, and The X Factor.
Social media teaser
On Thursday, the group, who were initially active from 2001 until 2002, took to social media to tease that something is on the way with a screen recording of a WhatsApp conversation. Danny messages to say: "Wow… can you believe the response to that tour clip we posted?!'" Suzanne replies: "I know right, amazing! Ahhh the memories… can you believe it was 25 years ago?" and Noel says: "Ok, so hear me out..." It's then that Kym says: "Go on..." and Noel replies: "Fancy getting the band back together?"
The caption of the post read: "25 years later..." and told fans to sign up to a newsletter, teasing them that "up and coming news" was on the way. The post was shared 24 years to the day that the band announced they were splitting, and, reacting to the news, one fan said in the comments section: "It's happening! After ruining my childhood on the 1st October 2022, you have managed to reclaim the ." Another said: "Take my money! Honestly dreams do come true!" and another wrote: "As someone in the top 0.4 per cent of Hear'say's Spotify listeners, I can say I am truly READY," whilst one international fan said they were already looking at flights to the UK.
Myleene Klass rules herself out
Only four members appear to be part of the reunion. Earlier this year, Myleene Klass, who bolstered her career with her appearance on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2006 and nowadays features as a regular on Loose Women, said she was not interested in re-joining the band. During an appearance on the ITV show, she said: "I loved my time in Hear'say, I know it's 25 years this year. Listen, they've had their discussions and I fully back them to go ahead and do a reunion. It's not something I can commit to right at this moment. But you go and, you know, I'll be front row – singing Pure and Simple!" Meanwhile, Johnny Shentall, who is married to Steps star Lisa-Scott Lee and lives in Dubai with her, replaced Kym Marsh when she opted to leave the group the first time round but is not part of the lineup this time round.
Chart success and solo careers
Following their victory on Popstars, Hear'Say reached the top of the charts with Pure & Simple and went on to achieve another number one with The Way To Your Love. The band supported Steps on their Gold Tour in late 2001, which ended just days before the Tragedy hitmakers split on Boxing Day that year. An album named after the TV show also topped the charts and a second album, titled Everybody, only reached number 24 and spawned two further singles before the group called it quits.
Since then, each member of the group has enjoyed a career in showbiz in their own right. Kym Marsh notably played Michelle Connor on Coronation Street from 2006 until 2019, competed on Strictly Come Dancing and recently appeared in Waterloo Road. Suzanne Shaw, who is mother to Corey, 21, with ex-partner Darren Day, has competed on Dancing on Ice, appeared in Emmerdale and starred in theatrical productions of Chicago, White Christmas and The Vagina Monologues. Similarly, Noel Sullivan has gone on to enjoy a career on the boards, having starred alongside Jason Donovan in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, played the lead in Queen musical We Will Rock You and more recently played Prince Charles in The Diana Mixtape. On TV, he has starred in Ordinary Lies and made a cameo appearance on Gavin & Stacey in 2010.
