Bros star Matt Goss admits 'most digusting thing he could see' as he praises armed forces

Daily Mirror

05-05-2025

Singer Matt Goss on why he feels such a strong connection with the armed forces - and why he feels we shouldn't be so ashamed in Britain to feel 'patriotic'
Matt Goss shot to fame in the late 1980s with his twin brother Luke in the pop group Bros. Now back in Britain having spent 25 years in America – where he had a residency performing at Caesars Palace – the 56-year-old has been wowing crowds across the UK with his solo tour. As we approach VE Day on 8 May, the singer chats to us about his emotional new single, Not Forgotten, written exclusively for the veterans' charity, The Not Forgotten and tells us movingly why paying tribute to troops, both past and present, means so much to him.
Here, Matt opens up exclusively about honouring our servicemen and women and reveals why for him there is nothing wrong with being 'patriotic'. He also teases some exciting future projects, speaks candidly about how he navigates life following a widely publicised estrangement from Luke and chats about the people in his life who he cherishes the most.
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Hi, Matt! Can you tell us about your new single Not Forgotten? It's incredibly powerful…
It's about representing the servicemen who we've lost, and also the families who have lost loved ones – and the emotional and financial fallout of that. It's also about people who have come back. There is a lady who was shot through the face and lost part of her tongue, but she's positive. It's not just a war story, it's about lives changed.
It's in collaboration with The Not Forgotten charity, isn't it?
Oh, this charity does incredible work. People like Annie Riley, who works in the entertainment side, going up and down the country entertaining the troops, making sure spirits are lifted – she's an earth angel. Then I met Colonel Richard Walker, he was so authentic. We wanted to write a commercially viable record that tells the story of our armed forces. I feel like we've done that.
The launch event in London gathered some incredible people in one room…
Having veterans hear it and see the video was emotional – from a 21-year-old to a 100-year-old soldier. There were servicemen and women who came up to me with tears in their eyes, just saying, 'Thank you, we feel seen.' Because they often did not feel seen, or appreciated. That was very powerful to me.
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Do you have a personal connection to the military?
I feel connected to the wellbeing of the troops. My grandfather was a gunner in the Second World War. He didn't share many stories, I feel like it was too painful for him. But he was a very proud East London man, always immaculately dressed, even if he was just going to pick up some groceries. My father was a detective in the CID for 38 years before he retired. I'm very proud of them both.
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You have an honorary military title, don't you?
Yes, and just because I support the troops doesn't mean I am pro-war. I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting a robust army, navy or air force. In Britain, we are on the edge of some tumultuous parts of the world, and it would be remiss not to make sure we are strong and to think the day when we need to defend ourselves won't come.
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Do you feel we need to honour servicemen and women more?
I do. Having lived in America for 25 years, over there if you saw a soldier you'd always, without fail, go up to them and say, 'Thank you for your service.' In America, they are so proud of these people. Being patriotic is not something to be frowned upon, and I love that energy of being proud of where you're from, your heritage, your traditions. It's OK to be prideful.
Didn't you champion our Poppy Appeal in the US?
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Yes, there was no Poppy initiative there, so I tried to raise awareness on their Veterans Day – and made sure there were other initiatives, so servicemen and women had benefits, like never having to pay to see my show. I was made an Honorary Captain in the 17th Special Battalion, which was incredible.
You must have met some incredible people?
I did, like the Navy SEAL I met at a gig who had been blown off a bridge. His arm was reattached to his ribs, to reeducate his vascular system. He gave me his honour coin, which was incredible. Nine months later, I was in my suite at Caesars Palace and I answered a Skype call and there he was. He said, 'I'm going back in!' and he was about to jump on a big Chinook helicopter. These are everyday heroes. That's why I can't bear seeing a homeless veteran on the street, it's one of the most offensive things I could ever see.
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Your UK tour has been going great guns...
It's been gorgeous. I am truly amazed that fans still come and see me. I'm super touched. The concert is everything I've learned, from Bros to my solo career to my Vegas residency, all rolled into one.
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You have exciting projects on the go, tell us more…
I've got a West End musical close to being finalised, we're talking to a brilliant theatre for 2026. It's an epic romance inspired by Downton Abbey , Bridgerton – a period piece which is a bit racy with an incredible score that I wrote with my writing partner Stephen Endelman. I play Lord Hilford and we have one huge name playing my wife, but I can't say who yet!
One film I've signed onto is set in the Second World War, fittingly, where I play a medic. The other is an action film, Midas, like a British Bourne Identity, which starts filming at the end of this year. Then my album – I've almost finished it. I've one song, Life's A Stage, which I've been playing on the road.
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And how's life with your partner Chantal [Brown]?
Chantal is incredible and she's like my best friend. I feel somewhat orphaned in my family – I feel as if I don't really have any support, aside from my father and stepfather, and it's been that way for quite some time. So [to have] someone that feels like your family is beautiful. I'm also very close to Sandy, Chantal's mum.
You've experienced the loss of your sister Carolyn, your beloved mum, and estrangement from your brother Luke – how has that changed you?
I do feel breathless at times, to be honest. I wish I could have my sister's energy to bring some glue to this family. None of us really speak, which is strange. It feels like I don't have a family that gives a s**t, and how it's affected me is that with every fibre in my being, I'm putting my best foot forward. Anyone reading this going through something similar, remember this – there are no boundaries in families. They will take and prod and poke, and that's not healthy. Just because they're family, it doesn't mean you have to destroy yourself.