Eurovision's Scooch stars now unrecognisable from total makeover to health scare
As Eurovision fever grips the nation, we take a look at 2007 UK entrants Scooch, who had a hit in the UK singles chart and ask what the band members are up to now
Scooch were a household name in the mid-noughties, famed for disastrously representing the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007 with their song Flying The Flag (For You), despite the tune doing well in the UK singles charts.
The group infamously donned flight crew attire as part of their quest for Euro victory and embarked on a plane-themed dance routine with tongue-in-cheek lyrics. "Flying high in Amsterdam, why don't you catch us if you can?" was one line as well as, "Would you like something to suck on for landing, sir?" and, "We wish you a very pleasurable journey."
The pop group shot to fame in the 1990s after securing victory in a competition on BBC One's Live And Kicking TV show, which led to their debut single release.
The group was made up of Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse, and Russ Spencer. They quickly garnered low-key fame, landing gigs as opening acts for successful acts such as B*Witched and Five.
Then in 2007, Scooch were selected to represent the UK at Eurovision, but their entry was considered a flop after they only secured a 22nd spot - out of a possible 24 - with a disappointing 19 points. But what happened to them after the event?
Some 18 years after they represented the UK, you may not recognise the foursome today. David now has a full black beard while Russ has gone from blonde to brunette. However, the girls appear frozen in time, looking almost as youthful as they did during their performance almost two decades ago.
Natalie embarked on new musical ventures, recording a new track called Shattered Glass and became a mum to two children, with her second son, Max, arriving in 2008. She decided to use her musical skills to become a coach and start teaching students at the All Stars Academy.
Having built a career together singing love songs, Caroline Barnes fell head over heels for her bandmate Russ Spencer after the Eurovision. Caroline said: 'We both had other partners during Eurovision, but I think we eventually just came to the realisation we were in love with each other. A year later we were a couple.'
Reflecting on their Eurovision experience, Caroline remembered: 'We felt like proper A-Listers… for one week. Our performance on the night all went to plan and the crowd erupted. We were all so giddy. There was a small part of us that thought, 'Maybe we could win this.'' Caroline is a pilates instructor, while Russ juggles multiple roles as a producer, company manager and resident director. They split their time between London and Marbella, and love to travel.
David continues to perform today, with his social media bio listing him as an actor and singer. In 2019, David had a terrifying health scare when he was hospitalised after suffering a heart attack. Speaking about the incident in an interview with The Shields Gazette, David revealed that doctors found a blocked artery and a blood clot, which had been putting pressure on his heart.
Now on permanent medication, the experience inspired him to quit smoking, as he encouraged fans to check their family history for hereditary heart conditions. He resides in South Shields with his husband Gareth, who owns his own hair salon. The couple share a pet dog named Rocky Ducasse.
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