Latest news with #TakeThat
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Dark side of 90s pop from crack addiction to boozy brawls and sex for money revealed
THE 90s may have been the decade that brought us Brit pop, but it was also the time when pop music had a huge resurgence. After the Stock, Aitken and Waterman-led assault on the charts in the mid to late 80s, pop music fell to the wayside somewhat in the early part of the next decade. 8 8 8 But soon, the likes of Take That, Spice Girls, Steps and S Club 7 brought the genre back to life. While young fans adored the upbeat, smiling and colourful pop stars - many complete with dance routines they could copy - behind the facade, it was often a much darker story. While a number of female pop stars from that time have spoken about their struggles with eating disorders and body image at the height of their fame, for their male counterparts, their demons often presented themselves in substance abuse. Indeed, for every Reach for the Stars or Bodyshakin' hit, there's a dark story to be told. Here are five male pop stars who have bravely spoken out over the years about the struggles they faced after finding fame. Jon Lee - S Club 7 8 S Club 7 burst onto the music scene in 1998 with their own TV series, Miami 7, followed by catchy debut single Bring It All Back. They went on to sell 10 million albums worldwide and win two Brit Awards. However, Jon, 43, recently revealed he was blowing £250 a week on crystal meth and then trashing his flat with a hammer while out of it. In fact, his habit was so bad it nearly killed him and even saw him sectioned back in 2019. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Jon revealed that he got into crystal meth - a highly addictive 'party' drug that can cause psychosis, hallucination, paranoia and mania - when he was in his thirties - long after S Club had gone their separate ways. He revealed: "I didn't even recognise myself at that time. Sometimes, in the midst of one of the psychotic episodes where I'd be smashing my flat up with a hammer, I'd catch sight of myself in the mirror and say: 'What the f***?'. "I'd have a moment of lucidity, thinking: 'I was a successful young man, I had a brilliant career, incredible life. What am I doing?' "I'd be standing there, holes in the walls around me, cuts all over my knuckles, my eye swollen from where I'd been punching myself in the head. I'd shaved my hair too. I didn't look anything like Jon-from-S Club – or what people would expect Jon-from-S Club to look like." Kavana 8 Kavana - real name Anthony Kavanagh - became a teen heartthrob in the late 90s aged 16. The star had hits including I Can Make You Feel Good and Special Kind of Something, but his squeaky clean image was soon replaced by a drug and alcohol addiction that left him homeless. With an army of young, female fans, Anthony was forced to hide his sexuality and started to use alcohol "as a comfort". The singer has revealed all about his battles in a new memoir, Pop Scars, including how he ended up smoking crack in a skip in Hackney with a homeless woman he had just met. He also recounts a moment he woke up in another stranger's flat, having realised he had been paid for sex. He told The Guardian:"Alcohol was the start and the end. I would never have taken drugs without alcohol. But yeah, I was like a loose cannon for some of those times, got myself into some situations.' AJ McLean - Backstreet Boys 8 The Backstreet Boys became one of the biggest boybands worldwide in the 90s thanks to hit songs including I Want it That Way and Everybody (Backstreet's Back). The five piece - consisting of AJ, Nick Carter, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson and Howie Dorough - have sold over 130 million records worldwide. But despite their huge success, AJ, 47, hid a dark secret from fans and his bandmates. AJ battled a drug and alcohol addiction for two decades, and revealed that when he was at rock bottom, he was "never sober, not for a second". But his bandmates staged an intervention and he went to rehab, but it wouldn't be the only time. Having previously described himself as a "chronic relapser", he told Fox News Digital. "I don't have another relapse in me. It will not end the lucky way it has ended in the past when I've dodged bullets and never went to jail, never got a DUI. "I'm pretty sure the last time I did drugs, there was fentanyl in there. I'm still here talking to you. I've dodged more bullets than I'd like to." Jimmy Constable - 911 8 Another UK boyband that was big in the 90s was the trio 911, consisting of Jimmy, Lee Brennan and Spike Dawbarn. During their five-year career, they had 10 Top 10 hits including Bodyshakin', Party People and Night to Remember. But last year - following the tragic death of One Direction star Liam Payne - Jimmy opened up about his addiction to pills and booze. He told The Sun: "The problem was, the best way to secure us was to lock us in our rooms, and what is in the room? A mini-bar. "So I had a party-for-one that seemed to carry on for years. It was wild but the only way you could get frustration out." Due to the constant pressures from their record company, Jimmy descended into alcoholism, infamously appearing drunk on SM:TV Live - the Saturday morning kids' show hosted by Ant and Dec and Cat Deeley. After the band split in 2000, Jimmy sought solace in drink, downing 10-12 bottles of wine every day with his then-girlfriend. "I felt it was easy just to drink all day, and then when the drink didn't numb it anymore, I turned to the drugs.' Thankfully, Jimmy has overcome his demons and is now a paramedic. Ritchie Neville - 5ive 8 Known as the bad boys of pop, 5ive were signed by Simon Cowell in 1997. They had a meteoric rise to face and topped the charts with hits including If Ya Gettin' Down, Keep on Movin' and Everybody Get Up. But as with other boybands, the pressure of their hectic schedule, being swarmed by fans and press and still being so young was a melting pot of disaster waiting to happen. In 2000, Ritchie, 45, and bandmate J Brown, 49, were arrested in Dublin after getting into a fight with a man who had said Irish boyband Westlife were better than 5ive. When the band imploded in the early Noughties, Ritchie spiralled. He told The Sun's TV Mag: "After the band, you know, I hit an epic low. "I just didn't know what I wanted to do. I was completely emotionally and spiritually lost.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Olly Murs' pregnant wife Amelia shows off her blossoming bump in a stylish bikini for sweet post with 'mini me' daughter Madison - ahead of the birth of their second child
Pregnant Amelia Murs showcased her blossoming baby bump in a stylish bikini as she shared a sweet clip with lookalike daughter Madison on Thursday. The fitness fanatic, 32, who shares the 15-month old with singer husband Olly, 40, took to Instagram to model a range of 'bump friendly outfits', ahead of the birth of the couple's second child. Amelia stunned in the tiny burgundy two piece which showcased her gorgeous figure which she teamed with sandals and shades. She later slipped into a chic black and white crochet dress which she modelled alongside her daughter who was sported a similar look. Next she commanded attention in a pair of pleated pink shorts and bright with knitted lime top while posing up a storm for her followers. She captioned the post:: 'POV: Matchy holiday outfits with your mini me is everythingboth head to toe in @marksandspencer'. Amelia and Olly announced their second pregnancy in April. In an adorable black and white video, the family of three were seen walking through the park with Madison sat on her father's shoulders. She wore a denim jacket embossed with the words 'BIG SIS', while Amelia held a reel of snaps of the baby scan. They penned in a caption: 'We're so egg-cited to share this..… Another Baby Murs on the way.' Olly and his bodybuilder partner tied the knot in July 2023 and announced the arrival of their baby girl on April 17. Just 48 hours after Amelia had given birth, the singer was back on tour supporting Take That. The singer told the crowd at the time how he had been juggling nappies and late nights, but felt guilty he had been working away from home. He said: 'It's been the most craziest time. Cos obviously on one hand I've got this beautiful baby girl, my wife is at home looking after her with the nappies, and the sleepless nights. Next she commanded attention in a pair of pleated pink shorts and bright with knitted lime top while posing up a storm for her followers She captioned the post: 'POV: matchy holiday outfits with your mini me is everythingboth head to toe in @marksandspencer' And I'm on tour with Take That. I feel guilty!' Last month, Olly candidly confessed he broke down in tears after he was forced to leave her just two days after her birth. He admitted to the emotional toll the decision had on him months after when he realised he had never got to know his daughter as a baby. Speaking with new dad Mark Wright on their Heart Breakfast show, Olly confessed: 'It was really hard for me as I had to leave two days after the baby was born to go on tour with Take That.' He explained: 'I didn't really process it at the time and a few months later me and Amelia were chatting and I just broke down in tears as I never got a chance to actually get to know this little baby.' Supporting his pal amid his decision to leave his family for work commitments, Mark added: 'But you were doing it all for her future.' While touring with Take That, Olly raced home to Essex after gigs to spend time with Amelia and Madison. In the exclusive clip obtained my MailOnline last April, Olly explained: 'But this week I've been home. 'I've done the nappies, I've done the late nights and I can't wait to stay on tour. 'I'm joking! Honestly, she is truly awesome. 'I never thought I'd be a dad, so I can't quite believe it. Pointing to his manhood, Olly shouted: 'It works! And genuinely I'm super, super proud. And to be on this tour, it's just topped it off. So what an amazing time for me right now.'
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Better Man
The BAFTA-nominated musical take on Robbie William's life, with the singer played by a digital chimp Year: 2024 Certificate: 15 Watch now on Prime Video Have you ever imagined what a film of Robbie Williams's life might look like if he were played by a digital chimp, and it were staged as a jukebox musical? That's exactly the approach Michael Gracey's film takes to portraying the ascent of the Angels singer, tracing his rise from the streets of Stoke-on-Trent to the heights of entertaining more than 375,000 at Knebworth in 2003. It's a rags-to-riches story then, but one shot through with the importance of relationships - chiefly, Robbie's relationship with himself. The portrayal of the ex-Take Thatter as a chimp represents Robbie's insecurities and how he measures himself through the eyes of those around him, personally and professionally. Two other relationships are significant here, too - that with his showman father and with All Saints' Nicole Appleton, to whom Robbie was engaged. The story of their relationship and especially why she didn't move forward with her pregnancy, is arguably the emotional core of the film and unexpectedly moving in what it says about the cost of fame and why people are prepared to pay it. Gracey's film is filled with creatively staged musical numbers that veer in style from West End razzmatazz to edgy music video, deploying nifty visual effects throughout that earned it a BAFTA nomination. It's also, we shouldn't forget to say, a highly entertaining film to watch, particularly the stretch detailing Robbie's time with Take That. Although it may leave you wondering why on earth anyone would pursue a career in pop music in the first place. (135 minutes)
Extra.ie
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Fan frenzy as tickets for Robbie Williams' sold-out Croke Park gig back on sale
Limited tickets for Robbie Williams's live show at Dublin's Croke Park on August 23 have just been made available for purchase. His upcoming stadium tour is in support of his upcoming record Britpop his first studio album in over 6 yearswhich will be released October 10. Just this week, the former Take That frontman shared the latest single of his new record, 'Spies,' following the release of 'Rocket' in May. 'I set out to create the album that I wanted to write and release after I left Take That in 1995. It was the peak of Britpop and a golden age for British music,' said Williams in an interview with Clash after announcing the forthcoming record in May. 'There's some 'Brit' in there, and there's certainly some 'pop' tooI'm immensely proud of this as a body of work, and I'm excited for fans to hear this album,' he added. Manchester band The Lottery Winners and rockers ELBOW will be acting as support acts for the 'Angels' singer next month. A limited number of tickets for Robbie Williams's Dublin show on August 23 are now available via
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Robbie Williams shares concerning news about parents' health
Robbie Williams has shared an update on his parents' health, saying it is "precarious". The former Take That singer is currently in the middle of his UK tour. Sharing an update on his own health, Williams reported: "Well, I've been ill with some sort of virus for a couple of weeks, which is making me feel very weak. It's par for the course on tours. Everyone gets something." He then shared: "Things at home with my parents? Very precarious right now. It's real-world stuff that deeply affects me and my wife. And if my wife is affected, you can bet I am. So the maths are: Virus + ill parents + stadium tour." Williams previously announced that his mother, Janet, had been diagnosed with dementia in November 2024. Earlier this week, the Angels singer told The Sun: "My mother has dementia and she doesn't know who I am anymore. She doesn't know where she is anymore." He also revealed his father, Pete, has Parkinson's disease and struggles to be as social as he once was. "He used to sing with me every night on stage, he would come out, steal the show and be charming and then wander backstage for a glass of red wine. Now he can't leave the house."
