90s

A TIKTOK rapper has shocked fans when he revealed he is the son of a huge 90s boyband star.

The cheeky lad didn’t hold back as he roasted his famous father for his “s*** music” as he poked fun at him at one of his gigs.

The rising TikTok star in question is Phoenix JD, who is the son of James ‘Spike’ Dawbarn, 51, from 90s’ boyband, 911.

In a new post this week, the young rapper shared a video from backstage at one of his dad’s gigs.

In the clip, Phoenix was seen mocking his dad as he rehearsed with 911 bandmates Lee Brennan, 52, and Jimmy Constable, 54, who are supporting Blue on their tour.

Addressing his followers, Spike’s cheeky son said: “There’s their little soundcheck. I don’t know why they need to do a soundcheck, still sound s**t!”

read more on nineties stars

TOUGH GUY

Iconic 80s and 90s movie villain unrecognisable – can you guess who he is?

heartbreaking move

Legendary 90s pop band announce they’ve SPLIT after 30 years together

“But yeah, and then this is them on stage. There’s me dad on the right.”

Poking fun at Spike, he said: “Thankfully, I don’t get my musical ability from him, you know, I’ve got a bit about me.

“I hope he doesn’t see this now. He’ll kill me.

“But hey, this is him at 51 still trying to do back flips – and nearly decked it.

“I would’ve flipping loved it if he decked it.”

Phoenix also added he only went to the gig “to see Blue”.

Fans of 911 from back in the day went wild for the video, with one joking: “Oi your dad was a legend to us fossils!!”

Another quipped: “Lmfao! The way your roasting your dad! I’ll have you know 14-year-old me loved your dad’s band!”

This fan said: “I was obsessed with 911 still love them now! You’ve got your dad’s humour!”

Meanwhile, along with Lee and Jimmy, Phoenix’s dad Spike had a huge amount of fame in the 90s.

The band formed in 1995 when Jimmy met Spike whilst working as a dancer on the show The Hitman and Her.

The trio sold out arenas thanks to their hits like Bootyshakin’ and A Little Bit More.

Spike previously looked back on his time in the trio and joked that he was “treated like Harry Potter at the Dursley’s house”.

Appearing on the BBC’s Boyband Forever doc, the star spoke about his bizarre living arrangements when the band were in their heyday.

“Jimmy got one bedroom, Lee got another bedroom and I was in the cupboard like Harry Potter,” he explained.

“On a mattress, in a cupboard. It’s literally where you’d just throw a load of coats in there.”

“And I just didn’t care to be honest, I wasn’t bothered,” he laughed.

In their early days, the band would tour schools across the country and perform for students.

“I used to come in, press play, do your singing and dancing routines, do your bit then load yourself back in the van and go to the next school,” he said.

A NINETIES chart topper, 55 has barely aged a day as she performed in hotpants and a corset, 25 years after her smash hit – but can you guess who she is?

The singer appeared in a TikTok video where she was filmed dancing and singing on stage by her daughter.

The R&B star looked incredible on stage in thigh boots, corset and matching hot pants as she belted out her famous tune.

Previously, she appeared in a television commercial with legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald for KFC when she was just nine years old.

At the age of just 11-years-old, she competed in the hit US talent series Star Search which helped to launch the careers of huge stars like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Usher and Destiny’s Child.

The singer released her first album, Discovery in 1987, produced when she was just 14-years-old, and it gave her two top 10 R&B hits.

PAYING THE PRICE

Is Katie starting to see ‘real’ Lee Andrews after he abandons her on TV?

BALLROOM BUST

Claudia Winkleman is ‘killing’ off Strictly – as she causes TV ‘nightmare’

She later signed with the famous Motown records in 1991, where she achieved mainstream success.

She’s best known for the hit song, I Love Your Smile which went to the top five in 12 territories worldwide and made the top 10 in 22 countries.

If you haven’t guessed already – it is pop legend Shanice – and her daughter Imani lovingly posted the video clip.

She captioned the video: “Watching my mom perform never gets old.”

Fans flocked to comment and one wrote: “My favourite song ever!”

Another said: “Shanice I love Your smile hits harder because I do Love Her Smile.”

A third added: “Soundtrack to my childhood.”

While a fourth said: “I freaking love your mom!!! I’m 52 and she’s been on my Playlist for 32 of those years!!! She’s amazing!!! So cool she’s your mom!!”

Shanice’s 1993 song Saving Forever for You reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

In 1999 she went onto release When I Close My Eyes which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard hot 100.

Her voice has also been heard on several iconic film soundtracks including Eddie Murphy‘s Boomerang, The Meteor Man as well as Disney’s 1995 classic Pocahontas.

Her voice can also be heard in the backing vocals of Toni Braxton‘s smash hit, Un-Break My Heart.

Shanice married actor and comedian Flex Alexander in February 2000.

As well as sharing their daughter, Imani, the couple also have a son called Elijah Alexander Knox.

A 90s heartthrob looked worlds away from his West End heyday as he was snapped in Essex this weekend.

Donning a leather jacket over an all-black ensemble, the star, 57, added a heavy chain around his neck during a shopping trip, but would you recognise him?

It’s Darren Day behind the brand new look, with the singer and actor snapped visiting a jewellery store near his home.

The star is best known for his bright blonde locks and clean-shaven look, but is now sporting a beard and moustache.

He was spotted enjoying an energy drink during the solo outing whilst popping into several shops, holding a tote bag and small cactus.

It comes after Darren became a grandfather earlier this year, with his 21-year-old son Corey welcoming his first child, a son named Colton, with girlfriend Erin Mitchell.

back on?

80s boyband star drops huge hint group will reunite 34 years after split & feud

price cut

Katie Price demands ‘I want answers’ as she issues Lee an ultimatum after no-show

Darren shares Corey with former Hear’Say singer Suzanne Shaw, whom he split from in 2005 following a whirlwind romance.

Suzanne and Darren had a short-lived romance in the early noughties, with the latter leaving soap star Suzanne when Corey was just seven weeks old.

Darren began a romance with Suzanne in 2003, while he was still engaged to fellow actress Adele Vellacot.

He then split from Adele and began a relationship with Suzanne, with the pair staying together for 18 months and even getting engaged.

But in 2005, on Mother’s Day, Darren famously walked out on Suzanne and Corey.

They became grandparents for the first time in March following Colton’s birth, and shared snaps together from hospital to show they were friendly exes – despite the historic drama.

Darren has had a famously tumultuous love life which has included six engagements – with the actor hailed as one of showbiz’s most notorious womanisers.

However, he has been with other half Sophie Ladds since 2017, getting engaged back in 2020.

Darren is also still performing on stage and recently appeared in a pantomime production of Mother Goose for Easter.

KIRSTEN O’Brien hung up her headphones at BBC Berkshire after revealing a new gig.

The kids’ TV presenter will be joining the BBC Radio 2 team for a very different role.

On her last day at the station, she was surprised by fellow 90s stars Dick and Dom.

She shared BBC Berkshire’s tweet, with a selfie of her and the boys and wrote: “Bit of news! Love that the lads surprised me today, I’m sad to be leaving BBC Berkshire as I’ve had a ball, but I can’t wait to get stuck in doing the traffic reports on BBC Radio 2 from Monday!”

Kirsten hosted the 10am-2pm slot on the Berkshire-based station and on her final show, she told listeners: “It’s eight years I’ve been here.

“I started at the old place at Caversham Park, doing a bit of covering, did the news, of course, some breakfast, and then the last two years doing brilliant things on this mid-morning show.

BEEB SHAME

BBC Radio 1 airs N-word slur twice in news blunder weeks after Baftas slip

saying thanks

Rylan is favourite to replace Sara Cox on BBC Radio 2 Drivetime, say bookies

“I’ve really, really enjoyed it. I’ve done all sorts while I’ve been here. I’ve visited everywhere from Reading Uni to the tip.

“I was thinking back about where I’ve been. My kids have grown up since when I first started, they weren’t sleeping.

“We were talking to sleep experts about helping me out. And now, of course, I just get them for stories.

“They provide endless content for me. Mark as well, whose life plays out on the radio, poor fella.

“So, I’ve always said I’ve come in here for a bit of a rest, a chat, to hear your stories as well and a bit of a laugh, and it’s been absolutely brilliant.”

Brigitte Tetta will be taking over Kirsten’s slot.

Kirsten was met with messages of support from listeners, with one writing: “Will be great to hear your voice on BBCRadio2. Always brings a bit of nostalgia from the CBBC and SMart days!”

A second added: “Heard you with Sara Cox a couple of weeks ago and you were great!”

“Congratulations Kirsten best wishes for the new adventures ahead,” echoed another.

“Wooooaahhhh, what?! I did not have this on my Bingo card for 2026! Fantastic, Kirst!! Huge congrats,” wrote a forth.

One said how they’d been impressed with her joining Trevor Nelson last week.

Another suggested there needed to be a SMart reboot.

Kirsten O’Brien became a familiar face of children’s television in the late 1990s and 2000s, where she started her career as a CBBC presenter.

She became known for her on-screen partnership with Otis the Aardvark.

In 1999, she landed the SMart gig, which saw her also take on SMarteenies and Smile.

Whilst she didn’t work with Dick and Dom (Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood), they were all part of the CBBC presenting gang and were close pals.

GAIL Porter has slammed Katie Price online for all to see, claiming she cruelly mocked her hair loss.

The 90s pin-up, 55, lost her hair as a result of alopecia, which she developed in 2005.

Now Gail has claimed that Katie made a horrible remark about her in the past when introducing her to one of her boyfriends.

Taking to the comments section of an Instagram post by Sky TV showing the trailer for Katie’s upcoming tell-all documentary, Katie: Nothing to Hide, Gail made a direct comment about the star.

Referring to Katie, Gail claimed: “The person who introduced me to one of her boyfriends and said ‘this is Gail. She used to be pretty when she had hair… Google her. Thanks.’”

The comment has amassed nearly 100 likes to date as well as a flood of replies from other Instagram users.

FAMILY TIME

Princess & Junior Andre enjoy day out with Harvey while mum Katie is in Dubai

GETTING LIPPY

Katie Price shows off new ‘butterfly lips’ as star gets pout pumped up again

One response said: “Whhhhhat?!,” in clear shock.

A second reads: “That must have been awful for you. I hope you’re okay x.”

A third person added: “So sorry she said that! You are beautiful.”

Gail was a model in the late 90s, most known for her pin-up content in “lad-mags” such as FHM.

This was the same decade when Katie launched her glamour modelling career under the pseudonym of Jordan.

She regularly starred in the pages of magazines and newspapers including The Sun, The Daily Star, FHM, Loaded, and Playboy.

Katie’s tell-all documentary is in the process of production, and is being made by Louis Theroux.

The four-part docu-series promises it will have “intimate access” to the model and the mini series will go “beyond the headlines”, with Sky already promising that it will be absolutely “jaw-dropping”.

Speaking about the production Arron Fellows, co-founder and creative director at Mindhouse, said: “Katie’s 30 years in the spotlight have been truly extraordinary.

“This series doesn’t shy away from – in Katie’s own words – ’the good, the bad and the ugly’; and this is an unexpected re-appraisal of a woman many people feel they have already figured out.

“The team have spoken to a range of contributors who have crossed paths with Katie at different junctures of her life – through the ups, the downs and everything in between.

“In doing so have crafted a series that is as jaw-dropping and unpredictable as it is tender and surprising. I can’t wait for people to see it.”

The series is set to air on Sky and streaming service NOW sometime this summer.

DECADES on from when ‘Ladette’ culture dominated the 1990s, the trend appears to be making a comeback – with popular TV stars at the forefront.

Olivia Attwood and Helen Flanagan are leading the charge as they rally against a polished media profile in favour of authenticity… just like original ladettes Sara Cox, Zoe Ball and Denise Van Outen.

From Olivia’s raucous holiday with Pete Wicks instead of her husband, to Helen starring in steamy dating shows with three kids at home, the girls are proving they won’t apologise for doing what they want – despite facing backlash over their part in the era’s resurgence.

It follows a spell of female stars in the spotlight – like Holly Willoughby – who took on the “good girl” image – with any suggestion of naughtiness carefully constructed for dramatic effect.

PR and Entertainment expert Lynn Carratt said: “The ladette era was famous in the late 90s, early 00s as an era in which women ruled supreme.

“And now it appears the boozy and unfiltered 90s trend is enjoying a second wave.

READ MORE ON OLIVIA ATTWOOD

CAUGHT BLUSHING

Olivia Attwood giggles as Katherine Ryan confronts her about Pete romance

LIV’S LIMIT

Olivia Attwood says she’s close to a ‘proper meltdown’ after ex’s cheating

“TV stars Olivia Attwood and Helen Flanagan appear to be leading the revival with the same throwback energy – loud, emotional, unpredictable, and unapologetically visible – like Sara Cox and Zoe Ball, back in the day.”

While Holly Willoughby was famous for juggling being the nation’s sweetheart on This Morning, alongside her role as a doting wife and mother of three, younger female celebrities don’t feel the need to pretend they have it all figured out.

The 45-year-old would feign shock and giggle behind her hand at any filthy humour on her ITV2 show Celebrity Juice, which aired after 9pm, but her hangovers after the National Television Awards became a well known skit.

In 2016, dressed in her ballgown from the night before, Holly hosted This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield in a tux, telling viewers: “I haven’t been home yet. I came straight here.”

It became a running joke every year about Holly’s “wild” night out – but those behind the scenes suggest it was all carefully curated.

Then, along came former Love Island star Olivia who has become ITV‘s newest darling – presenting a host of shows including Bad Boyfriends and Getting Filthy Rich.

The 34-year-old has recently separated from her husband of three years, footballer Bradley Dack.

She says the split has made her feel “incredibly passionate” about being self-sufficient.

“Navigating what I’ve been going through, the fact I have my own place and car, I can’t even imagine not being able to look after myself,” she says.

Last summer, she ended up in the doghouse with her then-husband Brad when she was pictured cuddled up to close pal Pete on a yacht in Ibiza.

The pair have since struck up a secret romance following her marriage split in January. Pals insist “there was no overlap”.

Soon after her wild week with pals in Ibiza where she was spotted dancing on a boat in a thong bikini, downing shots and posting hungover pics, Olivia was back on This Morning presenting.

Lynn added: “You have to hand it to Olivia Attwood, she has managed to do what few reality stars achieve to do and turn notoriety into a high-profile media career.

“She is a permanent fixture on ITV with presenting roles and prime-time appearances, she has built a success podcast brand, as well as appearing on Kiss.

“She one of reality TV’s most in-demand personalities and has developed a polished media profile. But sitting alongside that something far more chaotic behind the scenes: headline-making holidays, relationship drama and brutally honest social media posts that regularly ignite debate and she likes to party.

“One minute she’s fronting glossy TV projects, the next she’s dominating tabloid headlines with candid revelations about love, life and everything in between.

“It seems like controlled chaos, but it’s working for her.”

Meanwhile mum of three Helen has recently come under fire for being on Celebs Go Dating and Celebrity Ex on the Beach.

She has been outspoken about the criticism she’s faced for taking part, particularly as a mother.

‘I find it empowering,” Helen said previously.

“There have been comments on social media suggesting I shouldn’t be doing a show like that as a mum of three, but no one would say that about a dad.

“Women should be allowed to have fun and enjoy themselves too.”

Lynn added: “Helen has stepped firmly back into the reality TV spotlight and is currently appearing on Celebrity Ex on the Beach, enjoying herself in a villa under 24/7 filming, sun-soaked conditions and constant emotional scrutiny.

“The former soap star and mum of three was filmed constantly in bikinis, drinking, flirting and kissing on screen, embracing a level of unfiltered reality television that feels ripped straight from the early 2000s.

“Helen’s comments strike at the heart of the debate surrounding modern ladette culture: who gets to be seen as ‘wild’, and who gets judged for it.”

So why now is there a resurgence of the 90s ladette era?

Lynn continues: “In an era of heavily curated Instagram perfection and tightly managed celebrity branding, audiences are increasingly drawn to the opposite – unpredictability, imperfection and personalities who don’t play it safe.

“Olivia Attwood and Helen Flanagan sit at the centre of this shift.

“One balancing mainstream ITV success with headline-grabbing personal drama, the other embracing high-emotion reality television where nothing is off-limits.

“And right now, they are doing anything but staying quiet.”

HE was a 90s heartthrob in one of the decade’s biggest British boybands.

With a bad boy image and bundles of energy, John Hendy, 55, and East 17 stood out from other, more clean cut, acts like Take That and Boyzone.

But even at the height of the group’s fame, they saw little of the money generated by hits like their huge Christmas number one Stay Another Day.

In the early days, the group’s members were only pocketing £125 a week each, proving the pop dream wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

The boys had differing fortunes after splintering in 1997 following controversial comments band member Brian Harvey made about taking ecstasy.

Band leader and songwriter Tony Mortimer continues to receive an estimated £97,000 each year for the popular Christmas hit.

PARKA LIFE

Astonishing amount East 17’s Tony Mortimer makes a year from Stay Another Day

SOUNDS FAMILIAR

East 17 star axed from karaoke competition after singing his OWN hit

But bandmates John, Terry Coldwell and Brian Harvey aren’t included in the royalties.

John continued with the next iteration of the group, E-17, and was part of various line-ups over the years.

In 2018 though, enough was enough, and he decided to leave after falling out with Terry Coldwell and new arrival Robbie Craig.

It wasn’t long afterwards that he fell on hard times when the coronavirus pandemic shook the world. He was forced to move into a hostel with his family for 18 months, which he found particularly tough.

But in recent years things have taken a positive turn and John is successfully plying his trade as a roofer, the job he held before his pop career began.

He shares his trade on TikTok and his latest job saw him working on a tall property in Lewisham.

Though he was praised for his work ethic, fans feel he should have made enough from music to retire.

One person commented: “No hate, but how is this guy still working when he sold the records he did. He should be retired and living it up somewhere hot. Great resurrection album E17.”

Another said: “Nothing but respect for this man – royalties and fair distribution should see him retired and taking life easy – very unfair but what a lovely guy – humble.”

John previously reflected on how shortchanged his group was in an interview with the Mail Online.

He said: “I haven’t even got a house and people think you’re millionaires and that, and I’m thinking, I don’t even got an house out of it.

“We should have all come out with a house, at least.”

However, John admitted that, despite hanging out with “rich friends”, he is content with his work van and regularly discusses the highs and lows of having money with his pals.

He recalled: “When I turn up to a party and my rich friends are coming in their Porsche’s and Range Rovers and I’m pulling up in my roofing van and I’m like ‘oh mate, it makes me feel sick coming to your parties’.

“And then they put it in perspective to me. They are like ‘John, mate, it’s money, it doesn’t mean nothing, mate’.

“One friend said to me ‘I’d rather give this all up and then just go out for one week and experience what you’ve done’, you know what I mean? Because what an experience that is.”