MICHELLE Heaton has opened up about her surprise feud with a rival noughties pop star.
The Liberty X singer held back tears as she discussed the band’s battle with Hear’Say – the winners of ITV‘s Popstars.
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Liberty X stars Kevin Simm, Kelli Young, Michelle Heaton, Jessica Taylor and Anthony LundonCredit: GettyHear’Say won ITV reality show PopstarsCredit: Getty
Shortly after finishing as runner-ups on the 2001 reality series, Michelle and her bandmates Tony Lundon,Kevin Simm,Jessica TaylorandKelli Young, were were formed into a new group.
However, despite being friends during filming, Michelle says: “There was a war from the get-go
“We were constantly pitted against each other in a world we were trying to navigate.”
It saw the breakdown of Michelle’s close friendship with Suzanne Shaw.
Opening up to Paul Brunson on his podcast We Need To Talk, Michelle said: “It was evident they wanted us to fail. Not just Hear’Say as a team, but the people around them.
“And so that would have then stirred up the pot with the Hear’Say members in order to add fuel to the fire when they did interviews about how they were bigger and better and we were not so… and that we were running on their coattails.
“It felt really harsh. We didn’t know how to navigate it. It felt like it wasn’t the five people that we met in the audition process.
“And alongside all of this, all I kind of wanted to do was reach out to Suzanne because that’s like one of the people that I got really close to.. and be like, ‘how is it? What’s it like?’
“I really wanted to share that with her. And at no point did I see what we were doing as hanging on their coattails.”
Thankfully, years on from the height of their fame, the pair reconnected.
Proving their bond back in 2016, Michelle wrote in her OK! Magazine column: “Massive congrats to my friend Suzanne who announced her pregnancy in what has to be the sweetest way possible.
“The video she made made me cry and her son Corey’s response was priceless. I loved the video and I love Suzanne. I’m so happy for her little family.”
Michelle opened up about her fallout with the rival bandCredit: GettySuzanne Shaw was close to Michelle while filming PopstarsCredit: GettyKelli Young, Michelle Heaton and Jessica Taylor have performed for the past nine years togetherCredit: Getty – Contributor
The 42-year-old said he’s been through ‘hell and back’ as he ranted about the ‘toxic’ industryCredit: Getty – ContributorThe boyband took a hiatus in 2004 but later reformed with the original members in 2011Credit: Getty
He posted a picture of himself singing at a concert on Instagram and captioned it with the statement: “As much as I love my career I’ve had for 25 years singing in Blue, sometimes I just want to go home to be a husband and father to my baby’s.
“There’s no place I feel more at peace than with them. This industry sucks you in and spits you out the other end… I’ve been through hell and back in the public eye and I actually hate it now.”
Lee continued: “I don’t like the fame part of this job anymore, it’s fake and quite toxic. People use you and abuse you and use your success as a weapon.”
“Don’t get me wrong I love singing and being creative making music and seeing the fans at shows,” said Lee.
“The rest I could leave behind and never step foot into that space again happily… I have no interest in the industry bs anymore…. Rather be home being a dad and a husband x”
Fans took to the comments to support Lee while some felt annoyed that they had brought tickets and could see he “didn’t want to do it anymore.”
One fan wrote: “I love blue, I still do. But at the concert I feel like I could see that you don’t really want it anymore. It‘s sad because people pay money to see the absolute best of you…”
Another fan said: “Thank you for carrying on and bless us with your beautiful voice. There is no place like home and I am sure your family is forever proud of you.”
A third fan added: “You would be missed, your voice, stage presence and banter is truly in a small minority BUT you have to do what’s best for you.”
Lee’s wife Verity also rushed to support her man. She said: “You get to do both!!! Be a pop star and come back to reality and live on the farm in the sunshine!!! We love you Mr, keep going nearly home time xxx”
Michelle Heaton reveals surprise feud with fellow noughties pop star after ‘really harsh’ comments
MICHELLE Heaton has opened up about her surprise feud with a rival noughties pop star.
The Liberty X singer held back tears as she discussed the band’s battle with Hear’Say – the winners of ITV‘s Popstars.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Shortly after finishing as runner-ups on the 2001 reality series, Michelle and her bandmates Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm, Jessica Taylor and Kelli Young, were were formed into a new group.
However, despite being friends during filming, Michelle says: “There was a war from the get-go
“We were constantly pitted against each other in a world we were trying to navigate.”
It saw the breakdown of Michelle’s close friendship with Suzanne Shaw.
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Opening up to Paul Brunson on his podcast We Need To Talk, Michelle said: “It was evident they wanted us to fail. Not just Hear’Say as a team, but the people around them.
“And so that would have then stirred up the pot with the Hear’Say members in order to add fuel to the fire when they did interviews about how they were bigger and better and we were not so… and that we were running on their coattails.
“It felt really harsh. We didn’t know how to navigate it. It felt like it wasn’t the five people that we met in the audition process.
“And alongside all of this, all I kind of wanted to do was reach out to Suzanne because that’s like one of the people that I got really close to.. and be like, ‘how is it? What’s it like?’
“I really wanted to share that with her. And at no point did I see what we were doing as hanging on their coattails.”
Thankfully, years on from the height of their fame, the pair reconnected.
Proving their bond back in 2016, Michelle wrote in her OK! Magazine column: “Massive congrats to my friend Suzanne who announced her pregnancy in what has to be the sweetest way possible.
“The video she made made me cry and her son Corey’s response was priceless. I loved the video and I love Suzanne. I’m so happy for her little family.”
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Noughties pop star hints he’s quitting fame after 25 years, ranting ‘it’s fake and toxic’
A NOUGHTIES pop star has hinted he’s quitting fame after 25 years in the spotlight as furiously ranted online.
The 42-year-old took to his Instagram to share some hard truths about the industry and told how he’d rather live a simpler live.
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Lee Ryan, a star of the 90s boyband Blue, explained that he’s “been through hell and back” and said he now “hates the public eye.”
The singer found fame in the early 2000s after the band achieved massive success with their debut album All Rise in 2001.
Blue, who have three UK Number 1 Platinum-selling albums, are still going strong, with tours lined up for the rest of this year and next.
Alongside Antony Costa, Duncan James and Simon Webbe, Lee has been taking to the stage but it seems he’s not entirely happy.
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He posted a picture of himself singing at a concert on Instagram and captioned it with the statement: “As much as I love my career I’ve had for 25 years singing in Blue, sometimes I just want to go home to be a husband and father to my baby’s.
“There’s no place I feel more at peace than with them. This industry sucks you in and spits you out the other end… I’ve been through hell and back in the public eye and I actually hate it now.”
Lee continued: “I don’t like the fame part of this job anymore, it’s fake and quite toxic. People use you and abuse you and use your success as a weapon.”
“Don’t get me wrong I love singing and being creative making music and seeing the fans at shows,” said Lee.
“The rest I could leave behind and never step foot into that space again happily… I have no interest in the industry bs anymore…. Rather be home being a dad and a husband x”
Fans took to the comments to support Lee while some felt annoyed that they had brought tickets and could see he “didn’t want to do it anymore.”
One fan wrote: “I love blue, I still do. But at the concert I feel like I could see that you don’t really want it anymore. It‘s sad because people pay money to see the absolute best of you…”
Another fan said: “Thank you for carrying on and bless us with your beautiful voice. There is no place like home and I am sure your family is forever proud of you.”
A third fan added: “You would be missed, your voice, stage presence and banter is truly in a small minority BUT you have to do what’s best for you.”
Lee’s wife Verity also rushed to support her man. She said: “You get to do both!!! Be a pop star and come back to reality and live on the farm in the sunshine!!! We love you Mr, keep going nearly home time xxx”
The couple, who married in Gibraltar in 2022, share four children together.
Blue took a hiatus in 2004 but later reformed with the original bandmembers in 2011.
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