Sugababes

DESTINY’S Child were famously mocked in the noughties and compared to the reality show Survivor, with the group’s line-up changes likened to being ‘voted off the island’. 

But Destiny’s Child’s shift from four to three members had nothing on the Sugababes, whose members at one point didn’t include a single one of the original three: Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy. 

Mutya and Keisha, both 41, and Siobhan, 42, successfully won back the rights to the group’s name in 2019 and seem to have found the winning formula for reunions, releasing a string of new music and even headlining shows at The O2 Arena last year. 

But now the girls are facing competition from their former bandmates, as The Sun can exclusively reveal Heidi Range and Amelle Berrabah are plotting a comeback. 

Our source said: “Amelle and Heidi never fell out. The group just stopped and they were all ready for a break at the time. 

“But Amelle has been performing solo solidly since 2024 and has been suggesting for some time now that Heidi should join her. It’s taken some persuasion but Heidi finally feels ready to get back to doing what she loves.” 

star’s ordeal

Sugababes’ Keisha Buchanan reveals she was ‘KIDNAPPED’ from school aged 16

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Sugababes’ Keisha looks incredible as she strips to bikini in Dubai

It’s often suggested by die-hard Sugababes fans that the group didn’t achieve commercial success until Heidi, 43, replaced Siobhan in 2001. 

Following her arrival, Sugababes scored their first number one with Freak Like Me and enjoyed a string of hits in the years that followed. 

Amelle became part of the line-up in 2005 – replacing Mutya – and the group went on to release arguably their biggest hit so far, About You Now, which has sold more than a million units in the UK alone.

Final founding member Keisha was then replaced by Jade Ewen in 2009 and two years later they went on an indefinite hiatus. 

But in 2024, Amelle confirmed to The Sun she was ready for them to get back together, despite being unable to use the Sugababes name. She said at the time: “It could be something. I’d never say no to it.” 

For Jade, 38, the Sugababes is firmly in her past, but we understand Amelle and Heidi have been inspired by comments from fans urging them to make a comeback. 

In May, Heidi returned to the stage for the first time in 15 years at Mighty Hoopla, where she performed alongside her All Saints pals Nicole and Natalie Appleton. 

Our insider said: “Heidi didn’t realise how much she missed the feeling of being on stage until then. 

“She’s in no way bitter about not being included in Mutya and Keisha’s Sugababes return and respects that Siobhan walked so she could run. 

“But the demand from fans since Mighty Hoopla has been intense and now Heidi and Amelle are planning out performances of their own. Afterall, they co-wrote most of Sugababes hits so why shouldn’t they?

“Amelle and Heidi legally won’t be able to be billed as Sugababes for any live shows but nobody can stop them from using the music.”

As for Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan? The Sun understands they know they can’t stop Amelle and Heidi but are already anticipating some potentially awkward run-ins. 

“They’re not worried,” a source said. “Keisha and Mutya have said on record many times that they’ve got no bad feelings towards Heidi and Amelle. But the thought of being booked for the same festival is something they’re trying not to think about. 

“Who knows, though? Maybe they’ll give the fans what they want and come together as a five-piece for a one-off performance. Stranger things have happened.” 

The Sun has reached out to representatives for Sugababes, Heidi and Amelle for comment. 

SUGABABES singer Keisha Buchanan has revealed that she was KIDNAPPED from school – shortly before achieving her first hit with the band.

The 41-year-old singer first joined the group at the tender age of 13 and they signed their first record contract in 1998.

But the singer has now revealed how she was kidnapped in 2000 – shortly before the band’s debut single Overload hit the UK top 10.

Keisha revealed that she was taken by a man from school for several hours before she was returned home.

The scary incident caused her parents to decide it was no longer safe for the star to go to school, resulting in her missing her GCSEs.

Keisha, who won The Masked Singer earlier this year, made the confession on the Live, Laugh, Luke podcast.

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The Push The Button hitmaker said: “I had like this incident right before my GCSEs where I was kidnapped.

“So, because it was quite a traumatic experience, my parents were, like, ‘yeah, so we’re going to do a different type of education.’

“So I kind of finished like my education, but I just couldn’t do my GCSEs.”

Keisha had been preparing to debut with the Sugababes at the time and had already left school to focus on music but had briefly returned in order to sit her GCSEs just before they released their first single at the time of the incident.

In the interview, she revealed that she wasn’t able to share more details of the scary incident as she planned to tell the full story in her impending autobiography.

Keisha did add: “I was basically taken after school by someone.

“I think I just sort of blocked it and then had to just get back into, you know, promotion of our first single.”

Keisha revealed how she was held captive for a number of hours – an experience that left her seeking therapy from the age of 16.

The Sugababes – which also comprised of Mutya Buena and Siobhan Donaghy – released their first song Overload in early September 2000 with Keisha having been expected to sit her GCSEs in May and June of the same year.

Elsewhere, she confessed that only Siobhan ultimately ended up being accepted back into school for the exams after all three originally left in order to record their debut album, One Touch, over the course of two years.

Despite at first claiming her parents pulled her out of school as a result of the terrifying kidnapping incident, Keisha then appeared to suggest the school had refused to re-enroll her for examinations anyway.

She said: “We ended up leaving school. Siobhan went back to school to take her GCSEs and they accepted her back.

“When Mutya and I tried to get back, they were so rude.

“They were like, ‘Oh no, no, no, you’re not coming back. Like you guys thought you were going to be these pop stars. Let’s see what’s going to happen.’

“So they wouldn’t accept us back.”

Keisha further stated that she discussed the kidnapping ordeal in very early promotional interviews for their debut single but has since kept it out of public view and intends to tell the lengthy story in her own memoir.

The popstar is the longest serving member of the band and has been involved in nearly all of their musical releases.

She was famously sacked from the group in 2009 amid disagreements between the members at the time.

Original stars Siobhan and Mutya had both previously left in 2001 and 2005.

They were replaced by Heidi Range and Amelle Berrebah who worked with Keisha until September 2009.

Their record label that opted to replace her with Eurovision star Jade Ewen for their 2010 album, Sweet 7.

Jade re-recorded Keisha’s parts for the record but the final line-up formation ended up splitting after their flop 2011 single, Freedom.

Keisha then reunited with Siobhan and Mutya in 2012 and released their first single as a reunited trio in 2013, Flatline.

Amid a legal war, they eventually gained back the rights to using the name Sugababes in 2019 with the original trio having been performing ever since including a sell-out arena tour, countless festival appearances and two well-received Glastonbury sets.

They released three new singles last year – Jungle, Weeds and Shook – amid a rumoured new album expected later this year.