Hear'Say and Liberty X are joining forces for the Popstars: The Originals tour, celebrating 25 years since the talent show brought both groups together.
Following hints of a reunion on social media, the Pure and Simple singers have announced a UK and Ireland tour next spring with Liberty X, the group formed by the five contestants who missed out on a place in Hear'Say.
The opening show takes place at Dublin’s 3Arena on April 17, before the tour heads to cities including Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, London and Manchester.
Danny Foster, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Noel Sullivan will reunite as Hear'Say for the dates. Myleene Klass will not be joining them because of her other commitments.
Liberty X will return with their complete original lineup of Michelle Heaton, Jessica Taylor, Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm and Kelli Young.
The anniversary shows will bring the former noughties chart rivals onto the same stage for the first time.
Reflecting on the reunion, Hear’Say said: “Coming back together after 25 years is something that’s incredibly special to all of us. It’s a chance to celebrate an unforgettable chapter in our lives, reconnect with each other and relive so many amazing memories. To be sharing the stage with Liberty X makes this celebration even more special, and it feels like the perfect way to mark such an incredible milestone.
"We are so excited to be celebrating with everyone and honestly can’t wait to reconnect with the Hear’say fans. To relive those amazing memories together and create some new ones along the way is going to be very special. We are counting down the days and can’t wait to see you there.”
Sharing their excitement, Liberty X said: “It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since Popstars changed all of our lives. We are thrilled to be heading out on tour with Hear’Say to celebrate where it all began. It feels like the perfect way to mark such an incredible milestone, bringing the music, the memories and all the energy back to the stage.
"Most of all, we can’t wait to celebrate with all of you. Whether you’ve been with us since day one or you’re discovering these songs all over again, we can’t wait to sing, dance and make some brand-new memories together. See you on tour!”
During an appearance on Loose Women this week, Myleene discussed her decision to sit out the reunion, explaining: "I’m just super busy."
Speaking about Myleene’s absence, Danny told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “Myleene, obviously, was involved. We invited her to come and do it, and we’ve always got a lot of love for her. She will always be part of the Hear’Say family.
“But we all understand her decision because all of us had to go away and reflect on whether or not we wanted to come back and do this.
“We got nine yeses, and then Myleene was busy and couldn’t get it together.
“We just felt we didn’t want to let this opportunity go, because I think from a fans’ point of view, this is an incredible idea.
“So she’s cheering us on from the side. We support her in everything that she does, and it’s nice, and she supports us today.”
Ticket registration is available at www.kilimanjarolive.co.uk/hear-say and www.kilimanjarolive.co.uk/liberty-x, giving fans access to an advance sale from 9am on October 14. Tickets will then become available to everyone at 9am on October 16.
Winning Popstars brought Hear’Say instant fame, with Pure and Simple and The Way To Your Love delivering early chart success. Their first album, Popstars, sold more than 900,000 copies in the UK and earned triple Platinum status.
Despite finishing as runners up on Popstars, Liberty X went on to enjoy major success in British pop. Just A Little topped the charts and ranked among the biggest selling singles of 2002. They also secured seven further Top 10 hits and a double Platinum debut album. After reuniting for ITV’s The Big Reunion in 2013, the group continued performing as a trio with Michelle, Jessica and Kelli Young.
Popstars: The Originals 2027 tour dates:
April 17 - Dublin, 3Arena
April 18 - Belfast, SSE Arena
April 20 - Bournemouth, BIC
April 21 - Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
April 25 - Brighton, Centre
April 28 - Cardiff, Utilita Arena
May 1 - Birmingham, BP Pulse Arena
May 2 - Leeds, First Direct Arena
May 4 - Newcastle, Utilita Arena
May 5 - Glasgow, Hydro Arena
May 7 - London, The O2
May 8 - Manchester, AO Arena
May 9 - Liverpool, Marks and Spencer Bank Arena
.png)