TINA BARRETT: Nicknames - Tina Bell, Teeny. * Sign - Virgo, born 9/76. PAUL CATTERMOLE: * Sign - Pisces. Has ear pireced in 3 places, born 3/77 and loves Guacamole. RACHEL STEVENS: Shopoholic, ex-model, * sign Aries, Born 4/78. JO O'MEARA: likes her dog, has a bad habit of picking her lashes, * Sign - Aries, Born 4/79. HANNAH SPEARIT: Once shared an apartment with Paul, * Sign - Aries, 4/81 and loves Minties. BRADLEY MCINTOSH: Likes Burger King and Jamaican food, * Sign - Leo, Nickname - Tosh, Born - 8/81. JON LEE: Very Superstitious, * Sign - Aries, 4/82.
BIOGRAPHY
Seven tongues wagging, 14 feet tapping and 70 fingers and thumbs wiggling in all directions. Loud, wild, fresh, ballsy, sexy and most definitely talented, you'd better prepare your eyes, ears and throat for S Club 7.
First let's clear up any confusion. S Club 7 are a seven-strong top new pop band. But S Club 7 are also a group of actors, starring in a Channel 7 series called "S Club 7 in Miami", about an enthusiastic seven-strong pop band trying to make it.
The full story - S Club 7 are a new phenomena - an alliance of talented young people, who together combine the worlds of music, dance, acting and fashion with a "We Can Do It" Attitude. It's simple really. Just follow S Club 7's agenda - Everybody is a "Somebody".
So first a quick introduction to the Club; You may recognise JON straight away. He appeared in EastEnders in 1997-98 playing Josh (who was going out with Nigel's stepdaughter Claire, while his mum, Julie the teacher, was going out with Nigel - you remember!). Only 16, Joni's clocked up appearances on TV, radio and London's West End while earning a reputation as a joker and a serious party beast (something to do with needing the loo in a limo.)
From the youngest to the oldest, 22-year-old TINA is the one with huge brown eyes, a fruity giggle and immaculate dance steps. A professional dancer, she's popped up a lot on telly (Top Of The Pops, Richard & Judy's This Morning, MTV.) and has worked with all sorts - from Toni Braxton to Jarvis Cocker. A confessed shop-a-holic, Tina's purchasing habits are easily matched by the softly spokenRACHEL. Then again, fashion plays a big pard in 20-year-old Rachel's live. After winning a Just 17 modelling competition when she was 15, she embarked on a career in fashion before returning to the acting and singing she'd been doing since the age of five.
Fiery-voiced JO's first pop moment came a little later - at the age of 12 when she did a spot of karaoke and impressed her Sinatra-singing dad. Club bookings, TV spots, Country & Western singing and even a Top 40 hit in Germany followed, and she's still only 19. PAUL (the second oldest at 22) used to front a different kind of band, one of the heavy rock variety. A drama student, avid rugby fan and, erm, physics enthusiast, Paul is also a natural natterer. That said, HANNAH, can outdo him the rabbiting stakes. Breathing, smiling. Laughing - 17 year old Hannah (who first met Paul in a National Youth Music Theatre production) can do them all, while talking ten to the dozen.
He may not say as much as Hannah, but 17 year old BRADLEY could use his charm to talk the pantyhose off a group of grannies. With a devilish smile ("for the girls, init") and two pop parents (a producer and, a singing mom), no wonder Brad locked himself in his room at the age of eight to start training to be a pop star.
Clearly a real pic'n'mix of talent, but a year ago they were all doing their own thing in separate corners of London - planning, practising and working their way towards bigger and better things. Meanwhile in another part of town, top independent TV company, Initial TV (The Pepsi Chart, Get Your Act Together, The Brit Awards), and 19 Management were working away on a brand new project with the BBC. They were looking for something unique, something more than just a collection of talented young people. Step forward Jon, Tina, Rachel, Jo, Paul, Hannah and Bradley. Although Hannah and Paul were already friends, it was at the auditions that the seven first all met each other. As Cilla might say, "The spark was there". Each had the talent plus an unashamed ambition and spirit to make it happen. Put them together and it's a hell of a rush of energy.
Just as well really, for it's been full-on ever since, and if three's a crowd and five's a party, then seven's a major how's-your-father knees-up. But after signing to Simon Fuller's 19 Management, S Club 7 have spent the past few months recordings sings, developing dance techniques and filming a 13-part TV series. No mean feat, especially as the TV series is based in Miami.
HOT GOSSIP!
S Club 7 babe Tina Barrett discovered on holiday a hunky record label talent scout! The bikini-clad beauty turned music biz tradition on its head by tying A&R man Alfie Hollingsworth to a unique deal of snogs and tanning-lotion sessions. Tina, 23, had met London Records scout Alfie, who has worked with All Saints and Sugarbabes, at a few showbiz bashes. But sparks flew when they bumped into each other on separate holidays in Barbados. One sunseeker said: "He seemed very keen on her, he was rubbing lotion on her back and stroking her on a sunlounger. And they snogged like honeymooners." After returning home Tina fell heavily at her London flat and is now recuperating. Last night a pal confirmed: "She did have a romance last week, but that's all it was. Tina thought it was fun, but she's not dating Alfie."