It’s been 25 years since Hear’Say were first seen storming up the music charts after Danny Foster, Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Noel Sullivan won Popstars in 2001.

The ITV reality competition was the first British series of the international Popstars franchise and was billed as a documentary on the formation of a pop group.

Unlike our more recent singing competition, Popstars had no public vote. Instead, documentary-style series followed the singing hopefuls as they were whittled down from the thousands who auditioned from across the country, to just 10, from which the judging panel – Nigel Lythgoe, Nicki Chapman, and Paul Adam – put together the eventual winning group.

Eventually, Danny, Myleene, Kym, Suzanne and Noel were chosen to front the group, and called Hear’Say. The programme then documented the new band recording and promoting their first single, Pure and Simple, with the series ending on the night the single charted at number one on the UK Singles Chart.

After enjoying chart-topping success during their heyday with hits such as Pure And Simple and The Way To Your Love, Kym quit the band in February 2002, and Hear’Say officially split months later after less than two years together.

Hear’Say were catapulted to fame in 2001(Image: LWT)

But it was announced this week that they are reuniting a quarter of a century later for a string of new gigs. They are teaming up with Liberty X for a joint arena tour – titled Popstars: The Originals – of the UK and Ireland as they commemorate 25 years since the groups were formed on Popstars. The group was formed with the TV show’s five other finalists, Michelle Heaton, Jessica Taylor, Kelli Young, Tony Lundon and Kevin Simm.

It will see the four original members of Hear’Say, excluding Myleene, take the stage alongside Liberty X, who also achieved chart success during the noughties with Just A Little, Thinking It Over and Being Nobody.

At the announcement, 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.

Hear’Say and Liberty X are joining forces for a major arena tour(Image: Oscar Ryan/PA Wire)

“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.”

But what have the members of Hear’Say been up to since they last performed together, and why has Myleen decided to keep away from the reunion?

Danny Foster

Danny Foster(Image: LWT)

Following Hear’Say’s split, Danny met his wife, Victoria Goddard, in 2003, and the pair also formed Danny Foster & The Big Soul Corporation, performing soul and Motown songs.

In 2013, Danny auditioned for ITV’s The Voice UK, but sadly, none of the coaches turned around for him. Explaining his reasons for taking part, he joked at the time: “I didn’t fancy eating kangaroo testicles in the jungle,” before adding: “I’ve been waiting for a talent show that was based on singing.”

Danny is now said to be a meditation and yoga practitioner and can often be seen sharing meditation routines on social media, encouraging his followers to join him.

Kym Marsh

Kym Marsh(Image: PA)

The first to quit the band, the same year, Kym went on to pursue a solo career. She released an album titled Standing Tall in 2003, which peaked at number nine in the UK charts, and featured two UK top-ten singles – ‘Cry’ and ‘Come On Over’.

Kym later turned her hand to acting, joining Coronation Street in 2006, where she became much-loved for playing Michelle Connor, and went on to win the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer at the 2007 British Soap Awards, as well as winning the Newcomer category at the 2007 National Television Awards. She left the ITV soap after 13 years in 2019.

She has since gone on to take on a number of hosting roles, including BBC show Morning Live, and Murder in My Home for the Crime and Investigation channel. She also continued acting, starring in The Syndicate in 2021, and in 2023, she appeared in the revival of the BBC’s Greater Manchester school drama series, Waterloo Road.

Kym has also continued performing, but away from music, as she has been seen in a number of stage roles, appearing in UK and Ireland tours of Greatest Days, 101 Dalmatians, Fatal Attraction, and most recently, Single White Female.

Away from her career, Kym has faced a tumultuous love life. After leaving Hear’Say, she married EastEnders star Jack Ryder in 2002, but they split in 2008 before she moved on with Hollyoaks actor Jamie Lomas. They had a daughter, Polly, in 2011, following the tragic death of their son, Archie, who was born 18 weeks early in 2009. Kym and Jamie married in 2012 before divorcing in 2014.

Kym later married soldier Scott Ratcliff, but they split in 2023 after two years of marriage. She is now engaged to her partner, Tom Dickinson, after they went public with their romance earlier this year.

Kym has said that the upcoming reunions are “going to be emotional” during an interview with the Press Association. “We were just young famous kids who had a dream, and that dream came true for us,” she added.

“We had amazing fans, and we had a wonderful time… and we did an arena tour all those years ago. So the prospect of being able to go out and do it again and not only with each other, but with Liberty X, is really exciting.”

Suzanne Shaw

Suzanne Shaw(Image: Getty Images)

Suzanne also turned to acting, both on stage and on TV. Her West End career launched when she was cast in a role in the remake of the Summer Holiday musical, and later took part in the UK tour of the show, starring alongside Darren Day and Christopher Biggins.

She went on to appear in productions such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and The Rocky Horror Show. As for her TV credits, Suzanne joined the cast of The Bill in 2007, won Dancing On Ice in 2008 and played Eve Birch in Emmerdale until 2011.

She previously told how her sudden rise to fame left her suffering with anxiety and depression, but she has since completely given up alcohol and launched her own health and fitness brand.

As for her personal life, Suzanne has two children with her ex, Darren Day, and became a grandmother for the first time in 2026 when her son welcomed his first child.

Of the reunion, Suzanne has said Hear’Say have “not sung together for 25 years” since their dramatic split. “This is really big, and this is brand new again for us, so it’s been really emotional,” she told PA. “We’re loving every minute of it.”

Noel Sullivan

Noel Sullivan(Image: Getty Images)

Noel also turned to theatre following the end of Hear’Say, and went on to star in Fame, Love Shack and What a Feeling, before scoring the lead role of Danny in Grease in the West End and later the lead in the world premiere production of Flashdance.

He has also played the lead role of Galileo Figaro in the 2011 UK tour of We Will Rock You, as well as in the West End, shared the role of Tick/Mitzi with Jason Donovan in the UK tour of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and played Freddy in the 2015/16 UK Tour of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

It was in 2016 that Noel returned to TV, appearing in the second series of the BBC drama Ordinary Lies, then in 2019 he featured in the BBC series Years and Years. He last starred as Prince Charles in the musical The Diana Mixtape

Noel is also the co-director of London International Theatrical Arts (LITA), a London-based company that provides performing arts education, workshops, and production support to international schools

In his personal life, Noel is married to choreographer James Bennett, who has worked on shows like Strictly Come Dancing, and they tied the knot in 2017.

Myleene Klass

Myleene Klass(Image: PA)

Myleene is the only original member not joining the Hear’Say reunion. Since the group’s end, her career has gone from strength to strength across the music and TV worlds.

From number one classical music albums to successful appearances hosting The One Show, Popstar to Operastar and her own radio show on Smooth Radio. She appeared on I’m A Celeb back in 2006 and came second on the show, before winning the ITV show’s All Stars spin-off in 2023.

But Myleene, who is now a regular panellist on Loose Women, has admitted the Hear’Say reunion was not the right timing for her, but did say that she felt “super proud” to have been part of Hear’say, and that when they were together, they had a “really, really good time”.

Speaking on the ITV show, she said: “They were really sweet, and they did include me in the discussions, but it’s not something I can commit to at the moment. I just really can’t… I’m just super busy. I’ve got my work and I love the guys dearly. It was an incredibly important time in my life.”