The foremost former Fizz

More than thirty years after they stormed charts across the globe with a string of hits, Cheryl, Mike and Jay, formerly of Bucks Fizz, are once again touring the world. The band’s original 1981 line-up was classic Eurovision, two boys, two girls – a formula established by ABBA, to whom Bucks Fizz were inevitably compared.

Now Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston are embarking on a 70-date tour to remind everyone that there is more to that band than Making Your Mind Up!

Having performed together since 2009 when ‘girl next door’ Cheryl and ‘cheeky pin-up’ Mike reunited with ‘raunchy’ Jay, the trio are joined for their Paradise Regained Tour by a fourth vocalist –coincidentally called Bobby (the fourth member of the Eurovision winning line-up was Bobby G).

Cheryl says: “Having performed several gigs with our friend Stephen Fox, Mike, Jay and I realised that people expect to see four on stage when they see Fizz, so we are delighted to introduce Bobby McVay as our guest singer for the tour.”

She explains that Bobby and Fizz go back a long way.

He was one third of 1983’s UK entry to Eurovision, Sweet Dreams, and had been invited aboard the Fizz express a few years ago – but he was unable to commit to joining at that time.

“I feel he will be a real asset to the band”, said Cheryl.

Bandmate Jay agrees.

“As a four-piece, the songs will be heard as they were intended to be heard, with four voices rather than three and the dance routines will have the full effect.”

She adds: “We are really looking forward to being on the road again.

“Performing in a theatre gives us the chance to produce a show we can be proud of, and we truly hope our audiences enjoy hearing the hits once more, together with a few of our lesser known album tracks.”

With an album of new studio material and single releases in the pipeline, the future is looking extremely bright for the threesome.

The prospects are bubbling over as Cheryl excitedly declares: “New representation, new tour, new singer, new merchandise, maybe a new album – a new beginning!

“Whoop whoop!”

Like a good champagne, their performances have matured, yet they still manage to keep all the fun, vitality and passion of their record breaking tours of the 1980s.

Recent appearances at the nostalgia festivals, Here and Now, Rewind and forthcoming Let’s Rock have reminded the Great British public of the power of the Fizz.

Every person in the crowd finds themselves singing along and dancing to hits they thought they had forgotten, and with a rapidly growing following on social media, they decided it was time to tour again.

Originally put together as the perfect winning act, Bucks Fizz went far beyond their original Eurovision remit.

As one of the biggest selling bands of the 80s, they ended up a full-fledged global phenomenon.

Making Your Mind Up hit number one across the world, selling more than four million copies in countries like Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

Paradise Regained will be their most comprehensive tour since the 80s, with more than 70 dates in the UK, Ireland, Europe and beyond... including Australia, where despite not being part of Eurovision territory, Bucks Fizz had a massive following.

It will be the first time the band have performed there since 1986.

l Bucks Fizz are at Viva Cabaret in Blackpool tomorrow night from 8pm. Tickets from £17.

Call the box office on 01253 2972977.