1st Stop for JADE EWEN and THE SUGABABES News,Photos,Videos, Information and Events Diary.Also Jade Ewen's Favourite blog and is the difinitive record of her music and career.
So it looks like there’s just not enough room for two Sugababe groups after all…
Jade Ewen has admitted that Sugababes are “pretty much done”.
Jade confessed that she can't see herself ever returning to the studio with Heidi Range and Amelle Berrabah, and has been working on solo material.
"I don't even know if the band stuff is going to happen again, if I'm completely honest.
"I think Amelle wants to do her own solo stuff, Heidi is doing a Happy Days musical... I think we're pretty much done.
"I'm working on solo material at the moment actually. It's only come about in the past three weeks, so it's quite a new project.
"No-one's really seen me yet. I sang for Eurovision, I've been in a band, but I don't think anyone really knows what I'm about."
Jade added that she’d like the current Sugababes line up to go on tour with the original band members, Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy, who are now performing as MKS.
"I would love to do a giant tour of all the Sugababes, old line up and new line up," she said. "That would be awesome, it would sell out.
"That's easy for me to say though, I don't know how that would go down [with the other girls]. But I'm definitely up for it."
Following the return of the original line-up Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan or MKS for short, Ewen has told Digital Spy that she can't see herself reuniting with Heidi Range and Amelle Berrabah to record new music.
The star - who has already been working hard on her solo material - told the website: "I don't even know if the band stuff is going to happen again, if I'm completely honest.
"I think Amelle wants to do her own solo stuff, Heidi is doing a Happy Days musical... I think we're pretty much done."
She continued: "I'm working on solo material at the moment actually. It's only come about in the past three weeks, so it's quite a new project.
"No-one's really seen me yet. I sang for Eurovision, I've been in a band, but I don't think anyone really knows what I'm about."
Ewen went on to add that she would love the current Sugababes to go on tour with MKS, claiming: "That would be awesome, it would sell out.
"That's easy for me to say though, I don't know how that would go down [with the other girls]. But I'm definitely up for it."
Earlier this week, MKS told BBC News that they are quite happy to leave the Sugababes name behind them, with Keisha explaining: "We could have had the name if we wanted to go get it I guess, but I don't feel like we needed it.
"There was so much emphasis on the name and we sort of wanted it to be about us."
It’s a sad day for pop. After much speculation, it has been confirmed that Sugababes, one of the greatest British girl groups, are no more. Jade Ewen, who joined Sugababes in 2010 when Keisha Buchanan was ousted from the group, has confirmed that there will be no new music from the current Sugababes line-up.
‘I don’t know if the band stuff is going to happen again, if I’m completely honest. I think we’re pretty much done.’
Sugababes, who currently consist of Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Ewen, went on hiatus in 2011 after the release of their seventh studio album, Sweet 7.
Press reaction to Buchanan’s ousting was negative, with many saying that the Sugababes were no more. The reuniting of the original line-up as MKS, who have seen massive press and public interest, seems to have been the final nail in the coffin.
Ewen confirmed that she is in the early stages of a solo project, picking up from where she left off when she joined the ill-fated group.
Her début solo single, if we discount her Eurovision entry, ‘My Man’, reached number thirty-five in September 2009.
Berrabah has also stated that she is set to release solo material for quite sometime, but music is yet to materialise.
With Mutya Keisha Siobhan performing their first solo gig for the public tonight in London, it seems the perfect time to pass the baton back to the folks who started the brand.
*Plays Get Sexy*
RIP Sugababes.
Published Thursday, Aug 1 2013, 00:01 BST | By Daniel Sperling
Jade Ewen has told Digital Spy that the Sugababes are "pretty much done".
The singer confessed that she can't see herself ever returning to the studio with Heidi Range and Amelle Berrabah, and has been working on solo material.
Ewen added that she wants the current Sugababes line-up, who went on hiatus in 2011 after releasing their album Sweet 7, to go on tour with original band members Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy, who are now performing as MKS.
"I would love to do a giant tour of all the Sugababes, old lineup and new lineup," she said. "That would be awesome, it would sell out.
"That's easy for me to say though, I don't know how that would go down [with the other girls]. But I'm definitely up for it."
The MasterChef franchise rarely seems off the air, what with all its various incarnations, but tonight a new run of Celebrity MasterChef (BBC One) got underway. After a spell banished to the teatime schedules, it was back to primetime. And already a star, possibly even a potential winner, has emerged.
Toothy pensioner Janet Street-Porter seems less of a kitchen Porter and more of a bona fide chef. The former newspaper editor has the skills (“She knows how to bone a duck,” murmured John Torode approvingly) and certainly has the temperament. Bossy, feisty and argumentative, she had judges Torode and shouty greengrocer Gregg Wallace looking terrified.
The first batch of apron-clad celebrities was an all-female affair: joining Street-Porter were comedian Katy Brand, former Sugababe Heidi Range and former wife-of-a-Rolling-Stone Jo Wood. There was a great deal of dentistry, lip gloss and Botox in that kitchen.
Their first challenge was a “mystery box” of ingredients, centred around a spider crab – still in its shell, of course, for extra difficulty. “It’s an alien!” squeaked Brand, before transforming it into an accomplished ravioli.
Wood’s crabcakes got good reviews, especially from Wallace, who seemed to be flirting with the glamorous granny. Range, despite a surname like a stove, looked terrified, all trembly-handed as she chopped onions.
Certainly not lacking in confidence was Street-Porter, who got stuck into the crab with gusto. “I eat roadkill,” she explained proudly. “If I see a pheasant or a rabbit that’s been hit by a car, I’ll pick it up, pluck or skin it, and eat it.” When Wallace dared suggest she shouldn’t use the crab shell for presentation, she looked like she was about to shove his shiny head in it.
The quartet’s next task was a fiendishly tricky palate test. Torode cooked a complicated duck soup with dumplings, which the amateurs had to taste and recreate without a recipe. Range mistook poultry for pork and brought Torode to tears with her liberal use of chilli. “I love the softness of your dumplings,” cooed Wallace, lasciviously. Street-Porter made more of a stew than a soup but was still stubborn enough to insist her way was right.
Finally, they headed to the Royal Albert Hall to make a high-pressure, 100-head lunch for Cirque De Soleil. Brand and Street-Porter again impressed, while Wood and Range struggled. They ran out of mashed potato topping for their shepherd’s pie and “cooked” a fruit salad for dessert – attempting to “posh it up” with Amaretto, despite Torode pointing out the folly of serving alcohol to acrobats about to swing from high wires. The sweet but hapless blondes look doomed to depart later this week.
Criticisms of this opener? Well, as the new face of WeightWatchers, co-host Wallace has lost several stone but at times looked downright peaky. This hour-long show sagged in parts and with no elimination at the end, it lacked jeopardy. The opening montage of stars to expect elsewhere in the series also left a little to be desired, with household names few and far between.
However, this format remained as slickly hypnotic as ever. Brand showed promise but Street-Porter already appears the one to beat – with her gob as much as her grill pan.
Mutya Keisha Siobhan were the founding members of Sugababes Back in 2000, on the back of the girl power movement, Siobhan Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan launched a different kind of pop sound to the ears of the UK. Their debut single ‘Overload’ was showered with public and critical acclaim (NME described it as ‘hauntingly infectious’) and peaked at number 6 in the charts
Roll on 13 years and the girls are back, musically reunited for the first time since rumours of infighting and bullying plagued the young band. For many the Sugababes are now seen as the epitome of manufactured pop; Siobhan leaves and is replaced by Heidi Range, Mutya leaves and Amelle Berrabah is ushered in to her place 48 hours later, and then when Keisha is show the door, up pops Eurovision starlet Jade Ewen.
The biggest talent in the original line up was always Siobhan Donaghy. She left the band in 2001 and pursued a solo career that wowed critics with her vocal abilities. Back in 2003, she released her first commercial solo single ‘Overrated’ with many proclaiming that her talents were very much underrated.
While Siobhan may have been the critics choice, it was the commercial success of the Mutya, Keisha and Heidi combo that really set the charts alight. The trio scored a huge array of number ones including Freak Like Me, Round Round and Hole in the Head. Nominated for six BRIT awards, they picked up best dance act in 2003.
Mutya Buena also enjoyed solo success with her album Real Girl. She peaked in success with a vocal appearance on Groove Armada’s ‘Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)’ that peaked at number 8 in the charts. Despite being uncredited on the track, Buena could take some consolation that the song was named after her!
So fast forward to 2013. The new Sugababes are on a bit of a hiatus and the originals in the shape of Mutya Keisha Siobhan (MKS) are about to be be let loose on the charts again. One can’t help but think that the Sugababes b(r)and may only ever be rekindled for the likes of ITV2′s The Big Reunion (but that in itself would raise questions as to who the producers would bring back together).
Whether the two groups ever come head to head, remains to be seen. MKS are actively working the summer festival circuit and have been writing songs with ex-All Sainter, Shaznay Lewis. The sound of their new song ‘Flatline’ is very reminiscent of the soulfully amazing early day Sugababes, so it will be interesting to watch whether MKS can reach the same levels of success more than a decade on.
Flatline is released on 1st September, 2013.
The stars are donning their aprons, ready to do battle. Katy Brand, Heidi Range and Jo Wood tell us about their experiences in the heat of the kitchen
Celebrity Masterchef contestants Katy Brand, Heidi Range, Jo Wood and Janet Street Porter
BBC
Aprons at the ready and sharpen those knives! For a new batch of 16 celebrities are about to get their hands dirty in the kitchen as we welcome back Celebrity MasterChef.
Kicking off the new series are Jo Wood, the ex-wife of Rolling Stone Ronnie, Sugababe Heidi Range, Loose Woman Janet Street-Porter and comedian Katy Brand.
The first surprise that judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode have in store is a mystery box challenge – the main ingredient being a large spider crab.
Here, Jo, Heidi and Katy tell us how they got on while filming the show...
Was it a scary experience?
Heidi: I really enjoyed it but it was terrifying. ?I didn’t expect to be so nervous. When The Sugababes were on tour, the thing I used to enjoy on my day off was finding a recipe. I’d pour a glass of wine, put on some music and cook. That’s my way of relaxing, but this was totally different.
Jo: It was great, although I didn’t know what to do when I saw the spider crab sitting there. I was expecting a fillet of fish! My son Tyrone always said I should be on the show, so I thought, “I’ve got to do it”.
Katy: My rule for reality TV is if I’m going to do it, I have to genuinely learn something new, and I learned so much. I watch it too, so to be actually there was quite surreal. I nicked my apron so I could remind myself that it really happened... and to intimidate my own dinner guests.
Were John and Gregg scary?
H: They were lovely actually and they really encouraged me.
K: They were a bit frightening. They’d wander around as you’re cooking and sometimes creep up on you and stick their fingers in the bowl to taste something. I had to control my instinct to rap them on the back of the hand with a wooden spoon!
'A bit frightening': John Torode and Gregg Wallace
What are you like in the kitchen?
J: I love being in the kitchen. My mum taught me how to do a roast chicken when I was nine, so I’ve never been afraid in the kitchen.
K: I cook often, but I wouldn’t say I’m brilliant at it. Generally I’m quite cool, although when you’re cooking for more than five people it’s hard not to get a bit uptight. A stiff G&T helps.
What’s your favourite food to cook?
H: I love spicy food, so I like making curries or spicy seafood dishes.
J: I like to do one-pot meals, where you put everything in the oven and cook it slowly over a long time. Then people can help themselves.
K: I recently learned how to make a lovely slow-cooked pork ragout to go with homemade tagliatelle. And I do like to roast a chicken.
What would you cook for a special date?
H: Most men like curries, don’t they? I’ve cooked it for my boyfriend Alex a few times and he eats bowl after bowl.
J: I make a really mean curry with chicken, orange lentils, garlic and leeks.
K: I think you can’t go wrong with a good steak and bottle of red wine. Spend as much money as you can afford on those and all will be well.
Who was your biggest rival on the show?
K: I didn’t really think of them as rivals. At one point I even forgot about the elimination until we were put in the holding pen, awaiting our fate. They were all great, and Janet is genuinely one of the most hilarious people I’ve ever met.
J: Yes, she is hysterically funny. I laughed and laughed, and she scared John and Gregg. She’s very competitive. I love her!
Have you had any cooking disasters?
H: On the first challenge show my spinach was a disaster. I’d only half cooked it.
J: When I was on tour with Ronnie, I had a portable stove that I’d cook on. One day I was making toast, eggs and bacon for breakfast and I set off the smoke alarm. He was in a mad flap waving a towel around.
K: I once served a turkey for 10 people at Christmas and what we carved was delicious, but we discovered it was raw underneath.
Do you pour yourself a glass of wine while you’re cooking?
J: If I start drinking while I’m in the kitchen I tend to lose concentration and that’s when I burn things, so I wait until I sit down to eat. Then I can relax.
K: I do! The only question is how many...
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What happened to the celebs who won the MasterChef title in previous series?
MATT DAWSON 2006
Since winning, former rugby union star Matt ?has further pursued his love of food, hosting shows including Monster Munchies and Real Family Cook Off.
NADIA SAWALHA 2007
The TV presenter and Daily Mirror food columnist says winning the show was a turning point as she got into ?food writing and hosted Junior MasterChef.
LIZ MCCLARNON 2008
Atomic Kitten Liz has become a regular on ?food programmes, and even seen her own pasta dish appear on the ?menu at Pizza Hut.
JAYNE MIDDLEMISS 2009
TV and radio presenter Jayne scooped the ?crown after cooking ?at Sir Richard Branson’s fabulous hotel in the Moroccan mountains.
LISA FAULKNER 2010
Life really did change for actress Lisa after winning.
Not only is she enjoying a food career hosting C4 show What’s Cooking?, she is also dating ?judge John Torode.
PHIL VICKERY 2011
Back in 2003, rugby union star Phil was in the England team that won the World Cup.
Then he won MasterChef which left him “gobsmacked”, saying it was the stuff of dreams.
EMMA KENNEDY 2012
Actress and presenter Emma rated MasterChef as the hardest thing she’d ever done.
“Baking a cake made me cry and a caramel took me to the point of death,” she says.
Broadcaster Janet Street-Porter and comedian Katy Brand pair up to cook at the Royal Albert Hall, going head to head with businesswoman Jo Wood and Sugababe Heidi Range.
PUBLISHED: 12:18, 31 July 2013 | UPDATED: 13:23, 31 July 2013
The sun might have been replaced by rain clouds, but Heidi Range isn't ready to give up on summer just yet.
Wearing a short white sundress and towering stilettos, the Sugababe posed for photos as she headed into the ITV studios on Tuesday.
Looking bright and breezy, the 30-year-old showed off her glowing tan as she chatted about her forthcoming appearance on the new series of Celebrity MasterChef.
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Chasing the sun: Heidi Range wore a short white sundress and towering stilettos as she headed into the ITV studios on Tuesday
Despite the fact that it was raining, the singer seemed in great spirits as she arrived at the London studios, carrying a large umbrella.
But Heidi was certainly dressed more for the blazing heat than for the grim conditions, going bare-legged as she fought her way through the puddles.
And it looked like she'd been making the most of the heat wave, sporting a natural-looking tan, offset by the bright white of her zip-up dress.
Topped up the tan: The Sugababe looked like she'd been catching some rays as she sported a glowing tan
Unfazed: The singer may have been battling the rain but she didn't seem too bothered as she wore a huge grin on her face
She wore her trademark blonde hair in a side plait and kept her make-up minimal, posing with one hand on her hip.
Sitting on the Daybreak sofa, Heidi spoke about her prowess in the kitchen which will be showcased on Celebrity MasterChef, airing on Wednesday night.
'I'm alright when I'm at home, but when I got in there it was slightly different,' she said, admitting that her culinary skills weren't quite up to scratch.
Simple style: Heidi wore her blonde hair in a side plait and added natural-looking make-up to the look
New challenge: The blonde star will be a contestant on the new series of MasterChef, proving her culinary skills
'You can't phone up your mum and there's a time constraint - you haven't got time to have a glass of wine,' she added.
The singer, who starred on Dancing On Ice last year, admitted that she loved a new challenge and relished the opportunity to learn new thing.
'I don't know why I do it to myself, but it's about learning something new,' she said. 'It's not about your personal life, it's more about learning skills.'
And it seems that Heidi will have a lot on her plate in the next year, as she's joining the cast of new touring musical Happy Days in January, as well as recording new material with Sugababes.
'I start on the tour in January. I'm playing The Fonz's love interest,' she said of the show. 'I've not met Henry Winkler yet but he is creative consultant for the show.'
Chef it he making? In a bid to learn new skills, Heidi has taken on the challenge of MasterChef
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