Pop group stages 20 years after split – from Lisa Scott-Lee’s career change to Claire Richards’ weight loss battle

20 years ago Steps announced his split, leaving fans around the world heartbroken – but during their two-decade hiatus, the artists have enjoyed varying successes on VERY different career paths.

Despite their remaining What The Future Holds tour dates postponed after several members of their touring group tested positive for Covid-19, the group has come back stronger.

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The beloved pop group have now postponed tonight’s performance in Cardiff and Wednesday night’s show in Bournemouth until summer 2022.

Fans have loved the band’s comeback since their first comeback in 2017 with their number two album, Tears On The Dancefloor.

They released their sixth studio album, What The Future Holds, last November. Next year, the group will celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Here we take a look at what Lee Latchford-Evans, Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Lisa Scott-Lee, and Ian “H” Watkins did before they got together.

Lisa Scott-Lee

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Singer Lisa Scott-Lee has revealed she works as a manager in Dubai after moving to the Middle East with her family.

The 45-year-old has lived in the United Arab Emirates since 2011 with her husband Johnny Shentall and their two children Jaden, 13, and Star Lily, 11.

Although she left the UK, Lisa has continued to tour and perform with her fellow Steps since they reformed for the second time in 2017, but when she is not on the route, she is the director of her own performing arts school.

Lisa and Johnny started the Dubai Performing Arts Academy in 2014 and it has 600 students aged 3 to 18.

Lisa said Online mirror: “Steps is my life. It has been my life for 24 years, but being a school principal is my daily job.

“I can never turn off. Even when I’m with Steps, rehearsing, or shooting a video, I’m working on my laptop. It has become a bit of a running joke.

“I have to switch between my Steps hat and my main hat, which can be very difficult and stressful at times.”

When Lisa is at her home in Dubai, she revealed that she works six days a week at school.

She said: “I focus on the day-to-day running of the school and the business side, while Johnny is the creative director and the lead teacher.”

Before finding her dream job as a teacher, Lisa landed a spot on Dancing On Ice and then released her debut album Never Or Now, which was eventually released as a digital download following her release from the ITV skating competition. .

A year later, she tried her hand at flight hostess, starring in ITV2’s CelebAir alongside her husband Johnny, but the couple were kicked out for quitting and partying in Ibiza. .

Lee Latchford-Evans

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Like many other Steps members, Lee headed for the theater when Steps first ended.

He has appeared in plays and pantomimes at the West End and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Lee has also appeared on reality TV shows The Games, Fear Factor, I’m Famous and Frightened !, The Match and won the Commando VIP.

In 2006, he appeared on a new MTV reality show, Totally Boyband, alongside other former popstars.

Lee is also a fully qualified personal trainer and owner of a fitness web magazine and is passionate about martial arts and soccer.

Lee is married to his wife, Kerry-Lucy Taylor and they announced their engagement in March 2012.

On November 10, 2012, they got married in an 18th century manor house in Surrey.

Their wedding was featured in the November edition of OK! Magazine with fellow bandmates Lisa, Faye, H and Claire also on the cover.

Faye tozer

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Faye Tozer appeared in the 2018 series of Strictly.

The singer made her way to the grand finale but narrowly missed out on the Glitterball Trophy.

Faye and her professional partner Giovanni Pernice lost to Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton.

In 2002, Faye recorded a duet with opera singer Russell Watson.

Their song Someone Like You was a Top Ten hit.

This led to an Arena tour of the UK and New Zealand where she sang to audiences of over 140,000.

In 2004, Faye made her first musical theater tour in Tell Me On A Sunday.

In 2005, she then toured with the hit series Love Shack in the lead role of Bonnie.

She then starred in the West End in Saucy Jack and The Space Vixens, playing the lead role of Jubilee Climax.

Faye’s recent theatrical work includes: Sally in Me and My Girl, Sheila Wendice in Dial M for Murder, Eva Cassidy in Over The Rainbow, In the Spotlight and Rhinestone Mondays as Annie.

In 2002, Faye married her longtime Danish boyfriend Jesper Irn at Dunstable Priory Church in Bedfordshire, but they divorced after five years.

On February 24, 2009, she gave birth to her first child, named Benjamin Barrington Tozer-Smith.

On December 5, 2009, Tozer married businessman Michael Smith in a ceremony at Beamish Hall which was televised in an episode of Celebrity Four Weddings.

Claire Richards

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From Celebrity Big Brother to showing off on TV and becoming the Queen of Weight Loss, Claire seems to have done it all.

The singer even opened for the Canadian superstar at British Summer Time in Hyde Park in 2019.

Sharing her excitement about performing at the event, she said: “She is one of my idols. […] and I’m a little bit conflicted because I really want to meet her but some people say never meet you idols. “

“But I’m not worried about that because I think she’s adorable,” she continued, telling Lorraine Kelly.

Claire appeared in Celebrity Big Brother’s 11th series in 2013 alongside Rylan Clark, who has since become the presenter of the Bit On The Side series.

The singer came in fourth on the show after Neighbors actor Ryan Moloney (3rd) and Heidi and Spencer (2nd), with audiences crowning Rylan the winner.

She got along with most of her roommates, but ran into Heidi and Spencer.

One momentous moment saw Heidi and Spencer’s refusal to join a task, with Claire not receiving a letter from her home.

Claire also appeared on Popstar’s second series at Operastar in 2011.

She has been described as possessing the vocal range of a soprano.

The singer came third behind Cheryl Baker (2nd) and Joe McElderry (1st).

She also made a musical comeback as a solo artist in 2019 when she released her first solo single, On My Own.

Claire, an avowed yoyo-dieter, has lost six pounds and now sports a size 10.

Her dress size has fluctuated between a size 20 and a size eight over the years, but now she has changed her diet in an effort to maintain her weight for good.

She previously told Fabulous, “I starved myself when I was in the band. I was told I was too big to be a pop star. I wasn’t – I was 19 and probably a size 12, if so.

“I had a petite waist and a big butt, which is the body shape everyone wants now.

“If I had known this when I was 18, I would have saved myself years of feeling so shitty.”

Ian ‘H’ Watkins

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Ian ‘H’ Watkins took to the rink for Dancing on Ice 2020 and revealed he was so desperate to do the ITV show that he auditioned THREE times.

Speaking to GMB hosts Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard, H joked that this was a third glamor case to be on the show.

He said: “I’ve actually auditioned twice before, so the third time I’m lucky.”

Sadly, the singer and his professional skating partner Matt Evers ended up in the final two alongside magician Ben Hanlin, but the judges decided to send him home.

After Steps split on Boxing Day 2001, Ian appeared in pantomimes across the UK.

He also performed in the West End show Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat

Ian also did well when he appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2007, and came in fourth in the series.

He has also appeared on shows like The Chase.

On January 3, 2007, Ian came out publicly as gay in an interview with The Sun.

During his early years with Steps, Ian was involved in a relationship with the group’s director, Tim Byrne.

Ian has been in a relationship with Craig Ryder since 2007.
On March 6, 2016, they welcomed twin sons, Macsen and Cybi Ryder-Watkins, through a surrogate mother.