TV
Feature: Forgotten reality TV stars
Published Thursday, Apr 2 2009, 10:16 BST | By Alex Fletcher | 3 comments
Reality TV has often provided a springboard and career saver for many of today's celebrities, but for each success story there are at least twice as many failures. Strictly may have relaunched Alesha Dixon's pop career, but Keith Harris & Orville's stardom never recovered after they appeared together on The Farm. We may all remember Leona Lewis, but what ever happened to Michelle McManus and Steve Brookstein? In tribute to the long lost stars TV of old, here's a list of Digital Spy's favourite forgotten faces!
5. Airport's Jeremy Spake
For a brief period in the mid-90s, rotund ground services manager Spake was one of the most recognisable figures on TV. The camp star of BBC docu-soap Airport was credited with starting the craze for reality TV alongside Driving School's Maureen Rees. He went on to host a string of BBC shows, published a book and is still available for hire as a public speaker. But sadly over a decade later, most wouldn't recognise Spake if he served them at their local Tesco. How the mighty have fallen!
4. Danny from Hear'Say
Nikki Chapman, 'Nasty' Nigel Lythgoe and Paul Adam selected former cleaner Danny Foster for stardom in 2001 when they created Hear'Say on ITV's Popstars. The band enjoyed huge success for a very brief period, but public interest in the first reality TV pop group faded fast. While Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Myleene Klass went on to greater things, Danny's remained quiet since the split. He made brief cameos on reality shows The Games and Trust Me I'm A Beauty Therapist and claims to be working on new music on his website. Unfortunately, most only remember him these days as "that guy who looked a bit like Shrek".
3. Fame Academy's David Sneddon
David Sneddon wasn't even supposed to be in the final 12 of BBC's Fame Academy, only stepping in when Naomi Roper fell ill. However, the bland Scottish singer-songwriter managed to overcome this hurdle and beat off all competitors to win the show crown. He scored a number one with first single 'Stop The Living The Lie', but to date he's never followed up his debut album Seven Years - Ten Weeks. He is still toiling away in the music industry today, but with pitiful commercial gains. Rubbing salt in Sneddo's wounds is fellow Academy alumni Lemar, who only finished third, but has gone on to have considerable chart success.
2. Bubble from Big Brother
After the surprise popularity of the first instalment of Big Brother, applicants for the second series expected fame to land on their laps. Paul 'Bubble' Ferguson, whose most distinctive feature was his penchant for silly hats, was the early favourite to win the series with support from The Sun newspaper. However, after getting the boot from the public, Bubble was reduced to playing the student circuit and cameo TV slots which mocked his short-lived fame. According to Wiki, he now hosts an online show called Bubble's Bath. We doubt it will be appearing on the Beeb anytime soon.
1. Mikey Green from The Farm, Celebrity Wresting, etc
Former pop flop Mikey Green makes the top of our list for his persistence with dreadful reality shows. After failing to make the final cut of Popstars: The Rivals and forming bargain bin boyband Phixx, he attempted to revive his career with E4's Fooling Around With..., The Farm and Celebrity Wrestling. Sadly for him, all three shows bombed and his best chance of TV work these days is the ID Parade round on Never Mind The Buzzcocks.
Who are you favourite reality TV stars of yesteryear? Is Jeremy Spake due a comeback? Post your opinions below!
For a brief period in the mid-90s, rotund ground services manager Spake was one of the most recognisable figures on TV. The camp star of BBC docu-soap Airport was credited with starting the craze for reality TV alongside Driving School's Maureen Rees. He went on to host a string of BBC shows, published a book and is still available for hire as a public speaker. But sadly over a decade later, most wouldn't recognise Spake if he served them at their local Tesco. How the mighty have fallen!
Nikki Chapman, 'Nasty' Nigel Lythgoe and Paul Adam selected former cleaner Danny Foster for stardom in 2001 when they created Hear'Say on ITV's Popstars. The band enjoyed huge success for a very brief period, but public interest in the first reality TV pop group faded fast. While Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Myleene Klass went on to greater things, Danny's remained quiet since the split. He made brief cameos on reality shows The Games and Trust Me I'm A Beauty Therapist and claims to be working on new music on his website. Unfortunately, most only remember him these days as "that guy who looked a bit like Shrek".
David Sneddon wasn't even supposed to be in the final 12 of BBC's Fame Academy, only stepping in when Naomi Roper fell ill. However, the bland Scottish singer-songwriter managed to overcome this hurdle and beat off all competitors to win the show crown. He scored a number one with first single 'Stop The Living The Lie', but to date he's never followed up his debut album Seven Years - Ten Weeks. He is still toiling away in the music industry today, but with pitiful commercial gains. Rubbing salt in Sneddo's wounds is fellow Academy alumni Lemar, who only finished third, but has gone on to have considerable chart success.
After the surprise popularity of the first instalment of Big Brother, applicants for the second series expected fame to land on their laps. Paul 'Bubble' Ferguson, whose most distinctive feature was his penchant for silly hats, was the early favourite to win the series with support from The Sun newspaper. However, after getting the boot from the public, Bubble was reduced to playing the student circuit and cameo TV slots which mocked his short-lived fame. According to Wiki, he now hosts an online show called Bubble's Bath. We doubt it will be appearing on the Beeb anytime soon.
Former pop flop Mikey Green makes the top of our list for his persistence with dreadful reality shows. After failing to make the final cut of Popstars: The Rivals and forming bargain bin boyband Phixx, he attempted to revive his career with E4's Fooling Around With..., The Farm and Celebrity Wrestling. Sadly for him, all three shows bombed and his best chance of TV work these days is the ID Parade round on Never Mind The Buzzcocks.
Who are you favourite reality TV stars of yesteryear? Is Jeremy Spake due a comeback? Post your opinions below!
Your Views
3 Comments
Your Responses
Daveyboi Nr Gatwick, on April 3rd, 2009
The big star of Fame Academy was Ainslie Henderson a very talented individual.
The big star of Fame Academy was Ainslie Henderson a very talented individual.
Nick, Bournemouth, on April 2nd, 2009
I loved the Sneddon! And I quite liked Sinead Quinn too - bought both their albums in an ebay moment of madness a year or so back...!! Does anyone else remember Eden which launched Rav Wilding, for which i am forever grateful?!
I loved the Sneddon! And I quite liked Sinead Quinn too - bought both their albums in an ebay moment of madness a year or so back...!! Does anyone else remember Eden which launched Rav Wilding, for which i am forever grateful?!
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David Sneddon is a Scottish singer songwriter. He has written chart hits worldwide for other artists and co-wrote the international hit "The Message" for UK soul artist Nate James. David released a top selling acoustic five-track EP called "White Noise" in January 2007, which has been No 1 on the indie store charts for 3 consecutive years. January 2008 the EP returned to the top of the charts a year after its release; at No 1 in Aug, Sept, Nov 2008 and again in March 2009. Sneddon is currently signed to Universal Music as a songwriter, and describes his music as 'melody-driven indie pop' Formerly with a band The Martians with John Kielty, Sneddon won the first BBC UK series of Fame Academy in 2002. Sneddon released his single "Stop Living the Lie" in January 2003 which was a number one hit single selling over 250,000 copies, and making it the 12th highest selling single of the year. Seven Years - Ten Weeks, Sneddon's album released in April 2003 four months after he won the show and containing his own compositions, entered the UK Albums Chart at no. 5. He also had three further UK hit single with his compositions - "Don't Let Go" no. 3, "Best Of Order" no. 19 and "Baby Get Higher" no. 39. "Baby Get Higher" has since been a success hit on the dance floor for Almighty Records and a singles chart hit for Dutch singer Van Velzen. David is the only winner of a reality TV show in recent years to have a number one hit single with a self-composed song, without working with any co-writers.