Eurovision Song Contest legend Cheryl Baker has opened up about the imminent departure of her The Fizz bandmate Mike Nolan confessing she is unsure how to handle it with the band. Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk she confirmed when his last gig with the band will be while pondering how the group should move forward.
Mike revealed that he would be ending his over four-decade relationship with the group on Michael Ball’s radio show on May 5. Having won the Eurovision as Bucks Fizz in 1981 with Making Your Mind Up Mike and original members Cheryl and Jay Aston have been touring as The Fizz in recent years.
Acknowledging what a hole his departure will leave Cheryl said: “He’s my best mate. So I’m gonna miss him terribly. But it’s time. He’s sick of the travelling, honestly, he absolutely hates it. He gets in the car and he’s already travelled for two and a half hours to get to me to start the travel to get to the gig.
“He just hates it and he’s had enough, and he’s been saying that he wants to leave the last three or four years. So this is not a surprise for me. I’m prepared.
“Funny enough before I spoke to you today, I was having a meeting with a production company about what we’re going to do for his last gig. His last gig is going to be the 20th of November this year, ” she revealed. “I know that he’s going to miss us and I will I will miss him so much. But it’s time it’s time you know he’s had enough and I totally respect that.”
As for the issue of replacing him Cheryl, who was speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo, admits she is torn. While bandmate Jay favours bringing another male singer into the group Cheryl isn’t sure if they should just carry on as a duo.
“I just don’t know. I think Jay wants to replace him. I don’t know whether we should just carry on as the girls from Bucks Fizz and have backing singers doing vocals.
“But we are going to carry on this for all sorts of reasons,” she assured fans, “but the main one being I love it too much.
“I want to work. I don’t want to retire. Mike’s ready to rest now. I’m not ready to rest. I like working. I don’t like the travelling I must admit but you go on that stage and the audience cheers and they sing every word and they’ve got their cameras in there it’s my lifeblood. I can’t live without it. I can’t hang up the skirt.”
The skirt Cheryl referes to is the famous stunt whereby the male members of the band ripped off the ladies skirts during the Eurovision final. Considered quite racy at the time it has become a staple part of the band’s act and they still incorporate it into performances.
“If you’d have said to me 43 years later, you will still be ripping your skirt off I would have said. ‘Oh, that’s disgusting. A women in her 70s,'” Cheryl Laughed.
“I would have back then said definitely not. But now 43 years on I’m thrilled not just that I’m still working and I’m still ripping my skirt off, but there’s a love for the 80s and the gigs are still there. It’s amazing really.”
Cheryl Baker was speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo.
