Cheryl blasts Bucks Fizz name bust-up

Bucks Fizz star Cheryl Baker has told of her anger at the bitter band bust-up over the Eurovision winners’ name.

Cheryl will be at the annual Rewind Scotland Festival at Scone Palace from July 18 to 20 with original group members Jay Aston and Mike Nolan.

But they can’t call themselves Bucks Fizz as it’s now the property of the wife of missing member Bobby G.

“It definitely taints everything we’ve done,” Cheryl told The Sunday Post. “I think it’s morally wrong that someone who was in primary school at the time can prevent us using the name because she registered the trademark.

“We do festivals like Rewind and have conventions where whole hotels are taken over but we can’t bill ourselves as Bucks Fizz. It’s a nonsense and there is bad feeling.”

They now have to perform as “Cheryl, Mike & Jay formerly of Bucks Fizz”.

The original foursome were only introduced to one another weeks before the 1981 Eurovision triumph with Making Your Mind Up. This year’s extravaganza takes place in Copenhagen on May 10.

But with only Katrina and The Waves breaking a woeful run since, Mike reckons Britain’s chances of success are zero.

“I don’t think we’ll ever win it again,” he claims. “I guarantee we won’t do it this year and the way they all vote for one another I don’t think it’s a song contest any more.”

It’s 30 years since a coach crash after a gig in Newcastle almost killed Mike, who was thrown through the windscreen with Cheryl. He was in a coma and was left with memory problems and a severe loss of sight. I never got that vision back and lost my driving licence in a way, losing my legs wouldn’t have been so bad.

“When you lose your licence you lose your independence and I’ve never got used to that.”

Fellow band member Jay had a stab at solo success by auditioning for The Voice but failed to get any of the BBC talent show coaches to turn round. “I really regret doing it,” she admits. “I was approached to do it and really battled with the song choice. I wanted to sing Clown by Emeli Sande but that wasn’t chosen.

“I went on singing a number I wasn’t totally happy with and didn’t deliver. When you’ve been a name you’re putting your neck on the line. And when you don’t even get them to turn round it feels really awful.

“There hasn’t even been any success off of the back of it, so I just wish I hadn’t done it.”

Rewind Scotland will see the trio join a host of big names including 10CC, Midge Ure and Hall and Oates.

“The Rewind gigs are the best because you’re just running through some of your big hits alongside a lot of other great acts,” adds Cheryl.

“Hopefully we’ll leave them wanting more.”

Rewind Scotland briefs, costing £55 for an adult day ticket and £117.50 for a weekend ticket with camping pass, are on sale now at ticketline.co.ukor by calling 0844 888 9991.