Pop singer Louise Redknapp has spoken out amid reports that she and fellow Eternal star Kéllé Bryan turned down a potential reunion due to their former bandmates’ views on LBGTQ+ issues.
In the early 1990s, Louise and Kéllé formed part of Eternal alongside sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett, enjoying a string of chart hits in the UK.
On Sunday, The Mirror reported that the group had planned to reunite for a tour next year, but Easther and Vernie had voiced concerns about performing at Pride festivals, as the sisters reportedly “objected to their allegiance with the trans community”.
As a result, both Louise and Kéllé chose not to go ahead with the planned reunion, according to The Mirror’s reporting.
While Louise has not addressed the reports directly, after they were published, she made a public show of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community when she posted a photo of the progress flag on X (formerly known as Twitter), alongside the message: “Always and forever.”
Meanwhile, Louise’s publicist Simon Jones confirmed to HuffPost UK: “A message was sent to the team putting together the Eternal reunion stating that if it was to go ahead, neither Vernie nor Easther would perform at Pride shows or LGBTQ+ festivals.
“This was because the duo felt that the gay community was being hijacked by the trans community and they do not support this.
“Louise is a huge supporter and ally of the LGBTQ+ community and both herself and Kéllé told the duo they would not work with anyone who held these views, and as such the reunion as a four would not be going ahead.”
Jones added: “The team behind the proposed Eternal reunion are gay including management, PR and tour promoter, and neither myself nor any of the team would work with artists who held such views about the trans community.”
On Friday afternoon, Kéllé shared her own statement on social media, writing: “Opportunities to reunite for an Eternal reunion tour with the girls has been discussed many times over the years. As mothers, the right opportunity and timing for all of our schedules have been tricky to arrange.
“The relationship with our fans and the joy of celebrating our success was, and still is, my motivation. My stance and allegiances have always been that I am an advocate for inclusion and equality for all. Thank you for your continued support over three decades.”
HuffPost UK has contacted representatives for Kéllé Bryan and Vernie Bennett for comment. A spokesperson for Easther Bennett could not be reached.
Eternal originally enjoyed success as a four-piece before Louise’s departure in 1995, after which they continued as a trio for a number of years.
They later reformed without Louise as part of the ITV2 documentary series The Big Reunion.
This article has been updated to include Kéllé Bryan’s statement.
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