Allstars (band)

Allstars are British pop group, who were active between 2001 and 2002, enjoying some chart success in the UK. Consisting of Sam Bloom, Thaila Zucchi, Ashley Taylor Dawson, Rebecca Hunter and Sandi Lee Hughes (the initial letters of the band members' names making up the "stars" of in the name of their group), they were probably best noted for having their own television show, STARStreet*, on CITV between 2001 and 2002.

It was announced in July 2016 that the band are currently in talks of a reunion album in 2017.

Formation and Split

The group managed to score four Top 20 singles in a year. The first was the theme tune to STARStreet*, "Best Friends", which peaked at No. 20 in June 2001. The second was a double A-side of their own track, "Things That Go Bump in the Night", and a cover of Duran Duran's "Is There Something I Should Know?", the former track later appearing on the soundtrack to the first Scooby-Doo movie. It reached No. 12 in September 2001.

Their third single, released in January 2002, was another cover, this time of Bucks Fizz's "The Land of Make Believe", and it gave them their first and only top 10 hit, reaching No. 9. Their fourth single, released in late April 2002, was another double A-side, but this time both were original tracks, "Back When" and "Going All the Way", the latter appearing on the soundtrack to the movie Thunderpants. This however reached No. 19, and when their self-titled debut album only managed to peak at No. 43 - spending only 2 weeks in the UK Albums Chart, the band parted ways with their record company, Island, and split up soon after, in June 2002. The album was re-released with a bonus remix CD.

Reunion

In April 2016, there has been several talks about the band reforming, but nothing has come of it as of yet. Talks with the band are currently ongoing. A brand new album containing singles and b-sides will be released in July 2016 titled Out Of Sync including the title single will be released in June 2016. Out Of Sync is the brand new single from allSTARS* and was released on Monday the 20th June 2016, and includes a brand new remix of "Best Friends", previously unreleased. The band are currently in talks of a reunion album to be released sometime in 2017.

After the band

• Thaila Zucchi did some presenting work in the Meridian region of ITV, which included announcing the regional results for Record Of The Year in 2003. In 2005, she played the Bunny Boiler character in Channel 4's Balls of Steel. In 2006, she was one of the lead characters in Channel 4's Star Stories. She also appeared as "fake" housemate Pauline in Big Brother 8 but was evicted for being found out to be fake by the housemates.^[1] In Summer 2007, she appeared in an advert for Setanta Sports with Des Lynam.
• Rebecca Hunter played Melanie in Channel Five soap opera Family Affairs from 2003 to 2005. She got married in 2007 and moved to California. She has two children; a son born in 2010 and a daughter born in 2013.
• Ashley Taylor Dawson returned to playing the role of Darren Osborne in Channel 4's Hollyoaks. He was still part of the cast in 2010 when he was nominated for three British Soap Awards. He is engaged to Karen Mckay and they have two sons called Buddy Mac and Mason Taylor Dawson. He also appeared on Strictly Come dancing with partner Ola Jordan.
• Sandi Lee Hughes has kept a low profile since the band's demise. She married children's TV presenter Dominic Wood in 2005 and in January 2008 she gave birth to a baby boy called Tommy,^[2] The couple appeared on ITV1's All Star Mr & Mrs in May 2008. In summer 2010, Sandi gave birth to another baby boy called Sam.
• Sam Bloom is the co-founder of 'Inspiring Interns', an award-winning recruitment agency for interns and graduates in Central London.^[3]

Discography

Albums

Singles

References