Page 18 | My child was in a S Club Juniors, ask me anything

BeEagerEagle · 2025-05-02T19:07:52+00:00

In 2001, my child auditioned for a CBBC show called ‘S Club Search’ and got a place in a child pop group who initially were meant to support S Club 7 on a one time support gig basis. This band was called S Club Juniors, later known as S Club 8. The band ended up taking off and we basically had to sign or children away to Simon Fuller’s management to release a single. The kids were given tutors and chaperones, and spent most of their time in hotels (the ones London based stayed either their parents) or on the road. After that, they went on tour and I only saw my child once every couple of months. It was brutal but I knew that’s what they wanted to do. they released two albums and the second one didn’t do that well, Simon Fuller tried them on a TV show called I Dream, however that also tanked. My child will admit that themselves. They all got dropped when aged 14-17. He said they had grown out of their roles a bit. Now they are in their late thirties and trying to get back into the entertainment industry fully but it’s difficult. They’ve never quite got over their time in the band. They released music but it never really went anywhere. They would never say so, but it doesn’t help them that two of their fellow band members went on to become big stars, both were in a chart topping girl band and now are TV presenters. their band (minus the two still-successful members) were meant to reunite for a TV show a long while ago, but for various reasons it didn’t happen. When S Club reunited, S Club juniors didn’t get asked to reunite as there was ‘no call’ for it and only a few were up for reuniting. (My child, and another boy and girl member) they are still acquaintances with S club 7 and went to Paul Cattermoles funeral. I know my (now adult) child doesn’t regret the choices they made as a child, but feels sad as an adult. AMA- child (now adult) is also here to answer questions too and is happy to answer questions about specific members and music!

Original poster

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 00:41

Discoswirl · 05/05/2025 00:35

Why do you think Simon Fuller saw so much potential in Frankie? I’m not aware that her voice was any better than the other members and she comes across as shy, even in the Saturdays. And I don’t mean this horribly but she was no prettier than the other girls. Daisy was always the one us little girls wanted to be!

Frankie isn’t mine (lol) so I’m not sure. She was a pretty girl and had a lot of auditions in the west end for leading parts, she often got to the last three/four girls before being turned down. None of the others had that much stage experience (though one of the boys did.)

Her voice was phenomenal for her age on the day (well the final anyway- there’s clips of it on YouTube I think) I think she just didn’t get much practice to mature it as the band lip synched a lot.

you’d have to ask Simon fuller personally I think! He just really seemed to see a star in her from the off.

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rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 00:41

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 00:23

I realised it was getting pretty big when they were invited on ALL the s club tour dates rather than just one. Towards the last date, Simon Fuller said a record deal might be happening and asked how we all felt about it/ if we were happy to let the kids do it.

2Hmm. Not really. I missed them like hell though

RE nicknames/roles, yes lol. Calvin was known as the heart throb (lol). Jay the professional. Frankie “the girl everyone wants to be”. Hannah the baby of the group. Aaron the dancer. Stacey the shopaholic. Rochelle the calming influence. Daisy “the girl with the hair”.
How manufactured it is. Children were picked at the audition because they looked right, not just because of their voices. You’d think with kids they wouldn’t be so…shallow? I’m not sure.
One member was a bit of a “diva” at the start because they’d had experience in the industry a bit more than everyone else and had parents who knew the industry well. Most of the other members had regular parents who didn’t work in it. However this member calmed down once away from the parents. Towards the end, two members had a bit of an argument because one felt like the other was taking attention away from them in a music video.
One of the members would have girls bringing them ketchup to gigs because they liked it so much.
My advice would be to let your child take the lead in regard to auditioning within reason and don’t push them into anything. Don’t get angry or critical if they get a knock back. Most of the members had been knocked back loads in the past. Even Frankie and Rochelle.
The most input they got was in their wardrobe- kind of. Someone would bring a huge rail of pre approved clothes and let them pick out whatever they wanted. They had no input in what they sang or the dance routines.
Most outgoing by far (and neither mind me saying this) was Stacey. Shyest was Hannah.
Auditions were so hectic that they didn’t have much time to speak to one another. Most of them sat with people they knew, e.g Frankie with Rochelle and Hannah with her sister who was also auditioning.
I think everyone was a bit envious of Frankie - fuller made it clear how impressed he was with her from the very beginning but didn’t say much to anyone else.
Probably Jay but not in a bad way.
Spain!
Child says you will have to link this as they don’t remember!
The plaque for the first album and the Disney award along with loads of merch are at one of the mums houses in the attic. They didn’t get a copy/award each- it was one between 8!
It was true he was reluctant to have them on as they disapproved of child stars. He wasn’t particularly personal/nasty according to my child. Just worried about the kids going to pieces as it was all live, and people complaining/ the show being ruined.
We couldn’t go backstage but we got free seats at the front.
The reality is that Gary the choreographer went over and over and over again and again until they got it. Most were really quick learners but a couple did struggle. At the beginning a lot of the routines were quite simplistic, but one step closer was a challenge. During the auditions another complicated dance routine was taught (it was to s club party by sc7) and I know the judges did pick based on that to a degree. As they lip synched mainly, most of their rehearsals were dance based. Their live appearance on TOTP was a struggle.
I will do

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Thank you so much for answering!!

here's the pier at 2:28

If you could find out the pier and get some S Club Junior hotspots together that'd be amazing. Can you ask them the name of the hotel they filmed Automatic High Too? I know you said Spain, but any chance to get the hotel name as always been curious as I'm not sure if I stayed there I swear it looked familiar.

Also as a parent and I know this has been brought up on the thread, but did you take any action or try to with the girls wearing short skirts and the cameras being inappropriate? I remember seeing performances where a bit too much was revealed when the girls would turn around or the camera angles were dead creepy and I think as a parent I'd have been infuriated. It must have been difficult to not go mad but also have your childs back? (if once was a daughter I'm just presuming) Did the girls ever speak up or parents?

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rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 00:52

Discoswirl · 05/05/2025 00:35

Why do you think Simon Fuller saw so much potential in Frankie? I’m not aware that her voice was any better than the other members and she comes across as shy, even in the Saturdays. And I don’t mean this horribly but she was no prettier than the other girls. Daisy was always the one us little girls wanted to be!

Completely agree with this! Daisy did shine the brightest she had a uniqueness about her in her voice, the way she danced and just overall a likeable character. same with stacey and hannah was very loveable
If you watch stacey and daisy dance they just have something different they were always mine and my friends favourites!
The ones that were pushed to the front just didn't have the aura they were very bland

Original poster

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 00:54

rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 00:41

Thank you so much for answering!!

here's the pier at 2:28

If you could find out the pier and get some S Club Junior hotspots together that'd be amazing. Can you ask them the name of the hotel they filmed Automatic High Too? I know you said Spain, but any chance to get the hotel name as always been curious as I'm not sure if I stayed there I swear it looked familiar.

Also as a parent and I know this has been brought up on the thread, but did you take any action or try to with the girls wearing short skirts and the cameras being inappropriate? I remember seeing performances where a bit too much was revealed when the girls would turn around or the camera angles were dead creepy and I think as a parent I'd have been infuriated. It must have been difficult to not go mad but also have your childs back? (if once was a daughter I'm just presuming) Did the girls ever speak up or parents?

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At 2:28 my child thinks it was Cornwall when they travelled to see one of the other members who was from there.

So during automatic high I’m not sure what hotel you mean, do you mean the airport at the start? If so it wasn’t real, it was an office building that they stuck an airport sign on. 😆

automatic high was filmed in Malaga

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Original poster

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 00:56

rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 00:41

Thank you so much for answering!!

here's the pier at 2:28

If you could find out the pier and get some S Club Junior hotspots together that'd be amazing. Can you ask them the name of the hotel they filmed Automatic High Too? I know you said Spain, but any chance to get the hotel name as always been curious as I'm not sure if I stayed there I swear it looked familiar.

Also as a parent and I know this has been brought up on the thread, but did you take any action or try to with the girls wearing short skirts and the cameras being inappropriate? I remember seeing performances where a bit too much was revealed when the girls would turn around or the camera angles were dead creepy and I think as a parent I'd have been infuriated. It must have been difficult to not go mad but also have your childs back? (if once was a daughter I'm just presuming) Did the girls ever speak up or parents?

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RE the miniskirts, it was a constant battle. The girls kept picking them out claiming they liked them, but I think it was almost like they were too nervous to say no.

us parents had words about it over and over again with management but nothing was ever done.

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Original poster

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 00:57

rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 00:52

Completely agree with this! Daisy did shine the brightest she had a uniqueness about her in her voice, the way she danced and just overall a likeable character. same with stacey and hannah was very loveable
If you watch stacey and daisy dance they just have something different they were always mine and my friends favourites!
The ones that were pushed to the front just didn't have the aura they were very bland

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Stacey and Aaron were both fantastic dancers.

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Original poster

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 00:59

rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 00:41

Thank you so much for answering!!

here's the pier at 2:28

If you could find out the pier and get some S Club Junior hotspots together that'd be amazing. Can you ask them the name of the hotel they filmed Automatic High Too? I know you said Spain, but any chance to get the hotel name as always been curious as I'm not sure if I stayed there I swear it looked familiar.

Also as a parent and I know this has been brought up on the thread, but did you take any action or try to with the girls wearing short skirts and the cameras being inappropriate? I remember seeing performances where a bit too much was revealed when the girls would turn around or the camera angles were dead creepy and I think as a parent I'd have been infuriated. It must have been difficult to not go mad but also have your childs back? (if once was a daughter I'm just presuming) Did the girls ever speak up or parents?

Show quote history

Even the boys parents had words about it as well, we all tried. But wardrobe when they brought out the racks for the girls seemed to be 99% microskirts.

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rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 01:09

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 00:54

At 2:28 my child thinks it was Cornwall when they travelled to see one of the other members who was from there.

So during automatic high I’m not sure what hotel you mean, do you mean the airport at the start? If so it wasn’t real, it was an office building that they stuck an airport sign on. 😆

automatic high was filmed in Malaga

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I remember hearing in an interview that the music video was filmed at the back of a specific hotel in Spain, and they filled the grass bit with sand? Then I went on holiday and stayed in a hotel and was saying to my husband, I swear this looks like the automatic high music video ( yes sad I know getting excited as a grown adult) if you could ask your daughter/son which one I'd be curious! thanks

Original poster

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 01:14

This is the one question that has absolutely stumped him! I will reply if one of them remembers!

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rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 01:14

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 00:59

Even the boys parents had words about it as well, we all tried. But wardrobe when they brought out the racks for the girls seemed to be 99% microskirts.

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I'm honestly surprised they got away with it! It wouldn't have been as bad if the camera angles were kept above and were handled with care, but something didn't sit right with me watching performances back and seeing where the camera angles were situated; some sadly do seem deliberate. I don't think they'd get away with it today; there would be an absolute uproar. Surely they were made or had to wear stuff under the skirts to protect themselves?

Original poster

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 01:17

rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 01:14

I'm honestly surprised they got away with it! It wouldn't have been as bad if the camera angles were kept above and were handled with care, but something didn't sit right with me watching performances back and seeing where the camera angles were situated; some sadly do seem deliberate. I don't think they'd get away with it today; there would be an absolute uproar. Surely they were made or had to wear stuff under the skirts to protect themselves?

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I feel kind of gross repeating this, but RE their underwear, a lot of the girls preferred “girl boxers” during that age but were forced to wear more skimpy stuff at times so their pants wouldn’t be on display under the skirt when they were being recorded. Like why couldn’t they just give them longer skirts!

like I said the second they were off stage they normally got back into their comfy jeans.

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rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 01:27

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 01:17

I feel kind of gross repeating this, but RE their underwear, a lot of the girls preferred “girl boxers” during that age but were forced to wear more skimpy stuff at times so their pants wouldn’t be on display under the skirt when they were being recorded. Like why couldn’t they just give them longer skirts!

like I said the second they were off stage they normally got back into their comfy jeans.

Edited

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It was very odd because it seemed like it was in their later stages when they'd turned to S Club 8 and all became more mature. The skirts were extremely short, and with the amount of people judging young people working in the industry, it was just very shocking to see it being signed off. At first I thought the girls were young; they are probably enjoying wearing adult clothes and stuff, but watching some performances back, you can see the girls play down their dancing to not reveal too much. There's one performance in particular (can't remember what) where they are performing on a circular stage with cameras around them at such odd angles, and something about it all seemed so off and the girls seemed a bit uncomfortable. Anyway sorry to bring this up, just as a mum and an honest discussion, it's something that always alarmed me. When I was younger I didn't realise obviously but as a mum watching their performances back it's clear.

Original poster

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 01:29

rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 01:27

It was very odd because it seemed like it was in their later stages when they'd turned to S Club 8 and all became more mature. The skirts were extremely short, and with the amount of people judging young people working in the industry, it was just very shocking to see it being signed off. At first I thought the girls were young; they are probably enjoying wearing adult clothes and stuff, but watching some performances back, you can see the girls play down their dancing to not reveal too much. There's one performance in particular (can't remember what) where they are performing on a circular stage with cameras around them at such odd angles, and something about it all seemed so off and the girls seemed a bit uncomfortable. Anyway sorry to bring this up, just as a mum and an honest discussion, it's something that always alarmed me. When I was younger I didn't realise obviously but as a mum watching their performances back it's clear.

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You are right. There was also a couple of interviews with Fearne cotton. Daisy and Stacey did one (then Calvin and Aaron, then Frankie and Hannah..you get the gist) and poor Daisy is literally pushing her skirt down. I know a lot of the parents were annoyed, dancing and singing in the skirts is one thing but they weren’t needed for casual interviews.

a lot of times the performances were live and the band (and parents) didn’t realise about the angles until afterwards.

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rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 01:39

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 01:29

You are right. There was also a couple of interviews with Fearne cotton. Daisy and Stacey did one (then Calvin and Aaron, then Frankie and Hannah..you get the gist) and poor Daisy is literally pushing her skirt down. I know a lot of the parents were annoyed, dancing and singing in the skirts is one thing but they weren’t needed for casual interviews.

a lot of times the performances were live and the band (and parents) didn’t realise about the angles until afterwards.

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Absolutely I bet all the parents were extremely angry! To put your trust in the industry and then stuff like that happens, as a parent I bet you all had to refrain. It seems to be the only negative thing I can see throughout their entire career. I just feel really sorry for them having to perform not knowing who was filming what, what the cameras could see, knowing they were flashing when they did a spin, gross. As you said, you did your best in fighting it, and that's all you could do! You could see the professional difference and respect between music videos and TV performances, which is interesting, as in music videos the girls wore skirts but there was absolutely no sleazy shots or weirdness, but on TV there are a fair few on YouTube that are questionable.

Original poster

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 01:43

rachelhorn · 05/05/2025 01:39

Absolutely I bet all the parents were extremely angry! To put your trust in the industry and then stuff like that happens, as a parent I bet you all had to refrain. It seems to be the only negative thing I can see throughout their entire career. I just feel really sorry for them having to perform not knowing who was filming what, what the cameras could see, knowing they were flashing when they did a spin, gross. As you said, you did your best in fighting it, and that's all you could do! You could see the professional difference and respect between music videos and TV performances, which is interesting, as in music videos the girls wore skirts but there was absolutely no sleazy shots or weirdness, but on TV there are a fair few on YouTube that are questionable.

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A lot of the kids as they got older would beg us parents to stop going to complain about it. I think they thought if their parents took a stand they’d be chucked out and replaced, which is heart breaking!

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whatcanthematterbe81 · 05/05/2025 02:01

@rachelhornim sorry, that’s so sweet you were so into them.

Patchworktulips · 05/05/2025 05:42

Me and my friends used to think that the Auromatic High music video was made in the style of the Grease song Summer Nights with the boys and the girls split and on the tables and boys on the bleachers etc. Was this something that the band were told about and aware of?

Also, do they still make money from songs steamed on Spotify etc?

whynotmereally · 05/05/2025 07:20

🎵Stacey’s mom has got it going on
Great post op hope it’s real.

The music industry has always had a dark side, were any of the children ever treated inappropriately by adults or felt unsafe?

totallyaddictedtocheese · 05/05/2025 08:14

Thank you to you and your child for doing this thread. I loved SC8 so have found it so interesting. I'm sure I still have a box of old magazines and posters under the bed 😅

Did you and the other parents keep magazines and newspaper articles featuring the group for your child? And do they still have them now?

Also, out of all the celebrities your child met, who was the nicest and who was the rudest?

Gundogday · 05/05/2025 08:36

Just watched the clip above. They look so young!

HollidaySunshine · 05/05/2025 09:28

I think you’re Stacey’s mum

Pricelessadvice · 05/05/2025 09:32

HollidaySunshine · 05/05/2025 09:28

I think you’re Stacey’s mum

I’m sure OP has stated she is one of the boys mums.

Jinglebellesrock · 05/05/2025 09:33

Interesting read.

Anyone else think this might actually be a member from scj posing as their "mum"?

Not feeling much love towards Rochelle or Frankie. Reeks a bit of jealousy because they have gone on to have fame and career's.

You say they weren't paid for the tour they supported s club. How long were they in tour with them? And why didn't nobody question why the kids weren't getting paid?

Why did you not speak to your child everyday? You said you spoke with your child once or twice a week for an hour or so. Do you think you checked in on them enough?

Original poster

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 11:40

Patchworktulips · 05/05/2025 05:42

Me and my friends used to think that the Auromatic High music video was made in the style of the Grease song Summer Nights with the boys and the girls split and on the tables and boys on the bleachers etc. Was this something that the band were told about and aware of?

Also, do they still make money from songs steamed on Spotify etc?

Edited

I don’t think so but the performance of “one fine day” was.

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Original poster

BeEagerEagle · 05/05/2025 11:51

Jinglebellesrock · 05/05/2025 09:33

Interesting read.

Anyone else think this might actually be a member from scj posing as their "mum"?

Not feeling much love towards Rochelle or Frankie. Reeks a bit of jealousy because they have gone on to have fame and career's.

You say they weren't paid for the tour they supported s club. How long were they in tour with them? And why didn't nobody question why the kids weren't getting paid?

Why did you not speak to your child everyday? You said you spoke with your child once or twice a week for an hour or so. Do you think you checked in on them enough?

There has been no rude or jealous comments about F/R. Everything the whole way through has been totally respectful and the other members have nothing but pride for them.

if you would like questions answered please be polite about it rather than tacking it on to a comment like that. Thankyou.

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