Golden Oldie

10:55am Wednesday 17th September 2008

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Former Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley chats to Paula Thompson about his glittering 25-year career and his new charity venture with Davina McCall.

The over-sized bouffant is all but banished, the garish suit and ruffled shirt replaced by infinitely more tasteful tailoring, but there is no mistaking the (still) dashing former Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley.

He may be approaching his half century and carving out a successful solo career from sophisticated swing and big band numbers, but for millions of fans he will always be the shiny-suited New Romantic of their teenage fantasies.

Spandau Ballet was one of the biggest pop groups of the 1980s. Formed at school in 1976, the band’s first single To Cut a Long Story Short went straight into the UK top five in 1980. World domination followed, and by 1983 the five-piece were celebrating the global success of their third best-selling album Gold.

Twenty-five years on and Tony is not ruling out a reunion, despite a bitter and wellpublicised fallout that ended in the High Court.

“I’ve always said ‘never say never’,” he says cheerfully. “If enough bridges were crossed and a few apologies said here and there I’m sure that, possibly in the future, it could happen.”

But he won’t be pinned down on a date.

“I haven’t seen Gary Kemp for a long time,”

he says.

Probably not since Tony along with Steve Norman and John Keeble tried – and failed – to sue their former band mate over song writing royalties.

Despite the acrimonious split, Tony is refreshingly happy to talk about the group that made him famous. In fact, he’s not averse to giving their old hits a spin during his Party Classics slot on Virgin Radio.

But reunions aside, the singer has no desire to relive the past.

“I don’t hark back to the 80s,” he says.

“I’m not a nostalgic person. I’ve never been one of those people to keep all my old stuff.

I’m just not bothered. My mum and my Mrs do that!”

The ‘Mrs’ in question is girlfriend Alison Evers, mother to the couple’s two-year-old daughter Zara.

“I think it’s sad when people say your school days are the best days of your life,” says Tony.

“No they’re not – the best day of your life is today.”

He chuckles: “And I made a lot of fashion faux pas back then that I wouldn’t like to resurrect.

“I’m 48 and some people are silly and ask ‘do you still wear the 80s stuff?’ I’d look absurd and none of it would fit!

“When I was 18, 19, 20 and wanted to take over the world it was fine but I’ll leave it to the 18-year-olds to carry on. Now I’m happy with a nice suit.

“I find it embarrassing when you get these ageing rockers trying desperately to look as though they’re 25.”

No doubt some of his most loyal fans would love to see their idol in full 80s gear – the kind of hardcore fans that follow him around the world.

“I’ve known some of them since they were 14,” says Tony, who once harboured ambitions of becoming a doctor. “Now they’re all grown up and have children of their own.”

But, he says, there are also a lot of “young kids” in the audience who remember the hits from their parents’ record collection.

Next month, Tony will be belting out a few old favourites for the women of Southampton when he plays at a charity ladies’ lunch hosted by Davina McCall.

“I know Davina from the early clubbing days,” explains Tony, who was reunited with the Big Brother presenter when he appeared on (and won) her ITV reality show Reborn in the USA in 2003.

Money from the Dine with Davina event goes to Action Medical Research’s Touching Tiny Lives campaign for sick and premature babies.

Tony’s involvement began in 2002 when he signed up for a charity trek across Peru.

Since then he has also tackled gruelling treks across Venezuela and Costa Rica, all for Action Medical Research.

“We trekked coast-to-coast from the Pacific to the Caribbean on foot and raft through tropical rainforests. Some of it was jungle, some of it mountainous. We were walking eight to 11 hours each day and I carried all my kit – weighing about 55lb on my back. Thinking about it, that’s probably why I’ve got a trapped nerve.

“I think Costa Rica is just one big hill.

And the tropical rain was non-stop – I think it rained for about six years!”

But even in the depths of the rainforest, Tony didn’t compromise on style.

“When you’re on the road I’m a great believer in keeping clean. I still shaved every day – you could always find a mountain stream or something. A couple of the people there were right mingers!”

Tony’s efforts helped raise more than £250,000 for life-saving research into serious medical conditions from stroke and osteoporosis to premature birth.

“Originally I wanted to do the trek as a challenge,” he says. “But the more you find out about what the charity does – how many things they’ve been involved with or helped develop and how they’ve changed people’s lives – the more I want to stay involved. It’s great to be able to use your profile to help raise awareness.”

In between his charity work, radio presenting and touring (he’s off to the Philippines as we speak) it’s a wonder Tony, who also part-owns a brewery in Sussex, finds time to relax.

But when he does, he can be found playing football or walking around Hampstead Heath before enjoying a swift pint in the local pub. He also likes nothing more than settling down to a roast dinner or barbecue with family and friends.

But it’s an all-too rare treat for the man who readily admits to being a workaholic.

His dedication to a 25-year career that takes him away from home for weeks on end has left him feeling guilty about the lack of time spent with his children Tom, 24, Toni, 22, and Mackenzie, 17 (all by ex-wife Leonie).

But it is a pattern that looks set to repeat itself with youngest daughter Zara.

“These days I try and switch my phone off at 6.30pm and the people around me have to reign me in but I suppose nothing has really changed,” he admits.

Talking to Tony you get the impression that nothing and no one could compete with his music.

“Getting on stage and singing is the ultimate prize,” he says. “I don’t mind living out of a suitcase and staying in hotel rooms. There’s no better feeling than when you’re on stage with 15,000 people roaring.

“But small audiences are great too,”

he adds quickly. “I’m looking forward to playing for the ladies of Southampton – we’ll have a giggle.”

● Tony Hadley is performing at Dine with Davina on Friday, October 3 at Southampton’s De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel. The ladies’ lunch – hosted by television presenter Davina McCall, and generously supported by BMI Healthcare – is expected to attract 400 women for an evening of fine dining and entertainment. Money raised goes to Action Medical Research’s Touching Tiny Lives Campaign to help sick and premature babies. To book contact Leigh-Beth Campbell on 023 9229 3139 or lcampbell@action.org.uk ● Action Medical Research is a national charity funding life-saving research into serious diseases and conditions. Its Touching Tiny Lives campaign has raised more than £3m to fund over 30 important medical research projects into pregnancy complications and premature birth.

Find out more at action.org.uk