S CLUB have bought back late bandmate Paul Cattermole’s Brit Award and given it to his family, five years after he flogged it on eBay.
Paul, who died suddenly of heart failure in April, had sold his 2000 British Breakthrough Act award in 2018 when struggling financially.
But the group secretly retrieved it and presented it to his brother Colin when he came to see their show at London’s O2 Arena at the weekend.
In a post on Instagram, he explained: “This experience was not only surreal and emotional for me but also for my other brother, my wife, and Paul’s closest friends who shared the evening with us.
“After the show backstage, we had a heartfelt reunion with the band.
“To our astonishment, they had managed to retrieve my brother’s Brit Award and presented it to us as a touching gesture.
“Holding the award is a profound honour, symbolizing my brother’s exceptional work ethic and dedication to his craft.
“These moments underscore the enduring impact of music and art in paying tribute to the memory of our loved ones and celebrating their legacy.”
The group, made up of Jo O’Meara, Rachel Stevens, Jon Lee, Tina Barrett and Bradley McIntosh, are currently on their Good Times reunion tour.
Following the UK leg they will play shows in North America later this year.
They will kick off their Good Times reunion tour in Manchester on Thursday and will then play shows in North America later in the year.
Their S Club co-star Hannah Spearitt stepped down from the series of gigs following Paul’s death.
Following his passing, the remaining members said they would pay tribute to Paul during their concerts.
In a video posted on Instagram, Rachel said the group had been trying to take time away to process what had happened before Bradley paid tribute to Paul as their “big brother”.
She added: “No one could ever replace our Paul.
“He lives on inside each and every one of us.”
It was Jon who referenced Hannah’s absence from the video. He explained: “Now you’ve probably noticed there’s only five of us here today.
“Although Hannah will always be a part of S Club 7, she won’t be joining us on this tour but we wish her all the best for the future.
“However, the five of us are really excited and geared up to crack on and it’s going to be our tribute to Paul.
“We’re renaming the tour ‘The Good Times Tour’ which is the song Paul was going to sing.”