BUCKS Fizz star Mike Nolan has annnounced he’s retiring after 35 years.
80s pop legend Mike, 69, revealed on today’s Lorraine that he’s decided to leave the band, now performing as The Fizz, as they begin their hunt for a replacement.
With a farewell concert before his departure in the works, he told Christine Lampard on the ITV show, “I feel like I’ve had enough.
“The last show I will do with them will be sad but I’ll be happy. I want to relax and take it easy.
“I’ve been thinking about it for like two to three years, but then finally at the beginning of this year, I thought, ‘There’s no point dragging it out. I’ll just tell them.’
“And they weren’t happy, were you?” he added, looking at his co-star Cheryl Baker.
Cheryl jokingly replied, “I was ecstatic!” to which Mike added, “You were not ecstatic. They were actually in tears!”
Mike continued, “43 years I’ve been in Bucks Fizz! If I did murder, I’d do less time!”
Cheryl revealed that she and Jay Aston, who completes the line-up, are currently searching for two male singers “of a certain age” to join them.
She said, “We are going back to the format when we were on Eurovision.
“We are looking for two guys of a certain age as we are a certain age, but it works better vocally, and we still do the dance routines.”
Jay added, “If people want to send their information, go to our website, but we are looking for someone over 50.”
In 1981, Cheryl, Mike, Jay and Bobby G won Eurovision with Making Your Mind Up and followed it with a string of chart-topping hits including The Land Of Make Believe.
They have sold more than 15 million records worldwide, and had three number one singles.
Tragedy struck in 1984 when the group were involved in a near-fatal bus crash that left all the members seriously injured.
Cheryl broke her spine in three places, Jay also had back injuries, and Mike fell into a coma and almost died while having an operation to save his life.
The incident left him with impaired vision and epilepsy, prompting Cheryl to set up the charity HeadFirst, providing services for people and families rebuilding their lives after brain injuries.
While technically always a functioning band, in-house disputes meant a near-constant line-up change.
Cheryl, Mike and Shelley Preston – who replaced Jay in 1985 – reformed the group under The Fizz in 2004, due to a legal dispute.
Jay replaced Shelley in 2009 and The Fizz continue to perform and release albums, with their most recent release – Smoke & Mirrors – reaching number 29 in the UK album chart.
Like many acts in the Eighties, huge hits did not necessarily mean big bucks.
