Louise Redknapp breaks silence after LGBTQ+ row stopped Eternal reunion
The singer reportedly pulled out of a tour after two of her bandmates refused to play Pride events.
By Joe Goggins
Louise Redknapp has broken her silence over her decision to pull out of an Eternal reunion.
The singer was set to join her former bandmates for a reunion tour, according to reports, but has now chosen to step away after bandmates Easther and Vernie Bennett refused to play Pride events, baselessly citing the “hijacking” of the LGBTQ+ community by trans people.
“Louise is a huge supporter and ally of the LGBTQ+ community and both herself and Kéllé (Bryan, the band’s other member) told the duo they would not work with anyone who held these views, and as such the reunion as a four would not be going ahead,” a source told the Daily Mirror last week.
“The team behind the proposed Eternal reunion are gay including management, PR and tour promoter, and neither myself nor any of the team would work with artists who held such views about the trans community,” the source went on.
Now, Redknapp herself has alluded to the controversy, posting the Progress Pride Flag to her Instagram story with the caption, “Always and forever”.
The singer has a long history of having played Pride events up and down the country, including a solo slot at Brighton Pride just last month. A reunion tour for Eternal, who enjoyed chart success in the 1990s, had apparently been on the cards; the group reformed without Redknapp for ITV’s The Big Reunion in 2014. Just last week, she penned a glowing post about her former bandmates on Instagram, marking the thirtieth anniversary of their hit single ‘Stay’.
“Where it all began… 30 years ago today Stay was released. I remember it like yesterday… Happy 30th Anniversary to my Eternal girls,” wrote Redknapp. “I remember it like if was yesterday the first radio play sat round my mums kitchen table missing the que to hit record when it played, to going to America to shoot the video and so many more incredible memories.”
‘Stay is such a timeless song Easther absolutely KILLING that opening note as she does and I’m so proud this was where it all started for us!” she went on. “I’m so lucky I got to record this song myself for my Greatest Hits this year and girls I hope I did you proud.”
“Happy 30th Anniversary to my Eternal girls Kelle, Easther and Vernie and most importantly THANK YOU to each and every one of you that has been there with us from day 1 buying every record, coming to every show and being so supportive over the last 30 years.”