Noughties pop icons Hear’Say and Liberty X announce joint 25th anniversary Leeds arena tour - date and tickets

Noughties pop sensations Hear’Say and Liberty X are reuniting for a joint UK and Ireland arena tour to mark 25 years since they formed on the groundbreaking reality show Popstars, including a headline show at the First Direct Bank Arena.

The 13-date arena run, titled Popstars: The Originals, will bring the two groups together on the same stage for the very first time.

Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw, Danny Foster, and Noel Sullivan will represent Hear’Say for the milestone reunion, performing multi-platinum hits such as ‘Pure And Simple’ and ‘The Way To Your Love.’

Original band member Myleene Klass will not be participating.

They will share the stage with all five original members of Liberty X - Michelle Heaton, Jessica Taylor, Kelli Young, Tony Lundon, and Kevin Simm - who topped charts in the noughties with anthems including ‘Just A Little,’ ‘Thinking It Over,’ and ‘Being Nobody.’

Hear’Say achieved record-breaking success after winning the ITV talent search in 2001, before dramatically splitting just a year later. Meanwhile, Liberty X - formed by the show's five runner-up finalists - forged their own hugely successful career.

Speaking about the upcoming reunion tour, former Coronation Street star, actress, and presenter Kym Marsh admitted the rehearsals and shows will be emotional.

“We were just young famous kids who had a dream, and that dream came true for us,” Kym said. “We had amazing fans, and we had a wonderful time… and we did an arena tour all those years ago.

“So the prospect of being able to go out and do it again and not only with each other, but with Liberty X, is really exciting.”

Hear’Say bandmate Suzanne Shaw revealed that the group had not performed together since their high-profile breakup in 2002.

“This is really big, and this is brand new again for us, so it’s been really emotional,” Suzanne said. “We’re loving every minute of it.”

'None of the pressure we had as kids'

For Liberty X, the tour offers a chance to celebrate their legacy alongside family, with no expectations other than putting on a show.

“We didn’t know what we were letting ourselves in for—there had never been a show like that before,” Liberty X singer Jessica Taylor reflected. “Now we’re parents, so you look at it through different eyes.

“It’s really nice for us to be able to do this, for fun and for celebration. There’s none of the pressure that any of us had when we were kids. We’re just here to have a ball.”

Michelle Heaton added: “To be on such a big stage in front of that many people again at this point in life after 25 years, it’s really humbling.

“We’ve all got children amongst us, and a couple of us have grandchildren, and they’re going to see what we got to do years ago once again. It’s the most exciting thing.”

The Popstars: The Originals tour kicks off in April in Dublin before making its way across major cities including Belfast, Manchester, London, Glasgow, Birmingham, and Newcastle, alongside its stop at the First Direct Bank Arena in Leeds on May 2.

Tickets go on general sale at 9am on October 16, via official ticket vendors including Ticketmaster.