Eurovision winners announce major exit as star leaves band for 'personal reasons'
Pop singer Mike Nolan, who soared to fame after winning Eurovision - which returns later this month - for the UK in the band Bucks Fizz, has announced that he is stepping down from the group after 43 years.
The band have been continuing to perform under their new name, The Fizz, with original members Mike, Cheryl Baker and Jay Aston over recent years. However, appearing on Michael Ball’s Radio 2 show this week, they made the sad announcement.
Mike, 69, sharing that his departure is for 'personal reasons' and will be effective from the end of the year. Speaking on the Radio 2 show, he shared: "I’m going to be leaving."
Noticeably shocked, Michael responded: "You’re going to be leaving? For real?!", before probing what the reason was.
"Uh… this is personal reasons. It is personal, but… I don’t know. I have decided to go, to leave. I’ve been thinking about it for a long, long time, and I just thought, this is the time to do it."
Taking to X to confirm the news, The Fizz tweeted, "We can confirm, following the Michael Ball show, that Mike will be leaving the group at the end of the year. Cheryl & Jay will be continuing as 'The Fizz' & a statement from Mike, will follow in the coming days. Thank you for your understanding."
Sad to see Mike go, many fans replied to the post with their disappointment, as one penned: "Will miss @mikenolanfizz so much. I've never seen a band line-up without him in it (yet). All the best for the future Mike! Thanks for all the wonderful memories xx
Despite his impending departure, Mike will still be with The Fizz until the end of the year, with the band set to take to the stage on Friday 28th June - performing at The Indigo at the O2.
Cheryl and Jay also assured fans that they have no plans of slowing down, as one X user wrote: "Maybe time to call it a day", with the band's account replying: "Absolutely not".
The trio have faced a long battle over their original band name, Bucks Fizz, with former bandmate Bobby G – real name Robert Gubby – owning the copyright.
Despite their incredible bond today, Jay previously admitted that she didn’t even speak to Cheryl or Mike for more than 20 years after leaving the band in 1985.
"I left in 1985 and the three of us didn’t meet up again until 2008. I saw Mike at a party before then but only briefly," she told OK!.
