NOEL Sullivan was once part of Britain’s biggest band but you might struggle to recognise him these days.
The former Hear’Say star has put down the mic and taken up acting – and in a new role he’s donned nurses’ scrubs.
Hear’Say legend Noel Sullivan was playing a nurse on TV
Noel, 42, told fans he was appearing in the BBC soap Doctors earlier this month – with many fans hailing his performance.
He explained: “Had a lovely time playing a Brummie blood bank nurse with the gang @doctorsbbc over the summer which I’ve been reliably informed is on @bbc today.”
The star went on: “But the highlight was when my gorgeous pal @ginamurraywoman rocked up to the hotel with my sides because she was filming on the same day. And then bought me a curry. I love her.”
It’s hard to believe for those of us who remember tuning in to ITV’s Popstars, but Hear’Say first shot to fame 22 years ago.
The group, assembled by ‘Nasty’ Nigel Lythgoe on TV, released their mega-hit Pure And Simple in 2001.
Noel – along with Danny Foster, Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh and Suzanne Shaw – sold a staggering 3million records and scored two No1s.
He said he’d been “thrown on the scrapheap” in his early 20s when the band split, but he quickly found a new career on the stage.
He even moved to Las Vegas for 18 months fronting Strictly Ballroom and had a scene-stealing cameo as himself in Gavin & Stacey as Nessa’s mate.
The Cardiff-born actor also appeared in 2019 HBO drama Years and Years and Michelle Keegan series Ordinary Lies.
That same year he appeared on ITV’s This Morning and revealed that he’d put on two stone for a West End stage role.
He shocked viewers as he showcased his different appearance to play Jack Black’s character in the musical School of Rock.
Eamonn Holmes said: “You’re going to look at Noel and say he’s aged a bit. For that role Noel has had to put on weight. You literally had to feed yourself up by two stone?”
Noel replied: “Yes I did, just because in the script there was a lot of talk about the teacher being fat.
“It’s a very physical role. I didn’t want to wear a fat suit on stage, it’s live. It would look odd.”
He shot to fame in Hear’Say around the turn of the millennium
Noel during a 2019 post-Hear’Say appearance on This Morning
Noel with Suzanne Shaw, Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh and Danny Foster
