Louise Redknapp has withdrawn from an upcoming reunion tour with her former bandmates, Eternal. This decision comes in the wake of allegations that two members of the group, Easther and Vernie Bennett, declined to perform at LGBTQ festivals and Pride events, citing objections related to transgender issues. Redknapp and the fourth member, Kéllé Bryan, decided to step away from the reunion as a result.
Simon Jones, Redknapp's publicist, confirmed this development, stating that the Bennett sisters refused to participate in Pride shows or LGBTQ+ festivals because they believed that the transgender community was overshadowing the gay community, a view that Redknapp and Bryan strongly opposed. Consequently, the planned reunion as a four-member group was canceled. Jones also emphasized that the team involved in organizing the reunion, including management, PR, and the tour promoter, consists of LGBTQ+ individuals who would not collaborate with artists holding such views about the transgender community.
The BBC has sought a response from Easther and Vernie Bennett regarding these allegations.
News of this disagreement was initially reported by the Mirror. Following this revelation, Redknapp shared an image of the Progress Pride flag on her social media accounts, captioned with "Always and Forever," a reference to Eternal's first album.
Eternal was formed in 1992 and achieved immediate success with their debut single "Stay" in 1993. "Always and Forever" was the first album by a girl group to surpass one million copies sold in the UK. The group went on to enjoy 14 top 15 UK hits and four top 10 albums. Redknapp left the group in 1995 to pursue a solo career. The 2024 reunion would have marked the original lineup's first performance together since her departure.
As recently as the previous week, the 48-year-old Redknapp had been expressing support for her former bandmates on social media, commemorating the 30th anniversary of "Stay" and thanking fans for their unwavering support over the years.
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