Louise Redknapp pulls out of Eternal reunion over LGBTQ row

Louise Redknapp has withdrawn from an upcoming tour with her former bandmates from Eternal following allegations that two of the group members declined to perform at LGBTQ festivals and Pride events due to objections related to trans issues.

The girl group, known for hits like “Stay” and “Just A Step From Heaven” in the 1990s, had planned to reunite next year. However, sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett reportedly refused to participate in specific tour dates, citing concerns related to transgender issues.

As a result, both Louise Redknapp and the fourth band member, Kéllé Bryan, decided to step away from the reunion. Louise’s publicist, Simon Jones, confirmed this development in a statement to the jomotoday.

Jones stated, “A message was sent to the team organizing the Eternal reunion, stating that if the reunion were to proceed, Vernie and Easther would not perform at Pride events or LGBTQ+ festivals. Their reasoning was that they believed the gay community was being misrepresented by the trans community, and they did not support this.”

He continued, “Louise is a strong supporter and ally of the LGBTQ+ community, and both she and Kéllé conveyed to the duo that they would not collaborate with individuals holding such views. Consequently, the reunion as a four-member group will not proceed.”

Jones emphasized that the team behind the proposed Eternal reunion includes individuals from the LGBTQ+ community, such as management, PR, and tour promoters. He added that neither he nor any team member would work with artists who held such views about the transgender community.

The jomotoday has reached out to Easther and Vernie Bennett for their response to these allegations.

News of this disagreement was initially reported by the Mirror on Saturday. Following these reports, Louise Redknapp shared an image of the Progress Pride flag on her social media platforms, captioned with “Always and Forever,” which is also the title of Eternal’s debut album.

Eternal was formed in 1992 and achieved rapid success with their debut single “Stay” a year later. Their album “Always and Forever” became the first by a girl group to sell over a million copies in the UK. The group had 14 top 15 UK hits and four top 10 albums during their career.

Louise Redknapp left the group in 1995 to pursue a solo career. If the 2024 reunion had proceeded, it would have marked the first time the original lineup performed together since then.

Just last week, the 48-year-old artist had been posting messages of support for her former bandmates on social media, commemorating the 30th anniversary of “Stay” and expressing gratitude to their fans for their unwavering support over the years.