Lighthouse is delighted to announce that one of Britain’s biggest ever pop acts, Blue will play the Concert Hall on Sunday 29 September as part of a Greatest Hits tour to celebrate their 20th anniversary.

As Blue, Antony Costa, Duncan James, Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe have sold 15 million records worldwide. In the UK they’ve had three #1 albums, 10 top 10 singles (including three #1s), won Brit and MTV Asia Awards, and sung with Elton John and Stevie Wonder.

They formed in London in the year 2000 and had their first hit, All Rise, in 2001. Their first TV appearance came on The Big Breakfast, where, as an unknown band they were the Family of the Week, appearing on the show from Monday to Friday before performing on live TV for the first time that Saturday on CDUK.

By the time the track entered the top 10 fans were flocking to see them and Blue fever started!

Their debut album, also called All Rise, spawned four top 10 singles, including the #1s Too Close and If You Come Back, as well as and the excellent Flyby. The album hit #1, sold over a million copies and, in less than a year, the band played their first fully live gig at MTV’s five-night stand series of gigs in April 2002, having just won their first Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act.

The boys followed up their successful debut with two more huge albums, One Love (#1, 2002) featuring the #1 lead track, also called One Love, and follow up singles U Make Me Wanna and Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word with Elton John. The album was certified four times platinum in the UK.

The third album, Guilty (2003) was their third to debut at #1 and featured another star duet from Stevie Wonder and Angie Stone on the track Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours, which reached number 11. Further tracks from the album Breathe Easy, Bubblin’ and the title track Guilty (co-written by Gary Barlow) all hit the top 10.

In November 2004, the band released the Best of Blue, which would signal the start of a hiatus. The Greatest Hits compilation also contained newly recorded tracks, Curtain Falls, Get Down On It and Only Words I Know and peaked at number two in the UK being certified double platinum.

Although Blue never split up, they decided to take an extended break to pursue solo interests in music and acting, but in 2011, Eurovision called and Blue answered. Their song I Can was incredibly popular with the viewers voting and when the final tally was released, it was placed in fifth position. A documentary also accompanied the show called Your Country Needs Blue.

The Big Reunion happened in 2013 with a documentary series and live tour that captured the hearts of pop fans all over the country. Blue joined the likes of 5ive, Atomic Kitten, 911, Liberty X, Bewitched and the Honeyz, selling out venues across the country. Albums Roulette and Colours followed in 2013 and 2015 and a tour in 2015.

Their latest album, Heart and Soul was released in 2022 with an arena tour to promote it.

Throughout the years, Blue have had many solo projects of their own, with Antony appearing in I’m a Celebrity and in many successful stage shows, such as Dreamboats and Petticoats, Agatha Christie’s The Cat and the Canary, Blood Brothers, Boogie Nights and a Judgement in Stone. More recently he has begun his role as Nikos in the smash hit show Mamma Mia The Party at the O2 in London and playing to sell-out crowds.

Duncan James has appeared in Dancing On Ice, where his weekly skates earned him a place in the final in 2007. He has also appeared in many hit theatre shows such as Chicago, Legally Blonde, The Rocky Horror Show and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. He also had a number two hit single with I Believe My Heart from the Andrew Lloyd Webber soundtrack to the West End show The Woman In White. In 2016 Duncan joined the cast of Hollyoaks playing the role of Ryan Knight for two years. Over the years alongside the theatre and other acting roles Duncan has also presented for Disney Channel UK, Party in the Park and GMTV – and now regularly on Good Morning Britain.

Following on from the success of Blue, Lee Ryan released his self-titled solo album, which gave him three hit singles, the most successful of which, Army of Lovers, hit number three in the UK chart and spent four weeks at #1 in Italy. Turn Your Car Around was a #1 on the European top 20. An album track, Real Love, appeared in the film Ice Age: The Meltdown. He has appeared in Strictly Come Dancing and Eastenders when his guest role was so well received it was extended into a more regular role. He received an Inside Soap Award nomination for the role.

Simon Webbe has appeared on I’m a Celebrity, the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special and in Sister Act the musical at the London Palladium. Simon has released three solo studio albums and had a top five hit with the singles Lay Your Hands and No Worries which both reached number four in the UK, from the double platinum album Sanctuary. Simon’s follow up album Grace was also certified double platinum in the UK.

In October 2023, Blue announced that they would be embarking on their Greatest Hits theatre tour in the spring of 2024, playing their biggest hits and telling stories from the past 20-plus years. They said: “As this is a theatre tour, we wanted it to have a different kind of feel – welcoming, more intimate with the chance to sing our biggest hits and share stories with our fans who have been with us for so many years now. We can’t wait to put this show together and get it out there!”

Lighthouse & BHP Global presents BLUE plus support 

SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 7.30pm (CONCERT HALL) 

Tickets and information 01202 280000 

www.lighthousepoole.co.uk