East 17 star John Hendy is now working as a roofer, 31 years after finding fame with the beloved Noughties boy band.
The former pop star, 55, frequently shares videos on TikTok showing him at work having returned to the career he had prior to his music career, which saw his rise to fame with Tony Mortimer, Brian Harvey and Terry Coldwell.
John, who boasts 5172 followers on the site, is frequently met with praise from fans on his videos, while some have criticised his career move.
While John seldom replies to comments, his wife Nina is far more forthcoming with sassy retorts to any criticism of her husband, who admitted last year has no money left from his boy band days.
One follower wrote: ‘no hate . but how is this guy still working when he sold the records he did . he should be retired and living it up somewhere hot . great resurrection album e17’, to which Nina joked: ‘He’s rich it’s me spending his money’.
East 17 star John Hendy is now working as a roofer, 31 years after finding fame with the beloved Noughties boy band
John was in the original line-up of the hit band alongside Brian Harvey, Tony Mortimer and Terry Coldwell in 1991 (L-R: Brian, John, Tony, Terry)
John’s TikTok comments are frequently littered with comments about why he is working when he should be living off royalties from the band.
Nina is speedy to rebuff any swipes at her husband, as she frequently shares cheeky comments underneath his videos.
Last year, John admitted he has ‘no regrets’ and amid an onslaught of ex boyband members lamenting the misfortunes of fame and thinks it’s important to ‘get a grip’.
While the group hit the big time with hits Stay Another Day and If You Ever, it all came crashing down when lead singer Brian was sacked from the group in 1997 after ill-advised comments he made about ecstasy in the wake of the death of Leah Betts, who died after taking a pill during her 18th birthday party.
Speaking to MailOnline, John revealed that while the public often assume he is a millionaire he doesn’t even own a house and while his friends are behind the wheels of Porsches, he drives a battered roofing van.
Yet he would never wish to trade places with his rich friends as he admitted: ‘It’s people’s dream, innit, we’ve had the dream.’
John, who boasts 5172 followers on the site, is frequently met with praise from fans on his videos, while some have criticised his career move
He shares a number of videos both from his work and his home life
Nina penned: ‘He’s rich, it’s me spending his money’ when he was aksed why he is still working
There is no denying being in a boyband has its lows as well as its highs with long hours, hectic schedules and the world’s eyes on you.
Most recently Boyzone member Mikey Graham opened up about escaping the ‘toxic environment’ of fame as he admitted he ‘just wanted out’ and now lives in a nomadic existence in rural Ireland.
Meanwhile Robbie Williams has also admitted he never felt his ‘place within Take That was safe’ and even Zayn Malik has said he ‘never really wanted to be in One Direction’.
Appreciating both sides, John explained: ‘Obviously people say “Oh yeah you know it’s hard work and it does this and it does that.”
‘But at the end of the day you wanted to be in the band, you want to become famous, so it’s part and parcel. You can’t have one thing and not the other sort of thing.’
When East 17 were formed they were signed on a million pound record deal but their late manager Tom Watkins only paid them a wage of £125 a week – raised by £25 every four months.
John frequently shares images and videos with his tattooist wife
As John confirmed he has nothing financially to show from his time in the band, he understands the public’s frustrations when they look at the lives of celebrities and assume they have it easy.
‘I do get it like when people say “Oh get a grip and that” because when I look at footballers, I think the amount of money they’re on like £300,000 a week and you’re like, how do you justify that? I just think they’re overpaid.’
Reminiscing on some of the highlights throughout his time in the band, John cited meeting the likes of Pamela Anderson and Phil Collins as two of his most surreal memories.
Presenting the first MTV Awards in Berlin in 1994, East 17 were joined by the Baywatch icon. John teased: ‘I mean everyone loved her and she gave us a little kiss on the [Berlin] wall.’
As John confirmed he has nothing financially to show from his time in the band, he understands the public’s frustrations when they look at the lives of celebrities and assume they have it easy
John travelled the world during his time in the band as he also recalled shooting a Pepsi advert in Moscow and playing to millions of fans in Israel before swimming in the sea with wild dolphins
The band also performed with legendary musician Phil Collins as John added: ‘He’s just so down to earth you know, it’s just like your dad, a proper sort of cockney geezer.’
John travelled the world during his time in the band as he also recalled shooting a Pepsi advert in Moscow and playing to millions of fans in Israel before swimming in the sea with wild dolphins.
Looking back he said: ‘I don’t ever regret anything like I say we come out with nothing but there’s no point thinking about that, just get on with life, you know what I mean? Life’s too short.
‘I don’t let it get to me sort of thing. I haven’t even got a house and people think you’re millionaires and that, and I’m thinking, I don’t even got an house out of it. We should have all come out with a house, at least.’
While John isn’t living the typical rockstar lifestyle, he shared that his rich friends would do anything to switch places and enjoy the experiences he has had.
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