Hear'Say star Noel Sullivan, 39, looks unrecognisable after piling on TWO STONE for his West End role in School Of Rock... as singer admits he 'didn't want to wear a fat suit onstage'

By Eve Buckland For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

He shot to fame in 2001 on Popstars, where he was selected for pop band Hear'Say alongside Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Danny Foster. 

And Noel Sullivan looked unrecognisable as he appeared on Thursday's episode of This Morning, after putting on two stone for a West End role. 

The Pure and Simple hitmaker, 39, revealed he had piled on the weight with a 'pizza and pasta' diet for his lead role in School of Rock.

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Hear'Say star: Noel Sullivan looked unrecognisable as he appeared on Thursday's episode of This Morning, after putting on two stone for a West End role

Hear'Say star: Noel Sullivan looked unrecognisable as he appeared on Thursday's episode of This Morning, after putting on two stone for a West End role

Change: The Pure and Simple hitmaker, 39, revealed he had piled on the weight with a 'pizza and pasta' diet for his lead role in School of Rock (pictured R in 2001)
Rise to fame: The star is seen auditioning for the band in 2001

Change: The Pure and Simple hitmaker, 39, revealed he had piled on the weight with a 'pizza and pasta' diet for his lead role in School of Rock (pictured R in 2001)

Host 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 responded: '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.'

Eamonn then said: 'What if you can’t lose it?', the singer added: 'I will worry about that then. In the meantime it’s pizza and pasta for me.'

Moving the discussion onto Hear'Say, who went their separate ways in 2002, 20 months after they formed, Noel said: 'It’s taken a long time that I can look back with rose tinted glasses. 

Noel said: 'Yes I did (gain weight), 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'

Noel said: 'Yes I did (gain weight), 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'

Candid: Eamonn then said: 'What if you can’t lose it?', the singer added: ' I will worry about that then. In the meantime it’s pizza and pasta for me' (pictured R in 2001)
Singer: Noel is pictured performing at the Royal Variety Show in 2001

Candid: Eamonn then said: 'What if you can’t lose it?', the singer added: ' I will worry about that then. In the meantime it’s pizza and pasta for me' (pictured R in 2001)

'We were the guinea pigs for now what is X Factor and all the other shows. It seemed like quite a whirlwind. We were only together for 18 months. It was before the time of social media.'

When asked about the possibility of a reunion, Noel ruled out the quintet ever coming back together, saying they did not have enough material.  

He said: 'Those bands like Steps, they’ve got an amazing catalogue of hits. We go out and can only do our greatest hit!' 

Discussing the aftermath of the band's split, he said: 'I just went back to Cardiff and found myself in theatre. 

'I think theatre stars work a lot harder than pop stars. I've learned a hell of a lot about performance.'      

Throwback: He shot to fame in 2001 on Popstars, where he was selected for pop band Hear'Say alongside Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Danny Foster

Throwback: He shot to fame in 2001 on Popstars, where he was selected for pop band Hear'Say alongside Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Danny Foster

The appearance comes almost two decades after Hear'Say's first single, Pure And Simple, became the fastest-selling record in British pop history and their debut album went straight to the top of the charts.

They even met the Queen when they starred at a Royal Variety performance.

However, they were soon plagued by rumours of furious rows between the band members - and then Kym quit the group.  

Johnny Shentall replaced her, with the group releasing flop single, Lovin Is Easy. 

New guard:  Johnny Shentall replaced her, with the group releasing flop single, Lovin Is Easy (pictured 2002)

New guard:  Johnny Shentall replaced her, with the group releasing flop single, Lovin Is Easy (pictured 2002)

In October 2002, the band announced they were going their separate ways with Noel, Myleene, Suzanne, Danny and Johnny telling The Sun that their lives had been made hell by abuse in the street and jeers when they performed.

Danny told the newspaper: 'We have had enough. The public make you and break you.'

Myleene added: 'Nobody deserves what we went through.'

Suzanne revealed: 'It's a fad thing, a novelty - it's like a pair of trainers, one minute they're in and the next minute they're out.'

Oh dear: Moving the discussion onto Hear'Say, who went their separate ways in 2002, 20 months after they formed, Noel said: 'It’s taken a long time that I can look back with rose tinted glasses

Oh dear: Moving the discussion onto Hear'Say, who went their separate ways in 2002, 20 months after they formed, Noel said: 'It’s taken a long time that I can look back with rose tinted glasses


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