Michelle Heaton has hinted she might continue to perform overseas with Atomic Kitten after their tour of Australia and New Zealand.
The 37-year-old singer is stepping in for Liz McClarnon when the girl group head Down Under in February 2017 for a string of shows with B*Witched, S Club 3 and East 17 because Liz has such a bad phobia of flying.
Although Michelle – who made her name as part of pop group Liberty X, which was formed on 2001 TV talent show ‘Popstars’ – is only scheduled to do the Australian concerts with Natasha and Kerry Katona at the moment but it seems the door isn’t closed on future gigs with her on the microphone.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz at a special anniversary screening of Disney Channel’s ‘High School Musical’ in London on Wednesday night (14.09.16), she said: "Well we had a one off gig a while ago in Australia (in July) to see whether it was going to become anything more permanent in foreign waters. And it looks kind of like it is in foreign waters. Not so much here, but abroad. Especially that far afield."
Liz has admitted she was always scared of getting on a plane when the group toured internationally in their hey day and when the opportunity came to Atomic Kitten to go to Oz she was happy for the other girls to go but she knew she wouldn’t be able to make the 24-hour trip in the sky.
And the 35-year-old star has no issue with Michelle taking her place for the concerts.
‘Whole Again’ hitmaker Liz said: "Flying has never been a favourite thing of mine, even all the way through the band, I think I’ve been around the world four or five times, but it’s just never been a big thing for me, I’ve always gone, ‘Oh I hate this I hate this I hate this.’
"And sort of when we wound up with the band and things ended, I was like, ‘I’m not gonna do it anymore, do you know what? I just don’t like it.’
"Michelle is one of my best friends, so as well, I can still get all the gossip from everyone. Ringing everyone up and going, ‘Is everything all right? What’s going on?’ "
Global phenomenon ‘High School Musical’ – which launched the careers of Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale – is celebrating 10 years since it was released in the UK and is available to watch now on digital entertainment service DisneyLife along with other extras including special features and soundtracks.