East 17 are back with a brand new Christmas hit, Merry Quitmas, on Friday – and the music video pays homage to their famous festive hit, Stay Another Day.
The three bandmembers – who have brought back those iconic big coats for the video, told MailOnline in an exclusive chat that they are convinced they are going to get under Number One under their belt after the success of their old track hit the top spot for three weeks running in 1994.
With LadBaby out of the running, frontman Terry Coldwell is confident that their parody track, complete with an Elton John lookalike, will top the festive charts.
However, all is different from what it was as the band now consists of original band member Terry and new band mates Joe Livermore, 39, and Robbie Craig, 56.
They replaced the originals Brian Harvey, who dipped out of the band permanently in 2010, Tony Mortimer, who left in 2013 and John Hendy, who said his goodbyes to East 17 in 2018.
East 17 is back with their iconic white winter coats after it released a brand new Christmas hit, Merry Quitmas, on Friday
However, all is different from what it was as the band now consists of original band member Terry and new band mates Joe Livermore, 39, and Robbie Craig, 56. They replaced the originals Brian Harvey, who dipped out of the band permanently in 2010, Tony Mortimer, who left in 2013 and John Hendy, who said his goodbyes to Easy17 in 2018
Brian was soon replaced by Blair Dreelan in 2011 – he left the same year – and John’s place was quickly filled by Terry John in 2018, but he then left the following year.
When shooting the music video, the group agreed to give Santa cancer this year in the hope of raising awareness about the dangers of smoking.
When asked if he thought their new Christmas hit will do as well in the charts as Stay Another Day, Terry replied, ‘Yeah, but obviously they are two totally different tracks’.
‘Two different tracks, but hopefully, with LadBaby being out of the way this year, yeah, we’ve got a good shot,’ he added.
Fans should expect the unexpected from the new track – it will be a comedy hit jam-packed with celebrity lookalikes and TikTok stars.
The trio have been as thick as thieves for more than a decade now and are still dominating charts across the globe. Their song 24/7 made it to seventh place in Turkey iTunes this year.
In an interview with MailOnline, he said: ‘It’s a Christmas cracker to encourage people to quit smoking.
‘We’ve got Ed Sheeran, Elton John, George Michael, Noddy as well as Slade.
With LadBaby, pictured, out of the running, frontman Terry Coldwell is confident that their parody track, complete with an Elton John lookalike, will top the festive charts.
The three-minute-shoot saw ‘Elton John get locked out of his cab’, ‘George Michael breaks the window’ and Noddy Holder as a gardener
When shooting the music video, the group agreed to give Santa cancer this year in the hope of raising awareness about the dangers of smoking
When asked if he thinks their new Christmas hit will do as well in the charts as Stay Another Day, Terry replied, ‘Yeah, but obviously they are two totally different tracks’
‘It’s not usually an East 17 cut type song, but it was a good laugh.’
The three-minute-shoot saw ‘Elton John get locked out of his cab’, ‘George Michael breaks the window’ and Noddy Holder as a gardener.
Fans also caught a glimpse of TikTok stars, Chef Dave and The Riot Squad in the highly anticipated track.
With their fourth chart-topper, LadBaby broke the record for the most consecutive UK Christmas No 1s, which had been held jointly by the Beatles and Spice Girls.
Then, with their fifth, they broke the Beatles’ record for overall Christmas No 1s.
But front runner Mark Hoyle told Metro they would not be going for a sixth this year, and they have decided to ‘pass the baton over to the Great British public’.
Stay Another Day entered the UK charts at number seven, and for the last three weeks of 1994, the track solidified its place at No.1 for at least three weeks running.
It outsold Mariah Carey’s hit single for the weeks commencing 11, 18 and 25 December, selling roughly 130,000, 120,000 and 160,000 copies.
The sales took the lead over Mariah in the week before Christmas was around 60,000, and thus securing 1994’s Christmas number one to East 17.
Terry said the band all had a laugh while recording as he reminisced on the ‘politics’ surrounding their 1994 hit.
According to the musician, the production is more enjoyable this time round.
He said: ‘It’s a lot more fun there because I in a lot of politics in a way, he put it that way.
Fans should expect the unexpected from the new track – it will be a comedy hit jam-packed with celebrity lookalikes and TikTok stars
‘You know, back in the day, we all kind of used to write separately anyway, but this one was kind of, with the lineup what it is we all write together, and it feels a bit more enjoyable writing it together because when you perform it, you know, you’ve all got your heart and soul into it.’
The band are so set on encouraging Brits not to smoke that the singer himself is going to give it up – a dangerous habit he says he has been victim to since he was a ‘child’.
In the hope of inspiring others, Terry will document his journey in a diary, which he will share on Instagram.
He said he will put ‘his heart and soul’ into quitting the bad habit and is happy to support anyone in need.
Terry also opened up to MailOnline about his personal life and revealed that he is thankful for being such a big part of the Stay Another Day legacy.
He hopes that after he passes away, his great-grandchildren will continue to see their grandfather spread Christmas cheer for all on TV every year.
He said: ‘It’s the legacy that kind of gets left behind.
‘Really, it is such a fantastic track, You know, when I’m when I’m long gone, hopefully not too soon. But when I’m gone, you know, the the great grandkids will go,”yeah, that was my great granddad.”’
And after years of members coming and going, the band now consists of Terry, Joe Livermore, 39, and Robbie Craig, 5
