Basically, I don't think it's fair that me and Kerry have to keep hiding our relationship. I think it's right to be truthful, to us and to you, our fan.
It's nothing to do with Rich and Billie being found out- I always wanted to tell everyone about Kerry 'cause she's my girlfriend and I love her loads. it's just never been the right time before and there's always been people telling me it wouldn't be good for me or the band. I don't think it should affect the fans-at the end of the day, I love my job and would never jeopardise it. But everyone needs someone in their life.
If it does upset any fans, I want them to know it doesn't affect the band at all. I'm in this group-I sing and appear in videos, but you've got to have a life of your won. I just hope everyone will be happy for me and not be horrible about it
I've known Kerry for five years, she's from my home town. I met her at a social club. I always liked her, but never thought she liked me, which always held me back from askinng her out. It was about Christman '97, when we'd just released "Slam", that i finally plucked up the courage to ask her out. I've been seeing her since January, 1998.
I guess it's difficult because I'm away so much and we really miss each other, but we've got such a strong relationship and we've been throught so much more than couples our age-if anything, it's made us stronger. It's almost like we've got a point to prove-nothing can come between us and no distance will keep us apart. We've got too much love for each other to throw it away.
The last year and a half have been hard for her- she looks in all the magazines and there's me denying I've got a firlfriend or just saying "There's someone..." But she's not just 'someone'-she's the person I love more than anything in the world, and I don't care what anybody says-I feel it's time I speak up about how I feel about her
I suppose we should expect some sort of backlash, but I hope people are reasonable about it. To be honest, when I'm at home there isn't one minute when we're apart- everyone sees us together all the time and I think it's beginning to look really stupid! She's the world to me and now, for the first time, I really know what love is. We've both been in relationships before, but this is the first person I've really, really loved, which is why I know it's going to work!
The rest of the band are fine about it. Rich is absolutely lovely towards her and Abs is the same. She doesn't know J and Sean as well. She hasn't spent as much time with them.
We've not really been out with Rich and Billie yet, but I'm sure we will. I do the work with 5ive, nothing gets in the way of that. But when i go home, all I want to do is see Kerry. The first thing I do is go and see her. I suppose I do keep Kerry quite separate from my work life, which is why we haven't met up with Rich and Bille yet. We'd been out a few times with Abs and Danielle, and Kerry and Dan have been to quite a few shows with us. I remember one in Southampton where we were playing to 7,000 people and they were both sitting at the back of the stage in plain view of everyone! I was looking at the fans thinking "If only you knew"- and I did want them to know!
I'm so glad I've talked to you- I feel like a weight's been lifted. I've been wanting to do this for a long time now and I don't care about the consequences!