Louise Redknapp breaks her silence on the Eternal feud as she cancels her reunion tour due to a “gay row” with bandmates
LOUISE Redknapp has taken to Instagram after leaving an Eternal reunion tour due to a row with her bandmates.
Louise and Loose Women star Kelle Bryan quickly withdrew from the tour when sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett were found to have transphobic views.
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The four women rose to fame in the girl group in the ’90s and were set to go on a national tour and perform at a festival popular with the gay community.
However, a source reported that “Louise and Kelle were stunned and immediately withdrew” when they were told that the sisters “would not support the LGBTQ community as it has an alliance with the trans community.”
Louise, 48, appeared to address the reports on Sunday afternoon when she posted a picture of the LGBTQ+ flag across her social media accounts.
The Sunday Mirror claimed Louise and Kelle were shocked when Easther and Vernie refused to play the festival because of its links to the trans community.
Vernie, in particular, is said to have been vocal on social media about her views on transgender issues.
A source told the publication: “Louise, Kelle, Easther and Vernie had all signed up for a major national tour next year, culminating in a huge show at the Mighty Hoopla pop festival, which is popular with the gay community.”
“Then in June the girls received an email from Easther and Vernie refusing to perform at gay festivals or Pride. They said they could not support the LGBTQ community because it now has an alliance with the trans community, a stance that Vernie in particular has publicly expressed on social media.
“Louise and Kelle were stunned and immediately withdrew – Louise’s fan base is 98 percent gay men. She and Kelle believe everyone is welcome at their shows. It’s really a shame for her fans who have waited so long for this moment.
A spokesperson for Louise confirmed the story, saying: “A message was sent to the team putting together the Eternal reunion stating that neither Vernie nor Easther would be performing at Pride shows or LGBTQ+ festivals when it takes place should.”
“This was because the duo felt that the gay community was being hijacked by the trans community and they did not support this.”
“Louise is a huge supporter and ally of the LGBTQ+ community and both she and Kelle told the duo that they would not work with anyone who represented these views and therefore the four-way reunion would not take place.”
They concluded: “The team behind the planned Eternal reunion is gay, including management, PR and tour promoters, and absolutely none of them would work with artists who hold such views about the trans community.”
The Sun has contacted Vernie and Easther for comment.
Eternal were famous for hits like “Stay” and “I Wanna Be The Only One”.
They have sold more than 10 million records worldwide and sold one million copies of their debut album Always and Forever.
Louise left the band after their first album in 1995 and started a solo career.
She enjoyed a string of hits including “Naked” and “Let’s Go Round Again.”
Kelle left the band in 1998, but in 2013 they briefly reformed as a trio for The Big Reunion on ITV2.
This comes after Louise made her first public relationship public since her split from her ex-husband Jamie in 2017.
She was discovered with her new boyfriend Drew Michael, a former military officer who now works in the aerospace and defense industry.
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