They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and former pop star Chesney Hawkes has waited 33 years to fight back. After decades in the shadows, the once mild-mannered singer is finally addressing those who mocked him following his meteoric rise to fame in 1991 with the chart-topping hit The One and Only.
Now 53, Chesney is stepping back into the spotlight with his first album in a decade and isn’t holding back on those who belittled him during his teenage years.
Back then, the success of his “marmite” anthem—written by Eighties icon Nik Kershaw—clashed with the grunge-dominated music scene, drawing criticism from high-profile figures like disgraced This Morning host Phillip Schofield and former Good Morning Britain anchor Piers Morgan.
Chesney recalls:
“Phillip Schofield… B*stard. I remember he did this sketch at the 1991 Smash Hits Poll Winners’ Party where he pushed me into Hell with a pitchfork. I was 19.
Watching it at home with my parents was awful. They had a guy dressed as me with a blonde wig and fake mole. It was cruel.”
Chesney explains that the ridicule from Schofield stung more because it came after a period of kindness:
“Phillip was nice at first. We did all the shows together—Live and Kicking, Radio 1 roadshows. But then they turned on me.”
The Toll of Mockery on Mental Health
In today’s climate of growing awareness around mental health, especially for men, Chesney highlights how such treatment can have long-term effects on young stars.
“How does this happen? They were old enough to know better. I had to bottle it up, but looking back, it was proper sh*t. It’s not acceptable, and it still happens. Even Piers Morgan had a go at me. My dad actually poured a pint of lager over him at the 1992 Ivor Novello Awards.”
A Bold Comeback
As Chesney prepares to release Living Arrows, his first album in over a decade, he’s not holding back. The video for his comeback single, Get A Hold of Yourself, is a daring nod to Gen Z cult film Saltburn. In it, Chesney appears completely nude—a statement of freedom and self-empowerment.
Chesney Hawkes (Photo: edwardhenderson)
“We filmed it at Arley Hall, where Peaky Blinders was shot. At one point, I was dancing naked and noticed a young woman with a pram outside the window. I asked, ‘Can we close the curtains?’ It was liberating, though. My wife and kids were supportive, even if they cringed at me shaking my ass!”
The video, which references Saltburn, Risky Business, and Calendar Girls, is a testament to Chesney’s newfound confidence in his 50s.
Embracing His Past
Despite years of rebellion against his pop roots, Chesney has come to appreciate the legacy of The One and Only, even after initially refusing to perform it in the mid-90s.
“For about 10 years, I wouldn’t play it. I wanted to be Radiohead, not a pop star. The title felt like an albatross. But in the 2000s, I played university gigs and saw students with my face on their T-shirts. It became a student anthem, and I realized the love was still there.”
Family, Music, and Balance
Chesney credits his wife Kristina, whom he married in 1997, with keeping him grounded.
“She didn’t know who I was when we met, and she pulled me out of a dark place. I’d been caught up in drugs and alcohol, and she gave me something to live for.”
Chesney’s new album draws inspiration from his three children—Casey (23), Indiana (18), and Jesse (21)—and delivers messages of self-expression and resilience. Tracks like Live Forever, written by Kershaw and Jake Gosling (known for his work with Ed Sheeran), continued his journey and lessons learned.
Writing the Next Chapter
With rumors swirling about a potential autobiography, Chesney reflects on his life and career with humility:
“People think I made millions from The One and Only. That’s rubbish. Nik Kershaw got a couple of houses out of it! But the song’s longevity is a beautiful thing. My autobiography could be called Fame, No Fortune, but let’s face it—it’ll probably be called The One and Only.”
Chesney plans to share more through live performances across the UK next year, ready to embrace his past while forging a bold new future:
“Life is an incredible journey. I’m happy being me, guitar on my back, still making a living. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
