Chesney Hawkes takes savage swipe at Phillip Schofield 32 years after 'awful' moment

Revenge is indeed a dish best served cold, and for Chesney Hawkes, the former pop idol, it's been a 33-year wait to settle scores.

After years out of the limelight, the once mild-mannered singer is hitting back at those who mocked him following his chart-topping success with "I have to say that during from 1993 until 1994 I refused to play The One and Only. In the mid 90s it was all Brit pop and I just wanted to be Radiohead. I very much rebelled against the pop roots I came from. As a kid, the pop thing was not what I wanted to do." reports the Mirror.

In 1991, Chesney, now aged 53, was a mere teenager when his divisive hit thrust him into the spotlight, attracting jibes from figures such as the now-disgraced This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield and former Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan. His five-week reign at the top came during an era dominated by grunge bands like Nirvana, making his achievement all the more remarkable.

With a new album on the horizonhis first in a decadeChesney hasn't forgotten the ridicule he faced for not "fitting in" with the Cool Britannia vibe of the '90s, despite his global smash, written by '80s icon Nik Kershaw, shaking up the music scene.

For the first time in many years, Chesley is openly addressing his detractors, recalling a particularly cutting moment: "Phillip Schofield...B*stard. I remember he once did a (jokey) sketch at [these] awards in 1991 where he pushed me into Hell with a pitchfork. I remember that moment as I was only a kid, I was 19.", reports the Mirror.

The event Chesney refers to is the 1991 Smash Hits' Poll Winners' Party.

Chesney recalls, "At first, Phillip was one of the first people who was very nice to me. We did all the TV shows like Live and Kicking in those days and the Radio 1 roadshows. And suddenly they turned against me."

"I remember it well. I watched [the show] that year with my parents at home and they did this horrible thing where Phillip pushed me to the gates of Hell with a pitchfork. They had this guy dressed as me in a blonde wig with a mole. It was awful."

In light of the recent tragedy involving Liam Payne, Chesney emphasises the importance of considering men's mental health, particularly when dealing with child stars.

Chesney, who shot to fame as a teenager, questions: "How does this happen? They were all old enough to know better."

He reflects on his experiences, saying, "I think those moments, they were really difficult. I kind of had to push it down and tighten the lid on it and had to think it was just water off a duck's back. I just thought I would write a few songs and carry on but it is not until later on that I thought it was proper sh*t and it is not acceptable to do that."

He adds, "It is not responsible and it keeps happening. Piers Morgan also had a go at me during that time but my dad once poured a pint of lager over him at the Ivor Novello awards in London in 1992."

This week, Chesney joined forces with 90s comic Richard Herring to record an episode of the alternative comedian's podcast, set to be released in the new year.

Chesney has boldly stepped into the spotlight, recently filming his comeback single "Get A Hold of Yourself" in the nude, paying tribute to the Gen Z favourite film, Saltburn.

Despite warnings from his management to stay clothed for the video shoot, the father-of-three took inspiration from Barry Keoghan's performance in the 2023 movie and embraced full nudity.

Chesney reveals: "We filmed the video at Arley Hall in Cheshire, the huge country mansion where they film Peaky Blinders. Most of the time I was swinging in the wind and completely naked."

However, Chesney's daring act wasn't without its surprises. He discovered that the set wasn't as private as he thought when he noticed a young girl with a pram outside the mansion's large windows during his naked dance.

"There was a moment I was dancing naked and the house has these big windows. The house is open to the public and I looked over during the shoot and there was a young girl outside pushing a pram," Chesney chuckles. "I was like 'Can we close the curtains? '".

Adding to the unexpected audience, a house liaison frequently offered refreshments, seemingly unfazed by the nudity on set.

"There was also a lady who was in charge of the house who was like our liaison and she kept coming up asking 'Does anyone want a cup of tea? '! ".

In a defiant stance against his detractors, Chesney chose to pose nude, signalling his refusal to be cowed by public opinion.

He confesses: "I did lean into getting nude. I wanted to raise some eyebrows and it was influenced by the end of Saltburn. The song, Get A Hold of Yourself, is about freedom of expression and being in your 50s and feeling a sort of freedom which I probably did not have in the early days."

"Like my song The One and Only, it is a self-empowerment song which helps keep your mental health in check."

Chesney received encouragement from his wife Kristina and his three children - sons Casey, 23, Indiana, 18, and daughter Jesse, 21, for the video, but admits his offspring were shaking their heads at the sight of their father in the buff onscreen.

"I just wanted to do something bold, brave and liberating. My wife was supportive," Chesney reveals. "My team thought I was mad and said 'You are 50 with a dad bod'. I went back to them and said I had to do it. I got my kit off. It was liberating."

"There is a nod to Saltburn in the video, the movie Risky Business, Calendar Girls and The Fully Monty. I think we can have fun in our 50s. Our kids don't have to like it, in fact my kids did say 'Did you have to shake your ass? '".

Despite any initial embarrassment, Chesney credits his family as the inspiration behind his new album Living Arrows - his first in over ten years.

The artist is set to release his new album at the end of next February, with tracks inspired by his children. The album's second single Live Forever dropped this week, crafted by Nik Kershaw and Jake Gosling, known for their work with Ed Sheeran and One Direction.

Chesney has put a lot of effort into his new album, expressing: "My latest song is on the A list on Radio 2. I have really pushed with this new album. This record does have some kind of energy behind it."

He also shared that his children were a constant thought during its creation, saying: "I had my kids in mind the whole time because the messages on songs like Live Forever are to do with taking life by the horns, doing what you love and following your instincts. You have to let them do their own things and make their own mistakes."

Now, Chesney is eager to return to live performances across the UK next year, a stark contrast to the difficult times in the Nineties when he dreaded playing his widely mocked hit, 'The One and Only'.

Reflecting on those times, he admits: "I have to say that from 1993 until 1994 I refused to play The One and Only. In the mid 90s it was all Brit pop and I just wanted to be Radiohead. I very much rebelled against the pop roots I came from. As a kid, the pop thing was not what I wanted to do."

He further explains his struggle with the song's legacy: "The One and Only was like an albatross, also the title did not help me. I did rebel against it for like 10 years. Sometimes I did not want to go out and play under my own name."

Chesney recalls a turning point: "I did not play again really until I was asked to play at some universities. I did not think anybody knew who I was but the love was just there with people with my face on their T shirts. It was like a student anthem at that time and I went on to do 10 years of those university gigs."

Chesney Hawkes has credited his American wife, Kristina, whom he married in 1997, with helping maintain his stability through life's turbulence. Chesney expressed deep appreciation for her influence: "I did turn out as a balanced adult and I do think that is because of my wife. We met at the right time. I was 22 when I met her at the end of all the craziness. We fell in love and she did not know who I was."

Reflecting on their timely meeting and its impact on his life, Chesney shared: "When I met her it was exactly the right time for me. She gave me something else to live for. I did get into drugs and stuff like that and alcohol and I did try to shield it all so when she came it took me out of it. If it was not for her it would have been a different road."

Chesney acknowledges that being raised in a musical environment by his father, Chip Hawkes the former bassist of the 1960s band The Tremeloes also played a significant role in keeping him grounded. Sharing some colourful family history, he said: "You see, I grew up in a very rock and roll household. My dad was in The Tremeloes. We as children were never going to be accountants as we used to wake up and had to step over sleeping musicians,".

He fondly remembers the excitement of the rock and roll lifestyle from an early age, recalling, "It was wild growing up and dad used to take us all to gigs and we would be peaking through the wings. We used to see knickers being thrown on stage. Today, I get boxer shorts thrown at me. In the early days I used to get knickers."

Now more at peace with his past, Chesney is looking ahead to one final goal: penning his autobiography.

Rumours suggest that the famous singer might soon unveil his life's story in an upcoming book, spilling details about his iconic one-hit wonder which reportedly has racked up millions in royalties.

Chesney revealed his perspective on fame and the music industry, stating, "I always say my autobiography should be called Fame, No Fortune as that is what it is like in the music business. But of course it will have to be called The One and Only."

He also addressed rumours about his earnings: "There is talk I made £8 million but that is utter b*llocks. I did make good money for sure but my wife would kill me if she knew I had made £8 million and spunked it all."

Chesney playfully remarked that while Nik Kershaw, who penned the hit, perhaps bought houses with the earnings, for him, today marks nearly 34 years since the iconic song's release and he no longer relies on it for income, saying, "Nik Kershaw, who wrote the song, got a couple of houses out of it. But today, it has now been nearly 34 years since that song. I am not earning a living from it."

He reflected on the enduring popularity of the song: "Listen, it is a self-empowerment song and that is why it has had longevity. The life of a song like that has really nothing to do with you. It is a very beautiful thing actually."

Looking back on his journey, Chesney remained thankful and wouldn't change his past: "Looking back I would not change a thing as life is an incredible journey and we are not here for that long are we? The Only and Only was only like six months of my life. I am happy being me and I would not change anything. Today, I am humbled I can still fling a guitar on my back and still make a living."

For additional insight, The Mirror reached out to Phillip Schofield for his comments.

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