Jo O'Meara

Joanne Valda O'Meara (born 29 April 1979, Romford, Essex) is an English singer-songwriter, television personality and actress and former member of pop group S Club 7/S Club. In 1998, O'Meara started her music career in the hip hop/rap group, 2-4 Family. She remained with the band for only one single release, Stay. In 1997 Jo was recruited to join a new pop group S Club 7. She was a prominent member of the British group, singing most of the group's lead vocals, as well as acting with the group in their own TV series and in their movie, Seeing Double. The band split in 2003. In 2005 she signed a solo record deal with Sanctuary Records. She released her debut single What Hurts the Most in September 2005 followed by her album Relentless. Unfortunately both failed to achieve chart success and she left her record label prior to the release of a second single. In February 2006 she took part in the BBC reality show Just the Two of Us. Her singing partner was Hollyoaks actor Chris Fountain. The pair came third in the competition. The following year Jo appeared on Celebrity Big Brother with plans to use the shows popularity to relaunch her music career. She initially received a positive reaction from the crowd and was the initial favourite to win, however she became embroiled in controversy and was accused of racist behaviour towards fellow contestant Shilpa Shetty. O'Meara was the fourth housemate to be evicted and upon leaving the Big Brother house she found herself amidst public outrage. Numerous newspaper and television interviews followed with O'Meara apologising for her behaviour but denying any racial motivation. Since November 2008, O'Meara has been performing in various nightclubs, universities and Butlins holiday camps around the United Kingdom along with fellow S Club members Bradley McIntosh and Paul Cattermole as S Club 3. She has since joined Innocent Records and has recorded a second studio album These Little Moments due for release later in 2010.