Contents
1 Title Page
2 Chapter One: ‘Triple J’ and George – Separate Paths
3 Chapter Two: The Union J Boys – Humble Beginnings
8 Chapter Three: Bootcamp – Fate Lends a Hand
9 Chapter Four: Judges’ Houses – What Happens in Vegas
10 Chapter Five: Union J Go Live!
11 Chapter Six: Love Blossoms
12 Chapter Seven: Stardom Beckons
13 Chapter Eight: The Fan Madness Begins
14 Chapter Nine: Rising From the Ashes
15 Chapter Ten: The Battle of the Boybands
16 Chapter Eleven: Performance in Paris
17 Chapter Twelve: Knuckling Down
18 Chapter Thirteen: A Nation Divided
19 Chapter Fourteen: Back to Reality?
20 Chapter Fifteen: New Year, New Start
21 Chapter Sixteen: The X Factor on Tour
22 Chapter Seventeen: A Spooky Interlude…
23 Chapter Eighteen: Jaymi Becomes an Icon
24 Chapter Nineteen: Lifestyle Changes
25 Chapter Twenty: The Wait is Over
26 Chapter Twenty-One: Boyband War
27 Chapter Twenty-Two: Countdown to ‘Carry You’
28 Chapter Twenty-Three: A Million Fans Unite
29 Chapter Twenty-Four: Challenge Union J
30 Chapter Twenty-Five: Kisses, Tattoos and Playdough
31 Chapter Twenty-Six: Gigging and Cooking
32 Chapter Twenty-Seven: UK Chart Success
33 Plates
34 About the Author
35 Copyright
‘Triple J’ and George – Separate Paths
Louis Walsh definitely took notice as he watched the three earnest young boys bound onto the stage and yell: ‘Hello, London!’ Already he could already see the potential in this new group.
Met by girlish screams from the 8,000-strong audience in the capital’s O2 Arena, they were a refreshing change from the hundreds of hopefuls the judges had seen that day. Shy and nervous, overconfident and bizarrely talentless, weird and wacky – the four-strong team of judges must have been tearing their hair out in frustration at what they’d had to sit through already.
With two of the lads casually dressed in white T-shirts and the other one in blue, they all shared broad smiles when Louis asked: ‘So who have we got here?’
‘We’re Triple J,’ said the confident boy in the centre to more screams of support.
The camera panned around the audience to show just a few of the giggling girls in the crowd, all whispering and pointing. It was clear that their first impression had been a good one.
Attempting to calm the growing atmosphere, Louis asked: ‘Have you got people with you here today?’
‘Yeah, all our mums are backstage,’ laughed a very cute second band member, setting off another round of clapping – this time from the boys’ families, who were anxiously waiting with presenter Dermot O’Leary.
‘They’re more nervous than us, I think,’ added the third and final boy in the act.
‘Off you go then,’ Louis said abruptly, giving them the cue for their one chance to begin.
The crowd was suddenly silent. Would these three young boys have the talent to match their looks? Might this be the last time Triple J would grace a stage before disappearing into obscurity?
From the moment they launched into song, the boys’ powerful voices echoed throughout the arena as they gave the Rihanna and Calvin Harris classic ‘We Found Love’ everything they had. Moving effortlessly around the stage, their voices harmonised and soared, brimming with emotion.
Judge Gary Barlow instantly sat back in his chair – it was as if he had been metaphorically punched in the face by the wall of sound! Guest judge Rita Ora bobbed her head in time to the beat as the rumbling cheers from the audience grew and grew.
‘Shine a light through an open door…’
The lyrics were spookily appropriate because everyone listening to them suddenly knew that this performance had definitely opened the door for three talented boys. Finally they finished, throwing their heads down with the effort of the last few notes. Then the trio anxiously stood back up, to be greeted by thousands of instant, screaming fans. One by one they had risen to give the boys a standing ovation.
The crowd loved them. Now all they could hope was that the judges felt the same way…
Judge and solo artist Tulisa Contostavlos was quick to voice her praise. ‘This is what a boyband’s about – good-looking lads,’ she announced.
Louis had the excited sparkle that said ‘definite potential’ in his eyes, while Rita Ora enthusiastically agreed, saying: ‘I think the girls will love you.’
But it was Gary Barlow who fated the boys to stardom.
‘In a good boy band it’s not just about looking good, you’ve got to sound great, too – and you really do sound great,’ he told them.
Brimming with excitement, the three boys could barely believe what they were about to hear.
Tulisa: ‘Yes.’
Louis: ‘Yes.’
Rita: ‘Yes.’
Gary: ‘That’s four yeses, well done!’
The arena exploded as the boys patted each other on the back in disbelief before running backstage. Throwing their arms around their mums, all three were nearly toppled over by the force of their families’ affection.
And that was how the world was introduced to singing sensations Jamie Hamblett, 23, Jaymi Hensley, 22, and 19-year-old Josh Cuthbert.
Within days of the boys’ audition being aired, their Twitter account, @triplejofficial, had gathered more than 60,000 followers. It