Claire Richards would only consider entering the Eurovision Song Contest if she was “ready to chuck in” her career.
The 45-year-old Steps star unveiled her second solo album ‘Euphoria’ today (28.06.23) and shared the lead single, a cover of Celine Dion’s ‘I Surrender’.
The album is a follow-up of her 2019 debut studio album ‘My Wildest Dreams’.
And the ‘One for Sorrow’ hitmaker says going on the world’s biggest televised contest – which launched the career of Swedish pop icons ABBA – is a huge “risk” and she doesn’t want to ruin her lengthy career.
She told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre TV column: “It’s such a great show and Sam Ryder did so well but poor Mae Muller didn’t do so well. I’m sure it’s a wonderful thing to be part of but I’m not sure I’m ready to chuck in my career just yet. It’s such a risk and I’ve never been a risk taker, so I’m probably not the best option.”
Meanwhile, 90s superstars Steps, who are responsible for cheesy pop hits like ‘Tragedy’ and ‘5,6,7,8’, are getting ready to celebrate their 25th anniversary.
Claire was just 19 when she joined the rest of the band – made up of Lisa Scott-Lee, 46, Faye Tozer, 46, Ian ‘H’ Watkins, 46, and Lee Latchford-Evans, 47, back in 1997.
Reminiscing on her time in the band, she told OK! magazine: “I don’t think any of us knew or realised that it would be 25 years and we’re still going.
“It’s over half my life that I’ve been in Steps. I’ve been in it longer than I haven’t been in it!
“I can’t actually believe it’s been 25 years – that’s a long time. When you get to that point in your life and look at your career, it’s quite unbelievable because I don’t feel a day older than I did when we first started. And our relationships with each other are pretty much the same as they were 25 years ago, too.”