Union J: The Unauthorised Biography

It was a normal, happy childhood, filled with school and football practice. Josh supported Chelsea and was already showing a strong talent for the game himself. He got into pop music, buying ‘Don’t Stop Movin’ by S Club 7 as his first ever single, and enjoyed playing the class clown. Despite his cheeky side, Josh was a softy, too, always looking after animals. Throughout his childhood he had a hamster and a goldfish and loved nothing better than going to the zoo. Even now, he adores his cat Oreo, who he calls the ‘mascot’ of Union J! But as a child, no one in his family knew of his secret skill – singing. That was until one day when, aged 10, he landed the role of Scrooge in his school’s production of A Christmas Carol. ‘I had no idea he had a voice – we were blown away by him singing,’ Josh’s mum Kathryn told the local paper. ‘We got him straight into Stagecoach in Bracknell, who told him to audition for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.’ Within a few months, young Josh’s life was transformed. At just 11, he landed the role of George in the West End production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It was an incredible experience for a young boy – appearing at the historic London Palladium for nine months alongside stars like Christopher Biggins and the late star Stephen Gately, whose previous band Boyzone had been managed by Louis Walsh. His family were thrilled – especially his nan Jean, who spent over £800 on tickets, going to see her grandson in the show every week!

Although he’d already had an amazing break in acting early on in his life, Josh still lived a regular life, moving up to Charters School in Sunningdale when he was 11. With his good looks, he began getting lots of attention from girls, but his heart was reserved for someone else – his PE teacher! He developed a huge crush on the gorgeous hockey player, whose beauty hadn’t escaped the other boys in his school – Josh confessed that most of them tried to get a look at her when she was playing a match. As he grew up, Josh’s romantic side emerged and he had his first kiss aged 15, playing Spin the Bottle. At school, he was a real character who left an impression on all those around him. ‘He brought a smile to the face, could be a bit cheeky, but had a sparkle about him,’ said headteacher Martyn Parker.

After that taste of the big time with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Josh began to think seriously about making singing his aim in life. His other passion had been football, and he’d played for quite a few teams, including Ascot Juniors, but an injury put paid to his sporting dreams. So instead he focused on singing and in early 2007 he asked his mum and dad if he could audition for that year’s X Factor. Leona Lewis had won the year before and it would be Josh’s first opportunity to audition for the top-rated show, as that year was the first they’d lowered the minimum age for participants from 16 to 14. Having turned 14 the summer before, Josh just squeaked in and his mum Kathryn reluctantly agreed to let him go. It was an amazing eye-opener for Josh, who reached the Bootcamp stage before being turned down. ‘I was his chaperone and it was a very intense experience,’ said Josh’s mum. ‘He was probably too young then.’ While at The X Factor he also met Blair Dreelan, a singer who was auditioning as part of his band 4th Ba5e. They hit it off, and when 4th Ba5e split up, Josh and Blair started a group together called M4. Although that didn’t work out either, they stayed good friends and Blair was to play a key role in Josh’s future.

After his GCSEs, Josh went to Farnborough Sixth Form College, although he still hadn’t given up on his dream of making it in the music industry. Having attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School’s Saturday classes regularly for a few years, he’d made friends with Jaymi Hensley, another talented singer a couple of years older than himself. Together they talked about their passion for making it in music and before long Josh thought his big moment had come. Aged just 17, he won a place in a boyband called Replay and they signed a two-year management contract. He hoped that this meant his pop dreams were about to come true, although progress with Replay was slow and he wasn’t sure they were going to be successful. But soon another incredible opportunity came up that would rock Josh’s world. ‘About a year into the contract, I got approached by Jayne Collins, who was The Wanted’s manager,’ Josh explained. ‘She’d seen me performing with Replay and wanted me to join The Wanted as the fifth member.’ Josh met up with Max and the rest of the Wanted boys and their management where they outlined plans for the band. It sounded amazing and Josh desperately wanted to leave his current group and join The Wanted, but it proved impossible. ‘Me and my parents spent a lot of money trying to get me out of the contract, but there was nothing we could do – I was tied down,’ he said. ‘I missed out on a massive opportunity there. Every time I hear them I kick myself.’

Josh was gutted. He thought he’d missed his big break – after all, how many opportunities to join a successful boyband would occur in his life? But he was determined not to give up, to think positively and keep going. He carried on auditioning when he could, fitting it in around his studies until he left college in 2010. Josh took on jobs to make ends meet, including one stint selling mobile phones and then another working in an office doing IT sales. Although he found the work ‘really boring’, he had no other options until fame came calling again. But there were no guarantees. In his lowest moments Josh couldn’t help but wonder whether he would ever be able to sing for a living. His next big adventure came when he joined another boyband, this time called The Boulevard. Alongside bandmates Ryan Davies, Andy Rice and Alistar Jay, they supported Boyzone in a series of gigs across Ireland. Yet again, it was a near-miss for Josh, as the band had hoped to sign a record deal, but none materialised. It was a difficult time for Josh, especially because in 2011 his beloved nan died, leaving him gutted. ‘She struggled as a single mum to raise a family and we had nothing,’ he said. ‘She could always sing, and I grew up listening to her sing to us as kids. She always taught me to be humble and take every chance you get, as things happen for a reason.’

And things were definitely about to happen for Josh – finally. Now well known among music managers thanks to his stints in various bands, his stunning model looks and voice, he was snapped up with his friend Jaymi to join another new band called Rewind. There were five of them in total, with Billy Ashley, Ben Weedon and an ex-jockey called JJ Hamblett rounding out the group. Rewind started gigging around the country at various Pride events, but the boys weren’t happy with how things were going. Three of them – Josh, JJ and Jaymi – decided to change managers and go with Blair Dreelan instead, who had by then moved into music management. (He’d also had a brush with tabloid notoriety himself when his girlfriend, Sarah Robinson, left him for The X Factor’s 2010 winner, Matt Cardle!) It had been a whirlwind few months, but the buzz between the three guys was there – and after the rollercoaster journey they’d all been on in their earlier attempts at a pop career, they all hoped that this would be the band that stuck. And as a newly formed three-piece, they needed a new name. With all their initials the same, it seemed like destiny: Triple J were born.

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