OH NO! WE'RE GOING TO SING LIVE
Jul 26 2005
Exclusive Bananarama's telly ordeal
Cath Bennett And Beverley Lyons

Keren and Sara EIGHTIES girl band Bananarama were terrified when they appeared on Top Of The Pops for the first time in more than 10 years - because it was going out live.

The duo have been very relaxed about their comeback bid, but admitted that playing on the BBC pop show two weeks ago was the most scary part of it.

Keren Woodward said: 'It was very nerve-wracking due to the fact that it goes out live now. It never used to. 'I had to walk down stairs in my heels and I was terrified I was going to fall. That was probably when I was most nervous.'

Keren and Sara Dallin are attempting to crack the charts with new single Move In My Direction, released yesterday. The last time they charted in the UK top 40 was in March 1993 with More More More.

The pair deny Bananarama ever split up, but they did struggle to get a record deal in the UK until they signed to indie label A&G 18 months ago.

Their new album will include remixes of the hits Venus and Really Saying Something, but Keren claims the pair are not taking the nostalgic route to success.

The 44-year-old said: 'It's something we've avoided. The new album has a couple of out and out pop tracks, but it's also quite dancey, trancey and electronic.'

While there are no collaborations on the album, due for release in September, Keren is hoping to work with one of the world's hottest rappers. 'I'd really like to do a collaboration with Snoop Dogg,' she said. 'I think people won't expect us to work together, but we'll give it a whirl.'

Bananarama are undaunted by the number of much younger acts nowadays. Keren believes the scene is very similar to the Eighties - only there are more media outlets and live events. She said: 'For the last couple of months, the magazines, radio stations and internet things we've done have been relentless. 'There are also so many more roadshows and 'parties in the park'. 'But we don't feel threatened by the younger acts. In a way, we feel sorry for them and wonder how long they'll last. In our first roadshow, the first 20 rows were teenage girls screaming at the boy bands. 'But although they didn't know the new single, they were really into us. It's quite satisfying getting these young fans.'

One of Keren's teenage fans is her 18year-old son Tom, who's so proud of his mum he has decided to work with her. He's planning a career in the film industry, and has started by shooting Bananarama's DVD. Keren said: 'We're employing him now - and get him at a very cheap rate.' But Keren has ruled out ever making music with her partner, ex-Wham star Andrew Ridgley, or hooking up with ex-bandmate Siobhan Fahey.

Keren and Sara are getting as many column inches for their yummy mummy looks as for their new single. But Keren denies she's had plastic surgery or extravagant treatments. She said: 'I rarely got to the gym. I'm a bit lazy and don't diet. 'I'd never go to get my face tweaked as I might not like the outcome