I haven’t missed sitting at Hamley’s signing dolls, I’ve missed being in the recording studio writing songs! And I think I speak for everyone on that. I think this time round is what all of us really want to do. Even if it never anywhere, at least you’re in the studio and working as musicians, not just as people who are the face of dolls. It was kind of like the missing piece I think: back in the day we never spend enough time actually working on writing music and being musicians. Jaymi: I think the aim for all of us is of course music. We’re writing next week together, we’re going to be in the studio. With a case of Covid-19 rendering JJ temporarily out of action, Attitude caught up with George, Jaymi and Josh ahead of the reunion show to find out what led them to this point, how label execs and media pressure contributed to George’s fear of coming out publicly and Jaymi’s fear of expressing himself freely, and how Josh and JJ have remained fierce allies throughout. Now with two out and proud gay members, Union J are ready to finally shine authentically as a foursome for the first time as they prepare for a musical comeback on their own terms.
Union J carried on for another two years as a trio and released a third record before Josh too decided to leave, but the unexpected events of 2020 and lockdown provided the opportunity for the foursome to reconnect and plot a comeback with a planned 10-year reunion show at the London Palladium on 28 May. Despite boasting an out and proud gay member in Jaymi throughout their time in the spotlight, the group’s youngest star George was secretly suffering in silence when it came to his own sexuality, coming out publicly shortly before departing the group in dramatic fashion in early 2016.