Antony Costa

In early 2000, Antony Costa and Duncan James convinced Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe to form the group Blue. Blue’s R&B-influenced pop allowed the group to achieve commercial success in the United Kingdom and many other countries, including Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, France, Australia and New Zealand. 

The band released their debut single “All Rise” in May 2001 and it reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. Their follow up single “Too Close” was released in August 2001 peaking at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. They went on to achieve a second number one in November with the ballad “If You Come Back”. The album All Rise was released in time for Christmas and reached number one, eventually selling in excess of 1.8 million albums in the UK. The final single from the album, “Fly By II”, reached number six in March 2002. 

Their second studio album, One Love was released in October 2002, entering at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and selling more than 150,000 copies. Three singles were released from the album: “One Love”, which peaked at No. 3, “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word”, featuring vocals from Elton John, which peaked at No. 1, and “U Make Me Wanna”, which peaked at #4. Their third studio album, Guilty, was released in autumn 2003, entering at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and selling 100,000 copies on the week of release. The album spawned four singles, including the title track, “Guilty”, which peaked at No. 2, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours”, featuring vocal from Stevie Wonder and Angie Stone, which peaked at No. 11, “Breathe Easy”, which peaked at No. 4, and “Bubblin'”, which peaked at No. 9.

Following the release of Best of Blue, includes three tracks only previously in Japan: “The Gift”, “It’s Alright” and “Elements”. By the indication of the album booklet, a live version of “Lonely This Christmas” from CD:UK was intended to be track seven on the album, however, was removed from the tracklisting for unknown reasons. The album was released in July 2005, becoming available in several European countries, as well as Japan, Thailand and China, however, was a commercial failure and failed to chart anywhere. The album was not released in the UK, despite copies being widely available.

Antony was a contestant on the 2005 series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! 

He released his debut solo single called “Do You Ever Think of Me” in February 2006. The single made its debut and peaked at number nineteen on the UK Singles Chart. Antony worked on the song with Songwriter John McLaughlin and performed live with Scottish session musician Paul Boyd. He went on to compete in the 2006 Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up programme to find a competitor to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, but did not win the honour, with “It’s a Beautiful Thing”. In June 2006 Antony posed naked for Cosmopolitan magazine’s 10 Years of Naked Male Centrefolds, alongside other stars including singer Ronan Keating, actor Danny Dyer, Labour MP Jim Devine, and TV presenter Craig Doyle. Antony’s debut album, Heart Full of Soul was released on 3 July 2006 only in Japan by his record label, Globe Records.

From 10 April 2006, Antony played the lead role of Mickey Johnstone in the London production of the long-running musical Blood Brothers, directed and produced by Bill Kenwright; his contract ran to February 2007. From March, Costa toured the UK in the tenth anniversary tour of Boogie Nights. He had his first solo UK tour in February and March 2008, performing songs from his debut album. His UK tour had eighteen dates, which started on 16 February 2008 at The Brindley, in Runcorn and finished on 26 March 2008 in Barrow in Furness. He modelled for Giorgio Armani in late 2008. Costa has appeared twice on the BBC pop quiz Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 2006 and 2008 Antony played Jack in the 2009/2010 pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, in Ipswich. He toured with the production Popstar: The Musical, playing the part of Cal between April and July 2010, at a series of theatres, across the UK. Antony took part in a celebrity version of TV show Total Wipeout which aired on 18 September 2010.

The band represented the United Kingdom at the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest in Düsseldorf, Germany with the song “I Can” coming in 11th place with 100 points. Blue released their fourth studio album, Roulette on 25 January 2013 with “Hurt Lovers” as the lead single.

From May 2013, the group toured the UK and Ireland with the other groups in The Big Reunion concert series. 

In 2013 the group embarked on their first headlining tour in nearly ten years.