…people thought I’d fail – I’ve proved them wrong’

Primeval star and ex S Clubber, Hannah Spearritt, 26, on leaving pop stardom behind, finding happiness on TV – and owing it all to Billie Piper…

Hannah Spearritt is a girl done good. The former S Club 7 singer could so easily have gone the same way as many ex-pop band members before her – languishing in obscurity only to reappear for an occasional dip in the murky waters of reality TV. As it is, she’s become a mistress of reinvention, forging a highly respectable new career as an actress in the hit ITV1 drama, Primeval, which returns for a second series next Saturday night. When the tweeny pop sensations disbanded in April 2003, Rachel Stevens was the one predicted to succeed (the, erm, Gary Barlow of the outfit, if you like), and for a while that seemed to be the case. But no longer. Hannah has overtaken her ex-band mate on screen, proving herself to be the unpredictable Robbie Williams-style star of the group.

‘I don’t know about that. But what is quite nice is I don’t think anyone expected me to do anything – I was the underdog, I suppose,’ she says. ‘I always wanted to do something in the acting world, but I can see why no one predicted that I’d make a go of it.’

Hannah’s breakthrough as an actress has invited parallels with Billie Piper, who herself made a stunning transformation from teen popstrel to credible actor. ‘She’s done great, full respect to her. She’s going to be around for a long time, and I hope I can do the same. We’re very different types of actresses, but she’s shown it can be done and without that, I might not have found my route through.’ (more…)