I fronted a 90s boyband and sold 3m records but I turned my back on fame to become a trainee chef
A TOP boyband star with an equally famous pop singer wife has switched chart success for a completely different career.
Jade Jones, 44, is best known for being the lead vocalist of 90s boy band Damage and is married to Spice Girl Emma Bunton, 47.
The R&B group sold more than 2.6million records worldwide with singles such as Wonderful Tonight, which reached number three in the UK charts.
Damage disbanded in 2001 before re-connecting in 2014 for ITV2 show The Big Reunion.
Yet despite proving hugely popular with fans, Jade turned his back on fame.
He swapped the stage for the kitchen, becoming a chef, going onto work at five-star hotel Claridge’s.
He even worked with Gordon Ramsay, 56, impressing the chef on his TV show, The F Word.
Jade also showed off his foodie flair at the high end Connaught hotel in London’s Mayfair.
Previously, he told the Daily Mail he was “serious” about opening an eatery with the Spice Girl.
He said: “Yes, I want to open a restaurant with Emma.
“We’re not sure when or where yet, but it’s something we’re seriously looking in to.”
He added: “I won’t let Emma in the kitchen any more.
“I’ve heard Gordon Ramsay has two kitchens in his house, so we might do the same.
“One for me, and one for her.”
Emma and Jade finally married in July 2021 after Baby Spice posted a photo of their special day on her Instagram.
Captioned with a beautiful photo of the pair, Emma simply wrote: “Mr and Mrs Jones!”
The couple had been engaged since January 21, 2011, with Emma previously revealing that they “don’t need a wedding to justify our relationship.”
Jade’s carer switch came after a Nineties Britpop star looked completely unrecognisable following his band’s bitter split.
Meanwhile, we recently reported how American rocker Dan Spitz traded in his guitarist role in metal band Anthrax for a career as a watch-maker.
A Nineties hitmaker also switched pop fame to re-train as a mental health nurse – much to the surprise of fans.
A Canadian rock band frontman has also totally changed his look from his curly-blonde locks.
Meanwhile, another UK rocker switched careers completely to become an psychologist.
Simon Rowbottom found fame in top alternative rock band The Boo Radleys in the 1990s alongside Steve Hewitt, Tim Brown, Martin Carr, Rob Harrison and Rob Cieka.
What’s more, Simon is not the only member of the Wallasey-based group to return to a normal career.
Bassist Tim Brown quit fame to become an IT teacher in Northern Ireland.