How two reluctant actors became the UK's biggest pop stars of the mid-nineties
In short: In 1994, two actors sang a song at a wedding on a television drama. The public reaction was so intense that a persistent Simon Cowell spent months hounding them to record it. They eventually relented, launching a brief, record-breaking music career that left critics baffled and the charts dominated.
The phenomenon began when Robson Green and Jerome Flynn, stars of the ITV series Soldier Soldier, performed an impromptu cover of Unchained Melody as their characters. The response was immediate; viewers flooded the network with requests to purchase the track. Simon Cowell, sensing a massive commercial opportunity, pursued the pair relentlessly. Green even threatened legal action to stop Cowell’s constant harassment, but after four months of pressure, the actors signed a contract to record as a duo.
Their debut single, a double A-side featuring Unchained Melody, spent seven weeks at the top of the UK charts and became the best-selling song of 1995. The duo achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first musical act in the UK to see their first three singles debut directly at number one. Despite selling 7 million albums and 5 million singles, the pair eventually walked away from the industry, turning down a £3 million offer from Cowell for a third record.
While the public embraced their polished covers of pop and rock classics, the music press was largely hostile. Critics dismissed the act as manufactured nostalgia, arguing that the duo lacked genuine artistic merit. The controversy deepened when allegations surfaced that their recordings were augmented by uncredited session singers to hit notes the actors could not reach. Producer Mike Stock eventually admitted in 2008 that while Green and Flynn did sing on the tracks, their vocals were indeed assisted by professionals like Des Dyer, who was paid £75,000 to settle claims regarding his involvement.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Robson & Jerome
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/culture-robson-jerome.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in UK & Irish culture · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics
