On this day, 27 July 1980, Welsh singer and actor Noel Sullivan (Noel John Hayes) was born in Cardiff.
He was a member of the British pop group Hear'Say. Like the other members of the group, he won his part through the talent show Popstars.
Sullivan grew up in Cardiff in a musical family with a strong choral background. He trained as a chorister, understudied for Welsh National Opera and performed in choirs. Aged 18, Sullivan toured the United States with The Black Mountain Male Chorus of Wales as a musical theatre soloist.
By this time Noel was living in Ely, Cardiff. Soon after his role within the chorus was at an end, whilst also working as a waiter, Sullivan auditioned in 2001 competing as an aspiring pop singer in the first series of the reality television documentary Popstars, which aired on the UK television channel ITV1.
He impressed the show's expert judges (who included Nigel Lythgoe and Nicki Chapman) enough to win selection as a founder member of the pop group Hear'say, alongside Danny Foster, Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh and Suzanne Shaw.
Hear'say went on to enjoy international success, selling nearly three million records worldwide. The group's debut single "Pure and Simple" became the fastest selling number one single of the UK Singles Chart at the time. The group also released another UK number one single and a number one album, as well as performing a sell out arena tour across the UK and Ireland. The group disbanded 18 months later after four single and two album releases.
Since the band’s split Sullivan has split his career been Musical Theatre and TV acting appearing in BBC’s Call The Midwife and Doctors.
