With only days before this year’s Celebrity Big Brother housemates are unmasked, Chesney Hawkes has emerged as one of the rumoured contestants. The former '90s heartthrob, who rose to fame in that decade with his hit The One And Only, is tipped to enter the famous house alongside TV presenter Angellica Bell, TOWIE star Ella Rae Wise, former Love Islander Chris Hughes and chat show host Trisha Goddard.
Ahead of the new series starting on 7 April, here’s what we know about Hawkes…
Who is Chesney Hawkes?
Chesney Hawkes is a British singer and actor. He found fame after starring as lead character Buddy Clark in the 1991 comedy-drama film Buddy’s Song, alongside The Who frontman Roger Daltrey. The movie featured the song The One And Only, which became a huge hit after its release, becoming the UK’s Number One single for five weeks and reaching the Top 10 in the US.
Dubbed a ‘one-hit wonder’ by record bosses, Hawkes’ follow-up songs weren’t as successful: I’m A Man Not A Boy peaked at Number 27 in the UK, while What’s Wrong With This Picture?, Stay Away Baby Jane and Another Fine Mess featuring in the Top 100.
Hawkes has tried to emulate his ‘90s success with stints on The Games, Let’s Dance For Comic Relief, Sing If You Can and Celebrity MasterChef. He also appeared in the musical Can’t Smile Without You, featuring songs from Barry Manilow. He was due to take part on the 2012 series of Dancing On Ice but had to pull out after fracturing his ankle and was replaced by former X Factor singer Chico Slimani.
How old is Chesney Hawkes?
Chesney was born on 22 September 1971, making him 53.
Who is Chesney Hawkes’ wife?
Chesney has been with American model and actress Kristina ‘Krissy’ since they met in a London pub in 1995. ‘It was pretty instant when I met Krissy. She was 20, I was 22. She walked into a pub in Mortlake, London, near where I lived, to celebrate 4 July,’ he recalled. ‘I asked if I could buy her a drink. She said, “I’ll have a pint of lager”. In my head I thought, “Marry me”.’
The couple married on 4 July 1997 and have been together ever since. They lived in Los Angeles for 12 years before they moved back to Surrey in 2024.
How many children does Chesney Hawkes have?
Chesney and Krissy have three children – sons Casey, 23, and Indiana ‘Indi’, 18, and daughter Jesse, 21. Casey is a film director while Indi has followed in his father and grandfather’s musical footsteps and plays lead guitar in The Tremeloes.
Who are Chesney Hawkes’ parents?
Chesney Hawkes is quite the nepo-baby before they were even a thing! His father is singer and bassist Chip Hawkes from the ‘60s band The Tremeloes, while his mum is former actress and game show hostess Carol Dilworth. His sister is songwriter Keely Hawkes, who was lead singer of 1990s band Transister, and his brother Jodie played drums in Chesney’s band.
Who wrote The One And Only song?
The One And Only was written by Nik Kershaw, who also penned other hits like I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Wouldn’t It Be Good and The Riddle.
What does Chesney Hawkes do now?
He is currently singing in The Tremeloes alongside his youngest son Indi (who’s lead guitarist), brother Jodie and their dad. He’s also planning a music comeback with a UK tour.