JLS star Aston Merrygold has opened up about how Oritsé Williams, Marvin Humes, and JB Gill are closer than ever, nearly 20 years after they first formed as JLS
It turns out that 10 children have more power than any record deal – just ask Aston Merrygold. The JLS star has lifted the lid on why he and his bandmates can’t seem to stay apart, and it has very little to do with showbiz loyalty.
Nearly two decades after JLS first burst onto the scene, the lads have confessed they’re “closer than ever”, but perhaps not for the reasons you’d expect.
The group, consisting of Oritsé Williams, Aston Merrygold, Marvin Humes, and JB Gill, became household names after finishing as runners-up on The X Factor in 2008. They went on to release four multi-platinum albums and bagged two Brit Awards before parting ways in 2013.
The foursome revealed they wanted to bow out “on top” while pursuing individual ventures. Fast forward to 2020, and the band announced their comeback with a reunion tour – though the coronavirus pandemic delayed those plans until late 2021.
How the JLS reunion sparked a deeper connection
Now, Aston Merrygold has disclosed that the bandmates stay connected for another compelling reason – their 10 children combined.
During an appearance on the CBeebies Parenting Download podcast, presented by Katie Thistleton and rapper Guvna B, the Cambridgeshire-born star explained that the youngsters are “like family” and consider themselves “cousins”.
Aston explained: “We’re more close now because it’s almost like it’s not our decision to see each other. It’s our kids.”
He elaborated: “They’re family, to the point of going, ‘oh, you know, my cousin and my other cousin’. They are honestly so, so close. It’s not really our decision anymore to see each other.
“Yes, we work together, we love each other, but now it’s like, ‘Okay, Grayson wants to see Valia, he wants to see Kiki or Hook’.
“It just is what it is. Now we have to follow their lead.”
Aston Merrygold on the JLS bandmates’ parenting support system
Like any parents, Aston explained it’s especially valuable for the bandmates as they’re each navigating different phases of parenthood and can offer mutual support.
He explained: “We’re all at such different stages with our kids, so we kind of lean on each other for those experiences that may have come up along the way.
“It’s nice to have that closeness and that trust within people who are just gonna tell you how it is.”
To listen to the latest episode of CBeebies Parenting Download click here.
