Pubdate: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 Source: Guardian, The (UK) Website: http://www.newsunlimited.co.uk/guardian/ Address: 75 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER, England Email: 2001 Guardian Newspapers Limited Forum: http://www.newsunlimited.co.uk/BBS/News/0,2161,Latest|Topics|3,00.html Fax: +44-171-837 4530 Author: Matt Wells Note: Article is Part 4a in Guardian Newspapers Limited ongoing special report series entitled "Drugs In Britain" DRUGS SHAME THREAT TO TEEN BAND S CLUB 7 Even for a teen band with a profile problem, sharing a spliff in the street seems a rather drastic way of revitalising your career. But with the front pages dominated by the pop kids of Popstars, S Club 7 must have been desperate - or just careless. Either way, the indiscretions of the band's three male singers were the hottest showbiz news yesterday and the band were forced to issue a contrite apology. "We have been very stupid. We know we've made a mistake and we're very sorry," they said. Bradley McIntosh, 18, Paul Cattermole, 24, and Jon Lee, 19, accepted a formal caution from police after being arrested in Covent Garden, central London, on Tuesday. They had reportedly been smoking a joint in the street when officers smelt it - one of the band members apparently attempted to stub it out on the pavement when they were spotted. Their four female colleagues were not involved. It is too early to determine the effect of S Club 7's "drug shame" on their popularity. The band are known for a particularly squeaky clean image: they were formed as part of a children's TV show. Their BBC1 programmes, Miami 7 and LA 7, provided a platform for their records. The band went straight to the top of the charts with their first single, Bring It All Back, in 1999. They have enjoyed a string of hits such as S Club Party, Reach and Two In A Million. But, despite the exposure provided by their TV shows, they have never achieved the status of other teen appeal bands such as Westlife, All Saints and Boyzone. After the revelations yesterday, the BBC was quick to distance itself from the band. A spokesman said: "They are not doing anything for us at the moment and they are not BBC staff. It would not be for us to comment." But Valerie Riches, president of Family and Youth Concern, said: "The broadcasting authorities have got to remember the enormous responsibility they have and the sort of message that this is sending out to children. I would like them to take their responsibilities far more seriously than they are doing at the moment." A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "Three men aged 18, 24 and 19 were arrested for possession of cannabis. They were taken to Charing Cross police station where they received a formal caution and were released." All three had admitted the offence. Lee and Cattermole later faced a grilling live on air while presenting video phone-in show Select on MTV. Journalist Dominic Mohan, from the Sun, called in to ask what they had been up to, "smoking a joint in public". Lee admitted they had done "something very stupid". He added: "We regret it very much. We know we have let down a lot of people and we are very sorry about that." Asked whether they were embarrassed, Lee replied: "Not really embarrassed, but we are just very upset about it. It was a stupid thing to do." Mohan asked them to play The Verve's hit The Drugs Don't Work, but instead they played the new S Club 7 song Don't Stop Movin'. Highs and lows • Boyzone band member Mikey Graham revealed last year that he had smoked cannabis and believed it to be less dangerous than alcohol. As he prepared for the release of his solo single in May he admitted that he liked to smoke, drink and get high when the hordes of screaming girl fans had gone home. • Ex-Blue Peter presenter Richard Bacon was sacked by the BBC in October 1998 after the News of the World revealed he had snorted cocaine. He made a public apology to his young fans. He went on to the job of roving reporter on the Big Breakfast. • At the beginning of 1997 East 17's lead singer Brian Harvey was fired after he described ecstasy as "safe" and claimed that he had taken 12 tablets in one night. He later apologised for being "totally out of order". • In 1997 Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was given a police caution for possession of cocaine. His brother Noel Gallagher later said taking drugs was "like having a cup of tea in the morning". • Last month Myleene Klass of new pop band Hear'Say called for cannabis to be legalised. In an interview with The Face, the 22-year-old said she did not think it should be illegal to smoke cannabis.