HE was a 90s heartthrob in one of the decade’s biggest British boybands.
With a bad boy image and bundles of energy, John Hendy, 55, and East 17 stood out from other, more clean cut, acts like Take That and Boyzone.
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East 17’s John Hendy is working as a roofer Credit: Tiktok/@johnhendye17
He was praised for his hard graft Credit: Tiktok/@johnhendye17
But even at the height of the group’s fame, they saw little of the money generated by hits like their huge Christmas number one Stay Another Day.
In the early days, the group’s members were only pocketing £125 a week each, proving the pop dream wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
The boys had differing fortunes after splintering in 1997 following controversial comments band member Brian Harvey made about taking ecstasy.
Band leader and songwriter Tony Mortimer continues to receive an estimated £97,000 each year for the popular Christmas hit.
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But bandmates John, Terry Coldwell and Brian Harvey aren’t included in the royalties.
John continued with the next iteration of the group, E-17, and was part of various line-ups over the years.
In 2018 though, enough was enough, and he decided to leave after falling out with Terry Coldwell and new arrival Robbie Craig.
It wasn’t long afterwards that he fell on hard times when the coronavirus pandemic shook the world. He was forced to move into a hostel with his family for 18 months, which he found particularly tough.
But in recent years things have taken a positive turn and John is successfully plying his trade as a roofer, the job he held before his pop career began.
He shares his trade on TikTok and his latest job saw him working on a tall property in Lewisham.
East 17 in 1995. From left to right, Terry Coldwell, Brian Harvey, John Hendy and Tony Mortimer Credit: Getty
Though he was praised for his work ethic, fans feel he should have made enough from music to retire.
One person commented: “No hate, but how is this guy still working when he sold the records he did. He should be retired and living it up somewhere hot. Great resurrection album E17.”
Another said: “Nothing but respect for this man – royalties and fair distribution should see him retired and taking life easy – very unfair but what a lovely guy – humble.”
John previously reflected on how shortchanged his group was in an interview with the Mail Online.
He said: “I haven’t even got a house and people think you’re millionaires and that, and I’m thinking, I don’t even got an house out of it.
“We should have all come out with a house, at least.”
However, John admitted that, despite hanging out with “rich friends”, he is content with his work van and regularly discusses the highs and lows of having money with his pals.
He recalled: “When I turn up to a party and my rich friends are coming in their Porsche’s and Range Rovers and I’m pulling up in my roofing van and I’m like ‘oh mate, it makes me feel sick coming to your parties’.
“And then they put it in perspective to me. They are like ‘John, mate, it’s money, it doesn’t mean nothing, mate’.
“One friend said to me ‘I’d rather give this all up and then just go out for one week and experience what you’ve done’, you know what I mean? Because what an experience that is.”
John said he didn’t even get a house out of his 90s fame Credit: Instagram/johnhendyeast17_official
