Thrillz investigates and takes a look back at Chesney Hawkes’ career highlights
English pop singer-songwriter Chesney Hawkes has enjoyed a long, successful career since he debuted in the early 1990s. He’s racked up a number of chart hits, acted in films and on stage, and even won a Bronze Medal for his athletic prowess on a memorable Channel 4 series.
But what are his top career highs so far? Let’s take a look at his diverse body of work …
Chesney Hawkes — The One and Only
“The One and Only” was a big hit on the UK Singles Chart: it stayed in the number-one spot for five weeks, and remains popular to this day. The song was taken from the soundtrack to Buddy’s Song, a 1991 film starring Hawkes (then just 19 years old). The story follows the exploits of Hawkes’ character Buddy as he tries to make it as a pop star.
Hawkes shared the screen with The Who icon Roger Daltry in Buddy’s Song, and proved himself to be a charismatic, likeable performer. Hawkes told The Guardian that his dad took him to audition for the film after seeing Daltry discuss the project on GMTV, and he beat hundreds of other hopefuls to win the coveted role.
“The One and Only” has appeared in various other films over the years, including the 1991 Michael J. Fox movie Doc Hollywood and three films by director Duncan Jones: Moon, Source Code, and Mute.
What Other Singles Has Chesney Hawkes Released?
Hawkes followed “The One and Only” with “I’m a Man Not a Boy” in the same year, which reached the UK top 30. It was produced by Nik Kershaw, who also wrote Hawkes’ number-one debut.
Other singles include “What’s Wrong With This Picture?”, released in 1993, and “Stay Away Baby Jane” in 2002. The latter was a collaboration with Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger. Both singles entered the UK Singles Chart.
Chesney Hawkes Takes on The Games and Hit Me, Baby, One More Time
Hawkes is no stranger to the small screen. One of his most notable appearances saw him take part in the third series of Channel 4’s The Games in 2005. He competed in multiple Olympic-style challenges alongside actor Craig Charles, presenter Kirsty Gallacher, comedian/presenter Mel Giedroyc, and several other celebrities. Hawkes performed incredibly well throughout The Games, and walked away with a Bronze Medal. He also made a brief appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in 2009, as contestants were required to worship at a shrine dedicated to the singer-songwriter for one of their tasks.
That same year Hawkes joined other pop stars on ITV’s singing competition Hit Me, Baby, One More Time. Fellow contestants included Gloria Gaynor, Honeyz, Belinda Carlisle, and 911. Chesney Hawkes reached the show’s grand final, but 1980s star Shakin’ Stevens was ultimately named the winner.
Let’s Dance For Comic Relief
In Let’s Dance For Comic Relief, celebrities performed well-known dance routines in aid of Comic Relief and Sport Relief. Chesney Hawkes appeared on the third series in 2011, as part of The 80s Supergroup (along with Clare Grogan, Limahl, and Toyah Wilcox).
The 80s Supergroup danced to “Greased Lightnin’”, the iconic Grease track, and made it to the show’s final. Other finalists included Adrian Edmonson, Noel Fielding, and Katie Price.
Dancing on Ice and Panto!
Dozens of celebrities have skated on ITV’s Dancing on Ice, and Chesney Hawkes was due to take part in 2012, but he was unfortunately forced to pull out of the show after fracturing his ankle.
In 2021, Hawkes admitted to Woman’s Own that the injury was likely due to being “hungover from the night before”, which would have been New Year’s Eve. “A tip here — don’t ice-skate hungover,” he said.
The English pop singer also went on to play himself in Panto!, a one-off ITV comedy broadcast in December 2012. The show was written by comedians John Bishop and Jonathan Harvey, perhaps best known for his work on Coronation Street.
Chesney Hawkes joined the well-known British performers as Bishop himself, Sheridan Smith, Mark Benton, Kaye Wragg, and Kenneth Cranham. Panto! received positive reviews, and Hawkes was praised for his grasp of physical comedy as an accident-prone version of himself.
Hawkes also reached the semi-finals of BBC One’s hit cooking competition Celebrity Master Chef in 2015. Other celebrities included winner Kimberly Wyatt, Arlene Phillips, and Yvette Fielding.
What Musicals has Chesney Hawkes Starred In?
Chesney Hawkes has put his singing and acting talents to good use in multiple stage shows.
As Tony Lowiman in the musical Can’t Smile Without You, Hawkes performed a number of Barry Manilow songs. The show opened at the Liverpool Empire Theatre and transitioned to the West End.
He also starred in a production of the classic musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Brentwood Centre in Essex in 2018.
How Many Albums has Chesney Hawkes Released?
Chesney Hawkes has released several albums during his long career. Get The Picture hit the shelves in 1993, featuring “What’s Wrong With This Picture?”, “Help Me To Help Myself”, and “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know”.
The Very Best Of Chesney Hawkes was released in 2005. Which included “The One and Only”, “I’m a Man Not a Boy”, “Secrets of the Heart”, and “Missing You Already”.
2008’s Another Fine Mess featured the tracks “Stay Away Baby Jane”, “Another Fine Mess”, and “Her”. This was followed by Me My Mouse & I in 2009 and Real Life Love in 2012.
Where Is Chesney Hawkes Now?
Chesney Hawkes continues to sing, write songs, and tour. Today, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife Kristina and their three children.
He released “It’s Not Like This (With Other People)” in April 2021, and his 2021 tour encompasses multiple gigs across the UK. Fans can also hear Chesney Hawkes on the podcast We Are All A Bit Mental, along with DJ Brandon Block, writer and actress Lynn Ferguson, and writer and DJ Neil Harrington.
The podcast involves open discussions on mental health issues, and the hosts have spoken to guests from academia, entertainment, and other diverse fields. The first episode went live in February 2021, and the team has recorded two seasons so far.