He did admit to one indulgence – traditional sweets
Tony Hadley admitted to being an “addictive person”, but not in the way you might think. The 1980s pop icon has always steered clear of drugs, despite the assumptions many make about his industry.
In a heart-warming and humorous conversation with the Mirror in 2023, he revealed that he never dared to experiment with drugs due to a stern warning from his formidable grandmother. He said: “People say to me, ‘You must have taken a line of coke, you’ve been in the music business for years’. But I’ve never taken any drugs.
“I promised my nan I’d never do drugs – and it was kind of like the mafia, my family. I do love a beer and a glass of wine, but you know what, I don’t need to take any drugs. I’m vibe-y enough.”
He also confessed to giving up the champagne lifestyle, saying: “My rider now compared to the 1980s is that I don’t have champagne on it. It gives me heartburn.
“Saying that, we don’t have green tea either – our rider is 48 bottles of beer, three bottles of white, three bottles of red, bottle of vodka and a bottle of Jack.”
He did admit to one indulgence – traditional sweets.
He said: “I love Jelly Beans, Liquorice Comfits, Jelly Babies.”
Tony hails from a large working-class family and spent his childhood playing amongst the bomb sites of Islington, North London.
It was in his parents’ front room during the 1960s that he discovered his passion for swing music.
He said: “I’d like to go back to the Rat Pack era in Las Vegas. I’d like to be in a room with Sammy Davis, Dean Martin, Sinatra and all the greats… because it was a brilliant time for music.”
Tony recently took to the stage in Liverpool, opening a music festival on the city’s iconic Pier Head. He performed as the headline act in the ‘Legends Day’ slot to a packed crowd.
