Their Glastonbury set was so popular this summer that security officials were forced to shut down entry to their stage to avoid a crush as fans rushed to catch a glimpse of the ’00s girl band.

Now, Sugababes are set to hit the road for their ‘biggest ever UK and European tour’ in spring 2025, with shows lined up in cities such as London, Birmingham, and Cardiff.

The original members – Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena and Siobhan Donaghy – reunited in 2019 and have since sold out The O2, shut down Glastonbury stages twice due to demand and performed to record breaking crowds at European gigs.

Announcing the tour in a joint statement, the Push The Button singers said: ‘We are so excited to announce our biggest ever UK and European tour. 

‘The last few years have been an absolute blast, and we can’t wait to hit the road together next spring! Wait until you see what we’ve got up our sleeve. Tickets on sale Friday 25th October 10AM UK/11AM CET.’

But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the About You Now hitmakers; over the years, the Sugababes have become as famous for their line-up changes and group infighting as their hits.

Even as recently as February this year, the group appeared to be embroiled in a feud as former bandmate Heidi Range’s mother criticised the original members for picking up a MOBO Award without her.

Here, FEMAIL explores the ups and downs for the noughties band as they prepare to impress fans with their renditions of their popular hits…

EVER-CHANGING LINE-UP

Sugababes was created in 1998, when best friends Keisha Buchanan and Mutya Buena met Siobhan Donaghy and signed their first record deal aged 13.

But amid stories that in-band cattiness was pushing her over the edge, Siobhan fled in 2001 – never returning from the loo during the middle of a Far East tour.

‘Being in the Sugababes made me feel like a zombie. I learnt a lot about how awful people can be,’ she claimed, pointing the finger at Keisha.

She was replaced by former Atomic Kitten Heidi Range, who subsequently spent most of her early months in tears.

Mutya walked out in 2005, saying she had always hated her bandmates, to be replaced by Amelle Berrabah. 

Keisha was then ousted in a dramatic showdown, and replaced with Eurovision Song Contest singer Jade Ewen in 2009.

Two years later, the band decided to split for good before the original line-up Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan reclaimed the band name and reformed.

Speaking about the in-fighting, Mutya later said the group were formed as teenagers and had a lot of ‘bad influences’ around them, adding that they don’t have the time for feuds now they’re adults. 

‘MESSY’ SPLIT AND AMELLE’S FEUD WITH KEISHA

However, Amelle, who replaced founding member Mutya in the group when she joined in 2005, said that she didn’t feel ready to leave the band when they decided to split in 2011.

Standing in for Lizzie Cundy on FUBAR Radio in 2019, the singer offered an insight into her infamous feud with former band mate Keisha, which resulted in her being kicked out of the group.

Speaking on the split, she said: ‘It did get a little messy because it wasn’t left on the best of terms. It wasn’t left on “Oh I am ready to leave now.”

Amelle added: ‘I’m just sorry that Jade didn’t get to experience a longer period, she was just getting into it.’

Detailing her relationship with Keisha, who gave music bosses an ultimatum between her and Amelle, she said they were finally on civil terms eight years later.

She said: ‘If I saw her, I’d be like “How you doing?”, blah blah blah… But sometimes when things happen, you can’t 100% put them back together again. It’s similar, it’s just not the same.’

Revealing how she met up with Keisha 18 months prior, she explained that they discussed their past spat and both admitted to their own faults in the disagreement.

She said: ‘We brought up some old times and were like you know.. “My bad..”‘  

Confirming who she meant, she said: ‘Both. Yeah, I’d say both [of us]. There were a couple of things which she brought up and I thought “Yeah, I really appreciate you saying that. It takes some guts.” But yeah, we’ve not really kept in contact.’

IN THERAPY OVER ‘BULLYING’ CLAIMS

In 2021, Keisha admitted she was still having therapy more than a decade after being forced out of the group for allegedly bullying her band-mates. 

The singer parted ways with the band she helped form in 2009, with Jade Ewan quickly stepping in to replace her alongside Heidi Range and Amelle Berrabah.  

Reflecting on her bitter departure during an appearance on BBC documentary Race, Pop And Power with Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Keisha claimed she was ordered to leave following allegations of intimidating behaviour. 

She said: ‘I don’t know if people know this but I didn’t actually leave but I was replaced while still being in the band. 

‘I remember and being sat down and told “this person feels bullied, that one there feels bullied” and I was like “I was giving that one a foot massage legit the day before!” 

‘If I had an opinion it was very much like “ok, you’re being a bully”. That was the word.’ 

Looking back at the impact her departure from the commercially successful Sugababes had on her wellbeing, she added: ‘That whole situation changed the course of my life. It affected me emotionally, mentally, financially.

‘I have confidence issues and just feeling like the whole time I couldn’t have an opinion in the work place. It’s taken me years to process and I’m still in therapy.’

Confirming her departure in a statement to fans in 2009, Keisha insisted it wasn’t her decision to leave amid unconfirmed claims that she had been sacked.

She announced: ‘I’m sad to say that I am no longer a part of the Sugababes … Although it was not my choice to leave, it’s time to enter a new chapter in my life. 

‘I would like to state that there were no arguments, bullying or anything of the sort that lead [sic] to this. Sometimes a breakdown in communication and lack of trust can result in many different things.’ 

The singer went on to form the short-lived girl-group Mutya Keisha Siobhan with founding Sugababes Mutya Buena and Siobhán Donaghy, but an album failed to materialise. 

On 13 January 2015, Keisha successfully filed for the Sugababes name to be trademarked in the United States, with the singer achieving ownership of the US Sugababes trademark 12-months later. 

During a previous appearance on This Morning, Keisha explained that she was often portrayed as an instigator of the band’s fights – saying that she now believes this was an example of systemic racism.

She said: ‘I believe that systemic racism comes in all different forms and if you’re abusing someone’s character to manipulate them… it’s based on perception.

‘Some people had never met me and just decided I was the instigator of situations, and no one ever gave me the chance to say actually what happened. We know in life there are always two sides to every story.’ 

FORCED TO TAKE ON ‘NORMAL JOBS’ AMID BREAK FROM SPOTLIGHT 

In 2023, the Sugababes members discussed the ‘normal jobs’ that they took on during their break from the spotlight as they opened up about going ‘through the trenches.’

Having reunited for a comeback tour in 2022, the original trio found themselves at the centre of a record label bidding war, almost 25 years after originally forming. 

Speaking to The Sun, Siobhán revealed: ‘I was a model booker for six years and then went into property in Edinburgh. I feel like I really thrived as a model booker – I felt like it was my calling, I loved it.’

Recalling her 9-to-5 job, Siobhán explained how she learnt valuable skills to get ‘organised in life.’ 

Meanwhile, Mutya admitted that she didn’t have the same ‘blessing of normality’ that her bandmate experienced.   

‘My whole life has been in the industry, since I was 14. I couldn’t have done anything else because people would recognise me,’ she said. 

The band reformed in 2012 with their original line-up, under the name of Mutya Keisha Siobhan as Sugababes was still owned by their previous record label. They won back the rights to the name in 2019. 

Keisha explained how the band was her ‘first job’, only departing in 2009 after she was ‘forced’ out of the group.  

A year and a half later she joined Mutya and Siobhán to regroup as MKS as they fought to get their name back and stood their ground for ten years.

She added: ‘We’ve been through the trenches. It’s been a journey that changed who I am 100%. Them watching us now is like icing on the cake. They lost. But we also know that things could change tomorrow.’ 

‘TURNED DOWN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DOCUMENTARY’

In September 2023, it was reported that Sugababes reportedly turned down the opportunity to make a documentary charting their years together as a band. 

The group instead decided to leave the past alone after each being asked if they would be willing to take part in the project. 

According to The Sun all three members of the current trio were asked as well as former members Jade Ewen, Amelle Berrabah and Heidi Range.

The documentary was set to showcase the bands last 23 years together, journeying both the highs and the lows – but it seems the members both past and present would rather not relive the fights. 

Only Heidi agreed to be involved in the documentary leading producers to abandon any plans to film all together. 

ORIGINAL TRIO ‘LEFT FURIOUS’ AFTER FORMER MEMBERS ‘PLAN RIVAL TOUR’ AS FEUD RUMBLES ON

In March 2024, it was suggested the group’s bitter feud between the original members and the ex bandmates they’ve left behind still rumbled on. 

It was reported that the touring trio were left furious amid claims Heidi Range, who was part of the band between 2001 and 2011, was in talks to hit the road with Amelle Berrabah, who was also in the line up between 2005 and 2011.

A source told The Sun: ‘Heidi and Amelle have been approached about doing a tour as alternative Sugababes and their first call would be fellow ex-member Jade Ewen.

‘There’s a huge appetite for the Noughties and Heidi and Amelle can offer fans something very different to the original line-up. The original trio are furious that the others want to try and use the name as they feel it’s theirs.’

MailOnline contacted Heidi and Amelle and Sugababes’ reps for comments at the time.

Sugababes shot into the charts back in 2000 with their debut single Overload and went on to enjoy a plethora of hits including About You Now, Freak Like Me and Push The Button.

But it wasn’t always plain sailing and the group were renowned for their fall outs which led to the line up being changed three times before returning to the original threesome in 2012.

Siobhan left in 2001 and was replaced by Heidi, Mutya left in 2005 and was replaced by Amelle and Keisha was replaced by Jade when she departed in 2009. The replacement members stopped making music in 2011.

The band reformed in 2012 with their original line-up, under the name of Mutya Keisha Siobhan as Sugababes was still owned by their previous record label, but they won back the rights to the name in 2019.

HEIDI RANGE’S MOTHER SLAMS GROUP FOR PICKING UP MOBO AWARD WITHOUT HER

It comes after Mutya seemingly hit back at former bandmate Heidi and her mother after they took a swipe at the group earlier this year. 

The group, which now consists of Mutya, Siobhán, and Keisha won the Impact MOBO Award – and it appears to have bothered Heidi and her mother.

As the trio picked up their award and gave an acceptant speech, Heidi took to Instagram and proudly posted a selfie directly in front of her Sugababes wall of fame. 

She wrote: ‘It’s raining and it’s freezing, but I’m manifesting the sun. It’s almost the weekend and half term, we’ve got this! Happy Thursday all.’

Meanwhile, Heidi’s mother commented at how ‘proud’ she was of Heidi’s history and slammed the trio for being ‘disrespectful for carrying on the group without her’.

She wrote: ‘Yes Heidi all the songs you wrote and made hits you can’t rewrite history or the facts no matter how much you pretend . So very proud of you, mum.’

She continued: ‘I just can’t believe the cheek of it. Sugarbabes didn’t have a hit till Heidi joined 6 number 1 singles and multi platinum albums it is so false and disrespectful the way they are carrying on shame on them.’

Furious Mutya seemingly hit back at Heidi’s mother’s comments on Sunday and claimed they need to ‘get over it’ and ‘stop putting them down for what they deserve’.

She wrote: ‘I wasn’t gonna say nothing but f*** it, I will… now firstly I’m not here to hurt feelings but hold tight.

‘When I wasn’t in the group and the girls was doing big things WITHOUT ME, do you think I was getting upset about not being mentioned?

‘Sooooo let’s just be nice and get over it, we all deserve our flowers but it was me Shiv, and Keisha on the stage accepting our award at MOBOS and YES WE DESERVED IT. I’m over people putting me and my ladies down.’ 

MailOnline contacted both Heidi and the Sugababes’ representatives for a comment at the time. 

SHUT DOWN GLASTONBURY STAGE DUE TO DEMAND 

As part of their successful comeback, the British girl group took Glastonbury by storm this summer, with a jam-packed crowd all hoping to see the Sugababes forcing security to shut down entry to their stage.

The West Holts stage, which has capacity for 35,000 people, had to operate a ‘one in one out’ system to avoid a crush as fans arrived to watch the Sugababes.

The English girl group performed at Glastonbury in 2022 on the smaller Avalon Stage which has a capacity of 3,000 – but police restricted entry to the gig to stop more people arriving due to safety concerns.

Sensibly this year the original 1998 Sugababes line-up were upgraded to the festival’s West Holts stage but once again, they proved to be more popular than Glastonbury organisers imagined.

One music fan tweeted: ‘Never seen a crowd like Sugababe at West Holts today. Was there in 2022 when they closed Avalon and same thing happened today. Not sure I’ll see a better show this weekend. Pyramid stage surely next…’

Around 20 minutes before the Sugababes arrived onstage at 5pm on the Friday, stewards had stopped fans entering from certain directions to prevent the field from becoming too full.

Speaking of the gig and the jam-packed crowd, singer Mutya told Lauren Laverne and Clara Amfo on BBC Two: ‘Looking at it now, it’s very emotional. We’ve had such a blessed time.

Fellow Sugababe Siobhán said: ‘There is an amazing energy here. And you know you’re going to get a good crowd.’

The pop group admitted they felt pressure ahead of another performance at Glastonbury because ‘every time we’ve come, something historical has happened’.

Keisha said : ‘Obviously shutting down the Avalon stage, that’s pressure by the way.’ Siobhan said she was questioning, ‘how do we live up to the last time’, while Mutya said: ‘I think that’s what I was really worried about, not living up to the last time.’

The group were even worried that no one would turn up to their Glastonbury performance.

Appearing on This Morning after the show, the About You Now hitmakers spoke about how nervous they were ahead of their performance. 

Keisha said: ‘We are always super nervous especially when we are going out to perform because we think like is anyone going to show up?

‘But it was really nice. We had the best time. It doesn’t get old for us. We are so grateful. 

‘To get the response we have had has been incredible we don’t take it for granted. We got on a plane as soon as we got off the stage and went to Marrakech.’