Jonathan Lee (born 26 April 1982) is an English singer and actor. Lee is the youngest member of pop group S Club, who disbanded in April 2003, before reuniting in March 2023. With a long career in musical theatre, he has taken on roles in more than 17 productions, including the West End shows Les Misérables and Jersey Boys.
Jon Lee | |
|---|---|
_in_Jersey_Boys_2013.jpg) Lee in Jersey Boys 2013 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jonathan Lee |
| Born | 26 April 1982 Croydon, London, England |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Formerly of | S Club |
Early life
editLee was born in Croydon, London, England.[1][2] Lee grew up in south Devon and attended Decoy Primary in Newton Abbot, but the family moved to the village of Ipplepen when he was seven. Although he did not attend a theatre school, Lee was "always doing plays". He joined a drama club and later did amateur dramatics. He moved up to Coombeshead College, a comprehensive school in Newton Abbot, where arts and drama were encouraged. The school had a drama wing with a dance studio and also a recording studio.[2]
At the age of 13, Lee won a scholarship to the Sylvia Young Theatre School in central London, a private school with about 150 pupils.[2]
Career
edit1994–1998: stage
editWhile still 13, Lee played the leading role in the West End production of Oliver! at the London Palladium Theatre, alongside Jonathan Pryce, and later George Layton, as Fagin. In 1997, Lee played the role of Julian in the premiere of Famous Five Smuggler's Gold the musical.[citation needed]
1999–2003: S Club
editLee was a member of pop group S Club 7, who rose to fame by starring in their own BBC television series, Miami 7, in 1999. Over the five years they were together, they had four UK No.1 singles, one UK No.1 album, hits throughout Europe, and a top-ten single in the United States, Asia, Latin America and Africa. They recorded four studio albums, released eleven singles and sold over fourteen million albums worldwide.[3] In 2001 the group earned the Record of the Year award. Group member Paul Cattermole departed the group in 2002, and the group changed its name from S Club 7 to simply S Club. On 21 April 2003, during a live onstage performance, S Club announced that they were to disband.[4]
2004–present: acting
editIn 2004 Lee played the role of Marius in Les Misérables at the Palace Theatre in London, and continued the role following the show's move to the smaller Queen's Theatre. In 2005 Lee toured the UK with the new musical, Love Shack, featuring disco classics and hit dance songs from the charts, starring alongside Steps' Faye Tozer and Hear'Say's Noel Sullivan. In August 2006 Lee starred in The Heather Brothers' production of Teen Scream at the Assembly Rooms at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He returned to the London stage in 2010 in the musical Tomorrow Morning. Lee worked on a number of other musical projects before returning to the stage, including BBC's "The Sound of Musicals". In 2008 he recorded a song for the CD Act One – Songs From The Musicals Of Alexander S. Bermange, an album of 20 new recordings by 26 West End stars. It was released in November 2008 on Dress Circle Records.
In 2008 Lee voiced the part of Max, in the British Disney Channel cartoon series Famous 5: On the Case. Over Christmas and New Year's 2008–09 he appeared at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings, performing the leading role in the pantomime Peter Pan.[5] Both Lee and the show were well received.[6] Later in 2009 Lee appeared as Billy Fury in Nick Moran's new film Telstar. On 22 May 2010 he appeared in BBC One's Casualty as Craig, who is diagnosed with motor neurone disease.[7] He played John in the internationally acclaimed musical Tomorrow Morning by Laurence Mark Wythe at the Landor Theatre in London. Over the following Christmas and New Year's, Lee appeared at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking as Prince Charming in Cinderella.[8]
In October 2012 Lee announced his debut solo album, Fallen Angel. The first track on the album, "My Father's Son", was premiered on 4 November by BBC Radio 2's Paul O'Grady. The album was released on 4 March 2013. Lee took on the part of Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward Theatre, London, from 15 March 2011 until 7 March 2014. At the end of 2012, while maintaining his Jersey Boys commitments, Lee took the lead role in Aladdin at The O2 in London and acted alongside O'Grady, who revived his alter-ego Lily Savage.[9][10]
In August 2016, Lee appeared at the Lytham Festival's West End Proms.[11] In March 2017, Lee appeared on Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief as part of Boys Allowed with Gareth Gates, Duncan James, Ritchie Neville and Ben Ofoedu.[12] In March 2018, he appeared on ITV's Dinner Date.[13]
Personal life
editIn August 2010, Lee revealed that he is gay in an interview with Gay Times magazine. He added that he had come out to family and friends at a young age, and that "it's never needed to be a huge change that I've had to tell everyone about."[14]
Stage
edit| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1994–1995 | Oliver! | Oliver Twist |
| 1997 | The Famous Five: Smuggler's Gold | Julian |
| 2003–04 | Les Misérables[15] | Marius |
| 2004–2005 | Love Shack[16][17] | Evan |
| 2005–06 | Les Misérables[18] | Marius |
| 2006 | The Sound of Musicals[19] | (various) |
| 2006–2007 | Teen Scream[20] | Joe |
| 2008–2009 | Peter Pan[21] | Peter Pan |
| 2010 | Tomorrow Morning[22] | John |
| Cinderella[23] | Prince Charming | |
| 2010 | Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary | Sailor |
| 2011–2014 | Jersey Boys[24] | Frankie Valli |
| 2012 | Aladdin: A Wish Come True[25] | Aladdin |
| 2014 | Copacabana[26] | Tony Starr |
| 2016 | Forever Plaid[27] | Jinx |
| 2016–2017 | Peter Pan[28] | Peter Pan |
| 2017–2018 | West End Proms[29] | Jon |
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Seeing Double | Jon | Main role |
| 2008 | Telstar: The Joe Meek Story | Billy Fury |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Swamp Thing | Robert Niedman | Episode: "Patient Zero" |
| 1995 | Law & Order | Robert | Episode: "Angel" |
| 1997–98 | EastEnders | Josh Saunders | Main role |
| 1997 | The Mill on the Floss | Tom (Young) | Television film |
| 1999 | Miami 7 | Jon | Main Role |
| Back to the '50s | Television film | ||
| Boyfriends & Birthdays | |||
| The Greatest Store in the World | Himself | ||
| 2000 | L.A. 7 | Jon | Main Role |
| S Club 7 Go Wild! | Himself | Reality television | |
| Artistic Differences | Jon | Television film | |
| Christmas Special | |||
| 2001 | Hollywood 7 | Main role | |
| S Club Search | Judge / Mentor | Reality television | |
| 2002 | Viva S Club | Jon | Main role |
| 2006 | The Sound of Musicals | Various roles | |
| 2008 | Famous 5: On the Case | Max (voice) | Main role |
| 2010 | Casualty | Craig Robbins | Episode: "Mum's the Word" |
| 2018 | Celebrity Dinner Date | Contestant | Episode: "3" |
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Fallen Angel[30] |
|
Singles
edit| Song | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "My Father's Son"[31] | 2013 | Fallen Angel |
References
edit- ^ "Jon Lee currently plays 'Aladdin' in Aladdin-A Wish Come True". London Theatre. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ^ a b c Parkinson, Judy (26 September 2003). "Mr McIntyre was one of those teachers you could have a laugh with". tes.com. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ "She's movin' on up". The Times. 13 February 2005. Retrieved 21 October 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "S Club to split up". BBC News. BBC. 21 April 2003. Retrieved 25 August 2007.
- ^ "Peter Pan" at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings Archived 18 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Peter Pan at The Stage.co.uk".
- ^ "Jon Lee (Casualty) interview at lastbroadcast.co.uk".
- ^ "Panto review: Cinderella at New Victoria Theatre Woking". 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ Akbar, Arifa (17 December 2012). "Aladdin: A Wish Come True, O2 Theatre, London – Reviews – Theatre & Dance". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ^ "This Morning Big Fat Panto Quiz with Sonia, Jon Lee, Chico & Les Dennis – 19th December 2012". 19 December 2012. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2013 – via YouTube.
- ^ "MORE STARS ADDED TO THE BILL FOR WEST END PROMS | Lytham Fes". Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ "BBC – More celebrities confirmed to strut their stuff on Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief – Media Centre".
- ^ "S Club 7's Jon Lee looks for love on Dinner Date – but he isn't recognised". 3 March 2018.
- ^ Sanders, James (11 August 2010). "S Club 7 performer Jon Lee talks to GT magazine". Pink Paper. London: Millivres Prowler. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- ^ "S Club star Jon Lee in Les Miserables 28 July 03". London Theatre. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Love Shack". Designer Magazine. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Love Shack: a new kind of musical". BBC. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Jon Lee". Official London Theatre.
- ^ "The Sound of Musicals". BBC. 12 January 2006. p. 52. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Teen Scream review at Assembly". The Stage. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "White Rock Hasting". Panto Archive. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Photo Flash: Jon Lee and Julie Atherton Set for TOMORROW MORNING". Broadway World. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "CINDERELLA PANTO PRODUCTION PHOTOS". Ianolsson. 16 December 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "My First: Interview With Jon Lee, Star Of Jersey Boys". West End Theatre. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Jon Lee currently plays 'Aladdin' in Aladdin-A Wish Come True". London Theatre. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ^ "Barry Manilow musical Copacabana tours UK starring Jon Lee". Musical Theatre Review. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Forever Plaid – Jon Lee, Keith Jack, Matthew Quinn and Luke Striffler cast". Musical Theatre Review. 7 March 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Jon Lee Ready for Neverland". Sclubility. 9 November 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Henshall, Prenger and Salonga lead line-up at Lytham's West End Proms". Musical Theatre Review. August 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Fallen Angel – Jon Lee". iTunes Store. 30 May 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
- ^ "JON LEE'S NEW VIDEO FOR MY FATHER'S SON". S Club Bility. 30 May 2011. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
External links
edit- Jon Lee on Myspace
- Jon Lee on YouTube
- Can't Take My Eyes Off You – Jon Lee on YouTube – at the Lytham Festival, 2016