Triple 8
{{short description|British boy band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Triple 8
| background = group_or_band
| origin = England
| genre = Pop
| years_active = 2001–2005
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website =
| past_members = David Wilcox
Iain James
Jamie Bell
Josh Barnett
Justin Scott
Stewart Macintosh
}}
Triple 8 (a.k.a. 888 or Triple Eight) was an English boy band signed to Polydor Records and Osmosis Records. The group was marketed as the British equivalent of NSYNC, and rivals to manufactured boy bands such as Five, Westlife and A1.{{cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music/triple-eight---knockout-polydor-1142584|title=Triple Eight - Knockout (Polydor)|date=10 August 2004|website=Manchester Evening News}}
The group had two consecutive Top 10 singles, "Knockout" and "Give Me a Reason", which charted at number 8 and 9 respectively in the UK Singles Chart.{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 567}} Despite moderate chart success, Polydor chose to drop the band in early 2004, leaving their already recorded debut album, Heavy W8, unreleased. In 2004, they reformed with new member Stewart Macintosh, and released a third single, "Good 2 Go", which reached number 2 in the UK Indie chart. Macintosh replaced Iain James Farquharson.
Members
The group was originally made up of:
- David Wilcox: 2001–2003
- Iain James Farquharson, aka Sparx: 2001–2004
- Jamie Bell: 2001–2005
- Josh Barnett: 2001–2005
- Justin Scott: 2001–2005
;New members
Iain James Farquharson left the band in 2004 and was replaced by:
- Stewart Macintosh: 2004–2005
After break-up
After Triple 8, Iain James Farquharson, now known as Iain James, subsequently worked with many of the UK's major pop/R&B acts, such as Emeli Sandé, Little Mix and One Direction. He also co-wrote "Running Scared" by Eldar & Nigar.{{cite news|title=UK is Eurovision winner after all|url=http://www.m-magazine.co.uk/interviews/uk-is-eurovision-winner-after-all/|newspaper=M Magazine (Performing Rights Society)|date=May 19, 2011}}{{cite web|title=Ell/Nikki - Running Scared|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/year/participant-profile/?song=26303|work=Eurovision official website|accessdate=6 June 2012}} In 2013, he co-penned "Love Kills", which was performed by Roberto Bellarosa, The Belgian Voice winner, in 2013 representing Belgium. It qualified for the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 final placing 12th in Malmö. He is married to Liberty X singer Kelli Young.
Justin Scott is now a property developer, and married to Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh.{{Cite web|url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/tv/inside-kimberly-walshs-family-life-24366480|title=Kimberley Walsh’s life from boy band star husband to net worth|first=Megan|last=Shaw|date=10 July 2022|website=YorkshireLive}}
Jamie Bell is now a highly qualified football coach. He worked at the David Beckham Academy, London in 2007, before taking a role in the US in 2010. He is now a director at a large youth soccer club in the US.
Joshua Barnett works in digital marketing in the UK.
Stewart Macintosh (now known as Stewart Mac) continues to write and perform his own material as an independent artist.
Discography
=Albums=
| class="wikitable" |
| "
! style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left; width:40px;"|Year ! style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center; width:150px;"|Album ! style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center; width:40px;"|UK |
| style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|2003
| style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|Heavyw8 | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:top;"| cancelled |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" |
| style="width:30px;" rowspan="2"| Year
! style="width:150px;" rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="1"| Chart positions |
|---|
| style="width:36px;"| UK |
| rowspan="2"|2003
| "Knockout" | {{center| 8}} |
| "Give Me a Reason"
| {{center| 9}} |
| 2005
| "Good 2 Go" | {{center| 2 indie chart}} |