Fed: Royal snub five times over

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2000
Fed: Royal snub five times over

By Jo Dougherty

MELBOURNE, April 27 AAP - Cheers turned to tears as British boy band Five gave a group
of loyal Australian fans the right royal snub in Melbourne today.

With heads down and arms shielding them from the adoring teenagers, the boys showed
none of the charm that has helped propel them to the top of the charts.

Scott Robinson, J, Ritchie Neville, Abs and Sean Conlon refused to acknowledge the
group of 20 girls who had waited patiently for them at Melbourne airport.

Some, like Leanne Tonne, 16, and her friends, had been there since 6am (AEST) to catch
a glimpse of their idols and present them with roses.

However, the boys - who have a reputation for being "difficult" - shunned them.

Chaos ensued when the frantic girls, desperate for some recognition, chased them throughout
the airport before the boys were shunted through a side door.

It was all too much for some with one teenager so devastated by the snub she burst
into tears, declaring: "Scott was my favourite, now I hate him!"

Sections of the media, who were invited by Five publicists to cover their arrival,
also found themselves victims of the band's boorish behaviour.

One television cameraman was thrown aside by a security guard and a photographer was
told in no uncertain terms to get out of the way.

Five, whose hit songs include When The Lights Go Out, Everybody Get Up and Keep On
Movin', have sold almost half a million records in Australia alone.

Their self-titled debut album has gone triple platinum and their follow-up effort Invincible
is already at double platinum status.

Five - from the people who invented The Spice Girls - will perform in Melbourne tonight
and tomorrow night before heading to Brisbane, Sydney and Newcastle.

Of course, that's if they feel like it.

AAP jd/jlw/jtb/br

KEYWORD: FIVE

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