GenSTEPS stresses not to read too much into this – it’s the tabloids again. Remember Lee has always talked about doing movies so really the movie talk is nothing new.

STEPS’ LEE TO QUIT FOR MOVIES EXCLUSIVE

STEPS singer Lee Latchford-Evans has told friends he wants to quit the pop group to concentrate on a movie career. He has already had to turn down film offers because of commitments with the group.

Now Lee has broken the news to bandmates Lisa Lee-Scott, Ian “H” Watkins, ex-girlfriend Claire Richards and Faye Tozer that he could quit the band when their contract with Jive Records expires in the summer.

A close friend of Lee’s revealed: “The other members do not want the band to break up and want to continue but, without Lee, I don’t think they will. It’s going to be a case of they all quit at the same time or stay together. “They have organised a crisis meeting for June when they all return from touring. That’s around the time when they have to make a decision as to whether they want to renew their contracts as well, so that’s when they will make their final decision.”

A spokesman for Jive said: “Lee is considering an acting career because he is a trained actor. During a recent visit to the States, he acquired an agent, who offered him two movie roles on the strength of one showreel video tape. The problem is that he is in Steps and there is no room for him to take these acting roles up. I’m sure, after an album or two, he’ll take one of those film offers or movie roles and follow the route taken by people like Vinnie Jones. It’s one of those things that may happen but not until the summer at the earliest because the schedule is taken up.”

Steps are currently at number four in the charts with the double A-side single Say You’ll Be Mine / Better The Devil You Know. Faye Tozer said: “Lots of other pop groups have split due to in-fighting but the members of Steps are all very close and we don’t take the band too seriously.

“Unlike the Spice Girls, we have avoided putting individual members of the group to the front for particular songs to groom them for solo careers and, as yet, there are no plans for any of us to go solo.”

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