JLS star Marvin Humes teases special guests for upcoming stadium tour

Marvin Humes says a new DJ battle segment during JLS’s upcoming arena tour will create the “perfect opportunity” to bring out special guests – some of whom may have worked with the band before.

The group, who have announced a string of UK and Ireland live dates starting in October, stayed tight-lipped about potential names but said they have a “very nice list” in mind.

Over the years, the four piece – Humes, Aston Merrygold, JB Gill and Oritse Williams – have collaborated with artists including Tinie Tempah and their latest record featured a track written by Ed Sheeran.

Humes, 37, told the PA news agency: “We came up with the idea of two of us DJing – with Aston and I DJing and Oritse and JB hyping the crowd.

“Ultimately, it’s one big party. Think of it like a sound clash but we have one set of decks over here and one set of decks here.

“We will play songs from the ’90s and the ’10s up to the present day. Aston will play a Tinie Tempah tune, I will play Dizzee Rascal, then he plays Drake and I play Burna Boy.

“Just going backwards and forwards, playing tracks from when we started right through to the present day, and it gives us a little break for 10 or 15 minutes from dancing around.”

Humes said the band, whose hits include Beat Again and Everybody In Love, want it to be “a different show every night and a different experience”.

He added: “We wanted to have special guests on the show on the tour last time around and we couldn’t do that because of Covid.

“This time that section there gives us a perfect opportunity to have special guests come out and perform with us that we may have worked with in the past – or we may not have.

“It’s going to be one big party, one big vibe at the show.”

Merrygold told PA his wedding to long-term girlfriend Sarah, who whom he shares two children, last year was “the best day” of his life.

The 35-year-old singer has been with the professional dancer and choreographer for just over a decade.

They announced they had tied the knot in September after five years of engagement.

Asked whether things feel different now, he said: “It is a hard one because it doesn’t but at the same time it does, because the feeling of being in the house and we have all got the same last name – it is such a big thing for Sarah.

“It is just nice to now know that we have all got the Merrygold passport, which is nice…

“It was honestly the best day of my life. It was incredible and she is as happy as ever, as I am, in the household.

“It is very full of energy and life. It’s the Merrygold household now, which is lovely.”

Everybody Say JLS: The Hits Tour starts on October 20 in Dublin and ends on November 11 in Sheffield.

Tickets will go on general sale online from 9am on Friday March 3.