Nineties Pinups countdown - Number 8

01 August 2008

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Pj and Duncan

Walk into any teenage girls bedroom and you will usually find her walls plastered with posters of the pop stars she wants to marry; usually with their perfectly coiffured hair and fake white smiles beaming right back at you.

So we at FemaleFirst have decided to count down the Top 10 Nineties pin up icons, who we were constantly cutting out of Smash Hits and Top Of The Pops magazines and carefully blue-tacking to our walls, school books and mirrors.

Number 8 - PJ and Duncan

Okay, so it might be two guys rather than one, but it would be impossible to spilt this cheeky pair up as you can’t have on without the other, just like salt without pepper, black without white, and Jordan without Peter…okay maybe not.

PJ and Duncan first started out separately in kids television series Biker Grove, with Declan Donnelly joining in 1989 and Anthony McPartlin joining a year later in 1990. But their friendship soon began when their storylines collided, creating a friendship off screen as well as on.

But, like so many soaps stars before them, and many more afterwards, they were keen to dip their toe in the wide ocean of the pop industry and soon released songs such as "Why Me? (Is It Justified)", "Our Radio Rocks" and The Monkees cover “Stepping Stone.”

They chose to keep their Biker Grove character names and it was under these alter-ego’s that they released 15 singles and 3 studio albums as well as being the proud recipients of a BRIT Award nomination for their timeless and catchy "Let's Get Ready to Rhumble" tune, which is still heard in nightclubs up and down the country.

Although they aren’t really that memorable musically, I do remember them being plastered in my pencil case and constantly changing my mind about which one I wanted to be my boyfriend.

Unsurprisingly then, the band were more noticed for their good looks and energetic personalities rather than their singing abilities, which is evident in the fact that they never managed a number one record, even their World Cup 2002 song "We're On The Ball" reached number three, which, ironically was pipped to the number one spot by Will Young who emerged from the show Pop Idol, presented by the dynamic duo.

However, the rest of the world loved them, especially those kooky types in Japan who seem to love the cheesy pop music, unsurprisingly then, the duo's song "Eternal Love" was number one for several weeks, as well many other singles and all three of their albums.

Success also struck in Germany and many other EU countries and the hits "When I Fall In Love" in 1996 and "Falling" in 1997, which achieved greatest success in South East and areas of South Korea.

Stick to what you’re good at

Some might say they have gone back to their ‘day job’ and thank goodness for that, because presenting is clearly what they’re good at and are widely recognisable for their cheeky television personalities.

The due resorted to their real names in order to appear a little bit more ‘grown up, and so because the television legends we now know as Ant and Dec, after a brief stint with the BBC, their real television break came in the form of SMTV Live and CD:UK with Cat Deeley and it was this show which paved their way for them to move to Saturday evening to present Pop Idol, PokerFace and Ant and Dec’s Saturday night Takeaway.

Should there be any doubt surrounding their presenting abilities, they solidified their reputation as amazing presenters on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in February 2004. Then on June 9, 2007, the duo became the face of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent.

You know you‘ve made it when… …You insure yourselves against the other's death! Although the amount is unknown. This has led to them receiving joint nominations for many awards. It is a running joke that many people do not know which of them is which.

So I feel in love with them both when they donned the Adidas tracksuits back in the 90’s and in 2008 they are still sublimely handsome. I hope I grow old in the same way!!

FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison

The good old days...

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