IT WAS spring 2001 when a clean-cut British boyband clad in double denim and globs of hair gel made their debut in the UK singles chart.

The same year saw the release of the first Harry Potter film, the New York World Trade Centre was brought down by terrorists on September 11, and the-then deputy Prime Minister John Prescott punched a protester who threw an egg at him in Rhyl.

For now 20-somethings who look back on millennium pop culture with pangs of nostalgia for Nokia 3210s, Bratz Dolls, and baggy jeans, their childhood was also shaped by music.

Cue four new heartthrobs – Simon Webbe, Duncan James, Lee Ryan and Anthony Costa – who’s harmonies and synchronised dancing unmistakably made them Blue.

Seventeen years later and the pop band who shot to fame with number one singles including All Rise, One Love and Guilty are set to serenade fans old and new when they perform in Darlington this weekend.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, singer-songwriter Simon said: “I’m so excited to get back on stage with those boys and just to have a great time. We all love performing and showing off and we want everyone come along to have a good time too.

“I think anyone watching us can see that we’re enjoying ourselves and we want everyone to join in too.

“It’s going to be a great show – it’ll definitely be a trip down memory lane for a lot of people.

“We might be singing a couple of our older songs and maybe even bringing back some of the old dance moves – but that’s not a promise,” he laughed.

“It’s going to be a properly nostalgic performance from us and we hope everyone enjoys going back in time a bit.”

Blue will be supporting fellow 2000s pop giants, Steps, for the Grandslam 2018: Summer of Steps Tour, when it arrives in The Northern Echo Arena this Sunday night.

The concert has been arranged as part of Steps’ 20th anniversary celebrations, with internationally-acclaimed ABBA tribute band, Björn Again, also joining the line-up after Aqua pulled out of the summer shows yesterday.

Simon confirmed that the Blue rehearsals are going more-or-less to plan, with only a few Twitter breaks per session.

“We are probably the worst at concentrating and getting on with rehearsals,” the 40-year-old said.

“Our choreographer is the same as Little Mix and they’ll have a four-hour slot to work and they’ll just lock the doors and get down to it.

“For us lads we end up taking phone calls every five minutes, checking Twitter and seeing stuff on Instagram and we just get so distracted.

“Then it ends up being a few day before the actual performance and it’s panic stations working out if we have everything ready, but it always works out in the end.

“We just love having a laugh and getting on stage together. We have 17 years of experience so we know we can do it.”

With blue skies forecast for the Sunday evening show, Simon said: “Tickets are really selling fast so get your tickets right now people and hopefully the weather holds up – even if it doesn’t, we’ll be singing in the rain. We promise it’ll be a great night.”