The One and Only: The Forgotten Boyband That Brought Reality TV to Pop Before Anyone Else
The One
From: United Kingdom
Members: Billy Worth, Trevor Jary, Tim Fornara, Thomas Goodridge
Years active: 1996–1997
TV Connection: Stars of the GMTV series The One
Biggest hit: “One More Chance”
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Before Reality TV Pop: The Boyband That Was Years Ahead of Its Time
The One were a British boy band formed in the mid-1990s and signed to Mercury Records during the height of the UK pop boom. Often overlooked today, the group were among the earliest pop acts to combine music with their own television series, predating later TV-driven bands and projects such as North & South and S Club 7.
Their 1996 GMTV series, The One, blended backstage reality, comedy, touring life and scripted storylines, offering fans a rare behind-the-scenes look at the pressures and chaos of the 90s pop industry years before reality television became mainstream. At a time when most fans only saw polished magazine photos and music videos, The One gave audiences something unusually personal and candid.
The group’s line-up featured Billy Worth, Trevor Jary, Tim Fornara and Thomas Goodridge. Their best-known single, “One More Chance” — a cover of a The Jackson 5 B-side — reached the UK Top 40, peaking at number 31 on the Official UK Singles Chart in January 1997. The single also helped the band gain a loyal following across mainland Europe, especially in Germany and France, where British boybands were experiencing massive popularity during the late 90s.
Follow-up single “That Thing You Do” continued the band’s growing overseas recognition and showcased a more polished pop sound. While the single only reached number 98 in the UK charts, it became popular with international fans through music television rotation and teen magazines. The group also reportedly developed a cult following in parts of Asia, particularly through imported UK pop compilations and satellite music channels that embraced British pop culture during the era.
The One toured extensively across the UK and Ireland, appearing on the Smash Hits Roadshow and Mizz Magazine Roadshow alongside acts including Boyzone, East 17, 911 and Peter Andre. Though their chart run was relatively brief, the band remain a cult favourite among fans of 90s British pop culture and early music television nostalgia. In retrospect, The One feel less like a forgotten footnote and more like a prototype for the multimedia pop groups that would dominate the following decade.
Discography: A Short but Memorable Chapter of 90s Pop
"One More Chance" (1997)
UK Official Singles Chart Peak: #31"That Thing You Do" (1997)
UK Official Singles Chart Peak: #98GMTV Series: "The One"
Broadcast in 1996
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The Legacy of The One
Although The One never achieved the long-term commercial dominance of later British pop groups, their mix of television storytelling, fan access and music now feels remarkably ahead of its time. Years before social media, livestreams and reality competition shows became standard tools for launching artists, The One were already experimenting with the formula.
Today, the group are remembered fondly by collectors of 90s pop memorabilia, former Smash Hits readers and fans rediscovering forgotten boybands from the golden era of British pop music. Their music and television series remain a fascinating snapshot of a period when the UK music industry was rapidly reinventing how pop stars connected with audiences.
Following the group’s split, member Tim Fornara briefly joined the internationally successful pop group Worlds Apart, further connecting The One to the wider network of 90s British and European boyband culture.