McFly's Harry Judd On 'The Big Reunion' And Why They're The Last Pop Band Standing

'You Go From Everyone Loving You To No One Caring'

"You go from everyone loving you and life is great, to no one caring," says McFly drummer Harry Judd.

He's not talking about his band, who have stayed together throughout their ten tumultuous years, but the pop sensations of the nineties and noughties that are now starring in ITV2's 'The Big Reunion'.

The 'Strictly Come Dancing' star reveals he's been watching the show with fascination and empathy with a lot of the groups.

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"We experienced everything that they experienced but they're there reminiscing," he says.

"It's like wow, 95 percent of pop bands end up imploding after four or five years, and you can understand why, but thankfully it's different for us."

Quizing me, he asks: "Name a band it hasn't happened to? The only band that was remaining from our era was Girls Aloud but they kind of split up three years ago, they just came back recently for a reunion tour."

I ask Judd why he thinks McFly have stood the test of time, while boy bands like 5ive, 911 and Blue split after burn outs and fall outs?

"You need time at that age to reflect and just have time off from it all. Back then, record labels would just use you for all you were worth, until the band members were just hung out to dry.

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McFly: Dougie Poynter, Danny Jones, Harry Judd and Tom Fletcher

"Thankfully, we've had really good managers who've made sure that hasn't happened to us. If we needed to we'd be given a day or a week off, and thankfully we all got on really well and have got through any other problems together."

McFly, who write their own songs and have creative control, have had their own share of drug and alcohol problems, Judd himself is now sober after his band mate and 'I'm A Celebrity' winner Dougie Poynter checked himself in to rehab in 2011.

But he explains: "None of us liked arguing or confrontation, we never made false friends, any drug problems that any of us have had have been behind closed doors...

"We're four good friends and the drive is the music... some of these other bands are not necessarily into their music, they're just given songs to sing on and dance to."

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Talking about 'The Big Reunion' he adds: "I feel sorry for a lot of them, one of the bands had four number ones and then they didn't have a number one and they were dropped.

"You can understand why they get jaded with it they're just flown all over the place and there's no place to reflect... they're young, they're naive and then it's over."

I ask Judd what he thinks about Brian McFadden reportedly wanting a Westlife reunion, years after he quit the hugely successful Irish band: "Why would you leave Westlife? Why would you do that?" he laughs.

"I understand because he wasn't happy... but maybe you need to take time out before you make that decision, because most people regret it."

Not content with a new album on the way - McFly's sixth, for which Judd says they are "just trying to come to an agreement of the few songs that are leading the pack" - and a new tour Greatest Hits tour beginning in April, Judd has also signed up to run the London Marathon and the Tough Mudder endurance race in the same month.

Is he trying to punish himself? "It was my idea, it's a good way to raise money for charity and I kind of enjoy it... it's not like a fetish or anything."

He adds: "I'm trying to become more manly, but I'm actually terrified that I'm going to fail miserably and it will probably clarify the fact that I'm not manly at all... I just get so cold so easily."

Harry is running the London Marathon this year in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust and The Eyes Alight Appeal. To support him, visit his Virgin Money Giving page or text HARRY to 70300 to donate £3.

McFly through the years
Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards - London(01 of24)
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Tom Fletcher, Dougie Poynter, Harry Judd and Danny Jones of McFly are seen backstage at the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards at Banqueting House in London. (credit:PA)
Silver Clef Awards - London(02 of24)
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(From the left) Tom, Dougie, Harry and Danny from McFly hold their Digital Innovation prize for their website at the Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards in the Hilton, London. (credit:PA)
Danny Jones, Tom Fletcher(03 of24)
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British musician Tom Fletcher, left and Danny Jones, of band McFly, perform on stage with the Olympic Torch at the BT London Live concert at Hyde Park in central London, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan) (credit:AP)
Attitude Magazine Awards - London(04 of24)
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Dougie Poynter, Harry Judd and Danny Jones of McFly arriving at the Attitude Magazine Awards in London. (credit:PA)
McFly instore signing - London(05 of24)
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Mcfly meet fans to celebrate the release of their new single Shine a Light in London, 9th November 2010 (credit:PA)
BT Digital Music Awards - London(06 of24)
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McFly (left to right) Harry Judd, Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones and Dougie Poynter at the BT Digital Music Awards 2010 at The Roundhouse in London. (credit:PA)
Capital FM's Jingle Bell Ball - Saturday - London(07 of24)
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Harry, Danny, Dougie and Tom from McFly backstage at the Jingle Bell Ball at The 02 London (credit:PA)
V Festival 2009 - Chelmsford(08 of24)
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Danny Jones of McFly performing on the V Stage during the V Festival, in Hylands Park, Chelmsford. (credit:PA)
Isle of Wight Festival 2009 - Day Two(09 of24)
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Tom Fletcher of McFly performing on the second day of the Isle of Wight festival, in Newport on the Isle of Wight. (credit:PA)
(10 of24)
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McFly celebrate on stage at the T4 Poll Winners Party 2005 (credit:PA)
Live 8 Concert - The Final Push - Murrayfield Stadium(11 of24)
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Tom Fletcher from the band McFly performs on stage. (credit:PA)
Comic Relief does Fame Academy - Lambeth College(12 of24)
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McFly perform the official Comic Relief single You've Got A Friend (credit:PA)
Top of the Pops BBC Radio 1 Christmas Party - Shepherds Bush Empire(13 of24)
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Tom (left) and Danny from McFly perform. (credit:PA)
Brit Awards 2005 - Earls Court(14 of24)
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McFly receive the award for Best Pop Act. (credit:PA)
Smash Hits Poll Winners Party 2004(15 of24)
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Pop group McFly receive the Best Album award for Room On The 3rd Floor during the Smash Hits T4 Poll Winners party 2004, at Wembley Arena in north London. (credit:PA)
Smash Hits T4 Poll Winners Party 2004(16 of24)
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Pop group McFly backstage during the Smash Hits T4 Poll Winners party 2004, at Wembley Arena in north London. (credit:PA)
McFly - Disney Channel Kids Awards 2004(17 of24)
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Pop group McFly arrive for the Disney Channel Kids Awards 2004, held at the Royal Albert Hall, central London. (credit:PA)
McFly MTV's TRL - Total Request Live - show(18 of24)
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(From left to right) Dougie, Tom, Harry and Danny from pop group McFly during their guest appearance on MTV's TRL - Total Request Live - show, at the new studios in Leicester Square, central London. (credit:PA)
McFly Capital FM Awards(19 of24)
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Teen rock band McFly arrives for the Capital FM Awards 2004 for Help a London Child at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in west London. (credit:PA)
McFly Olympic Torch Concert (20 of24)
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Pop band McFly pose for photographers during a photocall to announce the Olympic Torch Concert. The open-air concert, marking the finish of the 2004 Olympic Torch relay run through London will take place on Saturday 26 June 2004. (credit:PA)
McFly UK Spiderman Two Premiere(21 of24)
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Boy band McFly arrives for the UK gala premiere of Spider-Man 2 at the Odeon Leicester Square, in central London. (credit:PA)
SHOWBIZ ChartShow(22 of24)
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McFly pose for photographs in 2005. (credit:PA)
BBC Radio 1 Chart Show Live(23 of24)
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McFly at the The BBC Radio 1 Chart Show Live, held at the Brighton Dome, Brighton. (credit:PA)
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards(24 of24)
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McFly arrive at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards 2008, at the ExCel Centre, East London. (credit:PA)