Jay Hilda Aston (born 4 May 1961 in Purley, Surrey)[2] is a British singer and occasional songwriter.
Since 2009, she has performed alongside fellow original Bucks Fizz members Cheryl Baker and Mike Nolan.
The interval act at the televised Miss England 1978 competition was the group Co-Co, who had just been selected to represent Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest 1978 and featured Cheryl Baker in the line-up.
[5] Aston was, along with Baker, one of the four members of Bucks Fizz when they were formed in 1981 to compete in that year's Eurovision Song Contest.
[9] Aston became known for her love of physical exercise and released a keep-fit album in early 1984 called Shape Up and Dance.
[12] Aston became the subject of many newspaper headlines on her sudden departure where it emerged that she had had an affair with the group's producer, Andy Hill, who was the husband of Bucks Fizz creator, Nichola Martin.
The group's management company took Aston to court under the terms of her contract but dropped the case in the midst of the trial and agreed to release her from it.
[13] However, an injunction was placed on her against commencing a solo career that took two years to settle and resulted in her selling her Kensington home.
[14] Her brother had married Shakespear's Sister star Marcella Detroit who encouraged her to record new songs.
[15] [16] In 2002 she was involved in a cover band called Monster Boogie,[3] and she also appeared in an episode of Never Mind the Buzzcocks as one of the mystery guests in the identity parade round.
[12][21] Another solo album, a three-disc box-set Lamb or Lizard, was released in July 2006 through her website, which featured recordings from before and after her work with Bucks Fizz.
In April 2009, Preston announced that she was leaving the group and Aston agreed to join – the first time she had been a part of Bucks Fizz since 1985.
Before Bucks Fizz, Aston had ambitions to become an actress, but her career in this field encompassed only minor roles in To the Manor Born and Citizen Smith.
In 2008, Aston was cast as Claudia Brite in the film The Last Days of Edgar Harding which was shot in August 2008 and screened in 2010.
[35] Josie recovered and later appeared in a Season 5 episode of the TV show Rich Kids Go Skint.