Scooch is a British pop group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer.

Auditions for an "all-singing, all-dancing pop group" were held between autumn 1997 and spring 1998 in front of the songwriters and producers Mike Stock and Matt Aitken and future manager Steve Crosby.

Even though the bands were already formed, this contest was unique as it pre-dates the format of the first music talent reality show to air in the United Kingdom, ITV programme Popstars in 2001.

The group briefly reformed in January 2004 to perform at G-A-Y's Gone But Not Forgotten night, the success of which prompted the band to do a tour of several gay venues and events around the UK.

In 2006, Russ Spencer took part in the E4 reality show Boys Will Be Girls,[2] in which he attempted, along with two other ex-boyband members, to pose as a girl-group.

Spencer and his bandmates were given four weeks to record a single, make a pop video and play live, all the while posing as females.

The group appeared in the UK selection competition Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up on BBC One on Saturday 17 March 2007, singing and performing their song "Flying the Flag (For You)".

After several seconds of confusion for the two acts, the crowd and TV viewers, it was revealed that Scooch were the actual winners of the competition and were to represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007.

[6] Further controversy ensued when the Daily Mirror newspaper reported that the band had used two backing singers offstage as part of their performance on Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up, with the implication that this had given the group an advantage over rival entrants, although this was allowed.

[citation needed] In a video blog, released on Saturday 24 March 2007, singer-turned-TV presenter Charlotte Church claimed that Scooch were not worthy of winning Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up.

Natalie Powers of Scooch hit back saying, "As a mother of a young child myself I find her behaviour and language quite unacceptable.

[12] On 19 March 2007, Scooch appeared on Richard & Judy on Channel 4, revealing that their dance routine for "Flying the Flag (For You)" in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki will be "camper than ever before" and "may involve strings".

On 22 March, they appeared on This Morning on ITV and in the evening on The Graham Norton Show on BBC One, performing shortened versions of the song.

[13] As part of the contract, Scooch recorded several different language versions of "Flying the Flag (For You)", in which the phrases in the song are spoken in French, German, Spanish, Bulgarian and Danish.

A "child-friendly" version of the song was performed on CBBC's Blue Peter with several spoken lines changed to reflect the target audience.

Scooch rehearsed in Helsinki for the Eurovision Song Contest Final from 6 to 11 May and altered several parts of their performance numerous times in the process.

In 2010, Caroline and Russ, who have subsequently started a relationship, were competitors on the fourth series of British reality show Coach Trip.

In October 2011 it was announced that Scooch would be performing as a support act to The Mission, who were playing a 25th Anniversary concert at London's Brixton Academy.

Scooch were included in the line-up alongside goth legends Fields of the Nephilim and their inclusion caused controversy among both sets of fans.