A GLOWING review from a member of The Spice Girls is surely the ultimate stamp of approval for any girl group.

The Sundaes, featuring Brighton-based singer Keris Lea, received warm praise from judge Geri Horner (formerly Halliwell) when they first performed on BBC talent show All Together Now.

Now they are in with a chance of winning £50,000 in the final which is broadcast tonight at 7.15pm. Keris said Geri’s reaction had given The Sundaes a real boost.

“Geri absolutely loved the group – she said we make her very happy,” she said. “What was great for us is that she’s been in a girl band and understands exactly what it’s like. She was fantastic and very positive.”

The praise was all the more important given that Keri and her bandmates – Amy Goater and Andrea Lily Martin – were initially nervous about how they would be received on the show.

The Sundaes formed with the mission of changing perceptions of “plus-sized” people and spreading a message of body confidence.

“We want to shock people, but in a good way,” said Keris. “The whole point of putting the group together was to say, ‘just because we’re plus-sized it doesn’t mean we can’t do what we want to do’.

“There was nervousness when we first appeared on the programme because we were thinking, ‘are people going to love us or laugh at us and judge us for how we look?’.”

Since they were established by Keris and Brighton-based producer David Hill (who now manages the group) almost a decade ago, The Sundaes have performed all over the UK as well as in Mallorca and Ibiza.

Keris said the format of All Together Now – on which there are 100 judges – suited The Sundaes.

“It’s not about a sob story and someone pressing a buzzer,” she said. “It’s about the songs themselves and a celebration of music. Let’s party."

Keris isn’t the only singer representing Brighton on All Together Now.
Larissa Eddie, a songwriter who has supported Lionel Richie on tour, is one of the 100 judges on the show.

While she couldn't reveal too much about the pre-recorded final, she said the winner was "well-deserved". "The standard in the final is very high," she said, adding The Sundaes had met her approval.

"I thought they were really refreshing and unique and sang amazingly," she said. "It was entertaining for us to watch and we loved from the first second."

The Sundaes qualified for the final after triumphing in their initial heats with performances of Lulu’s Shout and Donna Summer’s Enough Is Enough.

The song they performed at the final is another upbeat song. 
“We want people to have fun and join in with singing and throw caution to the wind,” said Keris of The Sundaes’ choices. 

All Together Now has reminded some viewers of classic game show Blankety Blank due to the set design, in which each judge stands in their own box. The performers are marked upon how many of the 100 judges stand up and start singing along during the rendition.

Larissa said that ratings for the show had been good and that she hoped a second series would be commissioned. 

All Together Now is on BBC One on Saturday at 7.15pm