Chesney Hawkes

Chesney Lee Hawkes (born 22 September 1971) is an English pop singer and occasional actor. He started his career at the age of 19 when he appeared in the film '' Buddy's Song'', which featured his best-known single " The One and Only", which topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks and reached the top 10 in the United States. Follow-up single " I'm a Man Not a Boy" peaked at 27 in the UK, with subsequent singles including "What's Wrong with This Picture?", "Stay Away Baby Jane" (a collaboration with Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne) and "Another Fine Mess" also charting in the top 100.

Aside from music, he appeared on Channel 4's '' The Games'' in 2005, winning a Bronze Medal. Hawkes appeared on the shows '' Hit Me Baby One More Time'', ''Let's Dance for Comic Relief'', and ''Sing If You Can''. Hawkes also appeared in the musical ''Can't Smile Without You'', as the role of Tony Lowiman.

Life and career

Hawkes was born in Windsor, Berkshire. He was named after the singer and comedian Chesney Allen. His father is singer and bassist Len 'Chip' Hawkes of the 1960s band The Tremeloes. His mother is former actress/game-show hostess Carol Dilworth, who appeared in an episode of the 1960s version of ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' called " For the Girl Who Has Everything", as well as the 1969 horror film ''The Haunted House of Horror''. Keely Hawkes, his sister, was the lead singer of 1990s band Transister, and is currently a songwriter based in Los Angeles. He attended Charters School in Sunningdale. Jodie Hawkes, his brother, played drums in Chesney's band and is currently in The Tremeloes.

Hawkes's career began at 19, when he appeared as the title character in the film '' Buddy's Song.'' In March 1991, he released from the film's soundtrack his biggest single " The One and Only", on which his younger brother Jodie was the drummer. Written by Nik Kershaw, the song was later featured in the opening credits of ''Doc Hollywood'' (1991), starring Michael J. Fox; in the 2009 movie ''Moon'', as the song Sam Rockwell wakes up to every morning; and again in the 2011 film ''Source Code'' (also directed by ''Moon'' director Duncan Jones) as the mobile phone ringtone of Michelle Monaghan's character. The single spent five weeks at No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart. He has released eight singles including " I'm a Man Not a Boy" and " Secrets of the Heart".

In 1993, his single "What's Wrong with This Picture?" reached number 63 in the UK, and his 2002 collaboration with Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, "Stay Away Baby Jane", reached number 74 in the UK Singles Chart.

On 21 March 2001, Hawkes appeared on the second episode of ITV's documentary series ''Holiday Airport'', which followed British holidaymakers as they passed through Parma Airport, Majorca. The episode resurfaced more than 20 years later on 13 March 2022, when it was uploaded to YouTube by ITV Studios' Our Stories channel.

Hawkes returned to the media's attention with his involvement in Channel 4's '' The Games'' in March 2005, in which he won a Bronze Medal. He also took part in the ITV programme '' Hit Me Baby One More Time'' in April that year. He released a single called "Another Fine Mess" in May 2005, it reached number 48. The following album of the same title featured fifteen songs written by Hawkes.

Hawkes was involved in a project called the Lexus Symphony Orchestra, a corporate promotion designed to showcase the quality of Lexus' in-car audio systems. Hawkes composed two original pieces of music performed by the London Symphony Orchestra for these events held at Castle Howard and Crystal Palace, in August 2007.

Hawkes appeared in a musical, ''Can't Smile Without You'' (featuring songs of Barry Manilow). In the show, Hawkes plays the part of Tony Lowiman who falls in love with a girl called Mandy when he visits New York. Things take a turn for the worse when Tony is brutally attacked one night outside a club. The musical includes over 40 Barry Manilow songs. National tour started at the Liverpool Empire Theatre on 15 September 2008, prior to performances in the West End.

Hawkes appeared briefly in a cherry picker on ''Celebrity Big Brother'' (shown on 8 January 2009) on Channel 4. "The One and Only" was used as a cue to have contestants worship at a Chesney Hawkes shrine.

In January 2011, Hawkes performed at the live finale of Louie Spence's Showbusiness. During February and March 2011, he took part in the BBC
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