Deuce

Deuce are a British pop quartet from the United Kingdom who are active from 1994 to 1997. The group consists of Kelly O'Keefe, Craig Young, Lisa Armstrong and Paul Holmes, with Amanda Perkins replacing O'Keefe in March 1996.

Career

The group is formed by Kelly O'Keefe, who previously works as an assistant to Tom Watkins, the manager of Bros and East 17. She puts the act together by adding her dancer friend Lisa and casting the two male members.

Deuce make their debut in January 1995 with Call it Love, which reaches No. 11 in the UK singles chart. They follow it with I Need You, which reaches No. 10, and On The Bible, which reaches No. 13. Their album On The Loose peaks at No. 18 on the UK album chart.

In 1995, the group enter the UK’s Song For Europe competition with I Need You and finish third behind Love City Groove. They also appear on the charity Christmas single A Gift Of Christmas as part of Childliners, alongside Peter Andre, MN8, Ultimate Kaos, East 17, Dannii Minogue, C.J. Lewis, Boyzone and Michelle Gayle.

After a successful European tour, O'Keefe leaves in late 1995 and Amanda Perkins joins for the group's Love This label debut, No Surrender. The single reaches No. 29 and the group then splits. In 1996, they sign with Mike Stock's Love This label after a dispute and split from London Records.

A greatest hits collection appears two years after the split, in 1998, including the group’s four singles and remixes.

After the group

Craig Young goes on to pursue acting. He appears in Much Ado About Nothing at the Queen’s Theatre, presents on MTV UK on Select, the UK Top Ten Countdown and Watch Out For GMTV, and later plays Alex Wilkinson in the football drama Dream Team. He also appears in MTV's Spyder Games, Charmed, Sabrina The Teenage Witch and The District, and later works on Just for Kicks for Nickelodeon.

Lisa Armstrong becomes a make-up artist and marries Ant McPartlin of Ant & Dec, who has also performed as PJ & Duncan.