EVERYTHING CHANGES

As boybands Westlife, Take That and One Direction lose their fresh faces, we rate who has won the survival of the fittest

Joely Chilcott

Published: 23:29, 26 Dec 2018
Updated: 8:24, 27 Dec 2018

BOYS will be boys... but boybands have a habit of becoming middle-aged manbands – and losing the youthful fresh faces that got their teenage girl fans screaming in the first place.

Of course, the passing years have been more kind to some than to others – recent snaps of Take That’s Mark Owen had social media howling with despair at the loss of his boyish charm.

A viewer compared Mark Owen to one of the Hairy Bikers

Mark has always been known for his boyish good looks — Mark has always been known for his boyish good looksCredit: Rex Features

Take That's Mark Owen, 46, looks unrecognisable with a beard and slicked back hair for Strictly Blackpool performance

Fabulous Daily Editor JOELY CHILCOTT has been poring over boyband shots from then and now to judge the survival of the fittest – who was top boy and who’s now the main man.

Take That

Take That's Gary, Howard, Mark, Robbie and Jason in 1993, top, and now, below — Take That's Gary, Howard, Mark, Robbie and Jason in 1993, top, and now, belowCredit: PA:Press Association

Mark's sweet face made him the favourite of all my friends and me, but years of affairs and booze have not been kind.

Gary was always the band bore to me, but now he’s re-lit my fire with his chiselled face.

FITTEST THEN: Mark
FITTEST NOW: Gary

Westlife

Westlife's Kian, Brian, Nicky, Mark and Shane from 1999, top, with band now, below — Westlife's Kian, Brian, Nicky, Mark and Shane from 1999, top, with band now, belowCredit: Rex Features

Nicky has always been best-looking. His quiff is too Jedward now but can be fixed.

Shane has matured into a distinguished-looking guy, so places second.

Thankfully, Brian got rid of that curtain hairdo – but he still doesn’t do it for me.

FITTEST THEN: Nicky
FITTEST NOW: Nicky

Westlife appear together for first time in years in comical social media video

Busted

Busted's Matt, James and Charlie back in 2000 — Busted's Matt, James and Charlie back in 2000Credit: Getty - Contributor

Matt, left, is best with his beard, shaved head – and manly look, says Joely Chilcott — Matt, left, is best with his beard, shaved head – and manly look, says Joely ChilcottCredit: PA

Charlie's eyebrows had us all obsessed but then he quit the band and I saw him in a new light.

Now Matt is best with his beard, shaved head – and manly look.

FITTEST THEN: Charlie
FITTEST NOW: Matt

Blue

All rise for Simon, Antony, Duncan and Lee from Blue in 2003, top, and now, below — All rise for Simon, Antony, Duncan and Lee from Blue in 2003, top, and now, belowCredit: Capital Pictures

I thought I would only ever have One Love – Duncan. His floppy hair and blue eyes made me weak at the knees.

But Simon and his bone structure caught my eye on Strictly Come Dancing – so he climbs to first place.

FITTEST THEN: Duncan
FITTEST NOW: Simon

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One Direction

Fresh-faced Louis, Zayn, Liam, Niall and Harry from One Direction in 2011, top, and now — Fresh-faced Louis, Zayn, Liam, Niall and Harry from One Direction in 2011, top, and nowCredit: Alpha Press

Harry's dimples and curly locks won me over right from the start – and he would still be the poster boy on my wall.

He’s now cut the mop of hair, got that chiselled jaw going on and has matured into a dapper young man.

Granted, he is still only 24, but as it stands, Harry remains as my No1.

Unlike poor Louis, who is now going in the Wrong Direction.

He’s becoming less boyband heart-throb by the day – more like a washed-up member of Blazin’ Squad.

FITTEST THEN: Harry
FITTEST NOW: Harry

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