After taking to the open air stages in Cheltenham, Darlington and Peterborough, it’s finally Colchester’s turn to enjoy the Summer of Steps.

It’s been 20 years ago since five-piece pop group Steps were smashing up the charts with a whole host of hits including One For Sorrow, Deeper Shade of Blue and 5, 6, 7, 8.

For a golden five-year period they had 13 consecutive top five hits and three number one albums before the band split in 2001.

Lee Latchford-Evans, Lisa Scott-Lee, Faye Tozer, Claire Richards and Ian ‘H’ Watkins briefly got back together in 2011, primarily for a TV documentary which spawned a subsequent greatest hits tour.

Now, after a triumphant return to the charts last year with the album Tears on the Dancefloor and their sold-out arena tour, Steps are preparing for a very special summer which includes this weekend’s headline appearance at Colchester’s Castle Park.

And they have some very special friends to help them do it, starting with Nineties megastar boy band Blue.

Made-up of Antony Costa, Duncan James, Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe, the band originally formed in 2000 and released three studio albums, All Rise (2001), One Love (2002) and Guilty (2003) that all peaked at Number One.

Like Steps the four reunited once again in 2011 to represent the U K at that year’s Eurovision Song Contest, coming in respectable 11th place.

Something Finnish popstar and X-factor finalist Saara Aalto knows all about since she too has represented her country at the Eurovision Song Contest, this year in Lisbon.

Although it was her first time appearing in the contest, Saara, who was the runner-up in last year’s X Factor, had taken part in the Finnish national selection two times, first in 2011 with Blessed with Love, and then in 2016 with No Fear.

Rounding off the line-up will be one the world’s most popular tribute groups to one of the world’s most beloved bands, Bjo?rn Again, playing all the great ABBA hits.

Summer of Steps takes place at Colchester’s Castle Park tomorrow, June 16.

For more information go to colchester-events.co.uk