Oh, the Shame!
Magazine Source: TV Hits
Timeframe: December 1998
From dressing up as scarecrows to weeing on bins and flashing their boobs [and that’s just H!] – TV Hits catch up with STEPS for an embarrassing tale or two…
Lee once got dragged out of class by his hair!
I was being disruptive or something and the teacher sent me out. But I took ages packing up my stuff so she lost her temper and grabbed me by the hair – it was longer then! – and shoved me out of the door. The whole class was laughing cos I had such a surprised look on my face!
H scored an own goal!
I’m really rubbish at football and at school I was always the last to be picked for the team. This particular day I’d been picked last as usual, and we were having a match in the playground. Next thing, the ball came flying towards me, hit me on the head and I head-butted it straight into my own goal! The whole team hated me after that!
Faye once fell asleep during geography!
I had my head in my hands and the lesson was so boring I nodded off. The teacher asked me a question and when I didn’t know the answer she knew I was asleep and the whole class turned round to look at me. The teacher shouted, ‘Excuse me!’ really loudly and I woke up with a start, not knowing where I was – which made me look even more stupid!
Claire had to do litter duty!
I’d been caught talking in class and my punishment was to do litter duty at lunchtime. I had to go round this massive field with a bin liner picking up rubbish with everyone laughing at me. It was so embarrassing!
H was called ‘Swotty Watty’ at school! 
Everyone used to call me ‘Swotty Watty’ at school cos I was a right swot and my surname’s Watkins. I hated it!
Lisa used to be a goth!
I used to wear black lip liner, black lipstick, black nail varnish, Doc Marten boots and skirts with bells on – the whole hog! It was just a phase that only lasted two weeks, though. Then I went on holiday, sold all my clothes and got 250 pounds for them!
Claire nearly broke her nose!
Once it was snowing and all the school corridors were wet and slippery. The German teacher asked if I could help him carry his bags up the stairs. I slipped on the steps and fell flat on my face, right in front of a group of sixth formers. I thought I’d broken my nose!
Everyone’s seen Lisa in a tutu!
My mum’s got this picture of me on the unit at home. I’m about nine and I’m wearing a pink ballet tutu and pink tights! Everyone comes round and goes, ‘how cute!’ but I think it’s really embarrassing!
Claire used to be the kirby grip queen!
My mum used to brush my hair straight down a centre parting and use a kirby grip above each ear to keep it all flat. There’s some pictures of me somewhere looking like that, but no one’s ever going to see them!
H was once a scarecrow!
When I worked in a holiday camp I had to dress up as a scarecrow for The Wizard of Oz. I had to make holes in my trousers and stuff straw in them. At one point this girl was meant to hold me up, but she missed so I did the splits and ripped my trousers straight up the middle! I had to do the rest of it with my pants on display.
Lisa’s boob tube fell down!
I went to a school disco when I was quite little wearing a boob tube and a ra-ra skirt. I was dancing away thinking I looked really cool, then I looked down and my boob tube was round my waist! Luckily I was so little I didn’t have any boobs, so I don’t think anyone noticed but I was still mortified!
Claire got rumbled during a gig!
We were doing a show in Lisguard and we were supposed to be miming, so I was singing really stupidly to make the others laugh. But the next thing I knew, someone at the sound desk turned my microphone on and everyone in the audience heard me singing in this ridiculous voice! Then I started apologising to the crowd and made it even worse! Argh!
Come back next week for Part 2…