Aston Merrygold

Aston Merrygold was born on February 13, 1988, in Peterborough, England, UK. His early interest in performance was evident; at age 14, in 2002, he appeared on ‘Stars in Their Eyes’ impersonating Michael Jackson. This early exposure to performing led him to pursue a career in entertainment. After leaving school in 2004, Merrygold was cast in the ITV children’s program ‘Fun Song Factory’. A significant turning point in his career occurred when he, along with Marvin Humes, JB Gill, and Oritse Williams, formed the boy band UFO, later known as JLS. The group’s participation in the fifth series of ‘The X Factor’ in 2008, where they finished as runners-up, launched them into mainstream success.

As a member of JLS, Aston Merrygold contributed to the group’s achievement of five number-one singles on the UK Singles Chart and a number-one album on the UK Albums Chart. By December 2013, JLS had sold over 10 million records globally. Following the group’s initial disbandment, Merrygold embarked on a solo career, signing with Warner Bros. Records in 2014. His debut solo single, “Get Stupid,” released in 2015, reached number 10 on the ARIA Charts and achieved Platinum certification. In 2013, he expanded his television presence by becoming a judge on the British dance talent show ‘Got to Dance’, appearing alongside Ashley Banjo and Kimberly Wyatt. Merrygold continued to engage with various entertainment platforms, including competing in the fifteenth series of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ in 2017 and participating in ‘The Masked Singer UK’ from 2020 to 2021, where he placed third.

Merrygold’s career has also included acting roles, such as playing Jordan in the CBBC series ‘Almost Never’ starting in 2019, and a theatrical role as the Tin Man in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ UK tour and West End production in 2024. Throughout his career, Merrygold has been involved in several philanthropic activities, notably through The JLS Foundation, which supports six different charities, and as an ambassador for the anti-bullying charity BeatBullying. He has also participated in initiatives for Children in Need and Comic Relief, demonstrating a commitment to charitable causes alongside his artistic pursuits.