S Club 7's Jo O'Meara reveals gambling addiction during fame and that bandmates 'knew' in ITV Lorraine chat

Viewers tuning into the latest episode of Lorraine Kelly's talk show were greeted with a blast from pop past in the shape of S Club 7 star Jo O'Meara. The singer spoke to the host about her struggle with being addicted to playing fruit machines during her fame with the pop group.

In her first TV interview since revealing she had a gambling problem when she was younger, Jo told Lorraine on her self-titled ITV show: "It became a bit of a thing. With the band, it was so busy and so hectic, I just used it as a bit of escapism to run away with myself for a little while.

"I got caught up in the flashing lights and getting the three sevens or leprechauns, or whatever it would be. It was just a bit too much fun."

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Jo, now 43 shot to fame in the late nineties in S Club 7 alongside bandmates Bradley McIntosh, Hannah Spearritt, Jon Lee, Paul Cattermole, Rachel Stevens, and Tina Barrett. The chart-toppers amassed four UK number ones, sold 10 million albums worldwide, had their own television series and had their own mini-band, S Club Juniors.

Lorraine, 62, asked if the band knew what was happening and Jo said: "Yeah, they did. When we used to travel around the county, it was like, ‘Where’s Jo?’ Everyone would know - ‘Oh, she’s on the fruit machines.’ But it was just what I did."

Jo never experienced a 'rock bottom' moment but eventually came to realise that 'you never win'. She said when Lorraine asked when she knew it was getting a bit much: "I don’t think I ever did. When I look back I think, ‘I shouldn’t really have been doing that’, because what you learn as you get older is you never win."

Lorraine asked if