JLS’ Aston Merrygold opens up on upcoming wedding as he says ‘my missus is a hero’
JLS singer Aston Merrygold has revealed his wedding date is set after two years of delays – and has branded his fiancée Sarah “a hero”.
The couple, who got engaged on Christmas Eve in 2017, were due to tie the knot back in 2020, but the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic forced them to put their big day on hold.
Now that life has returned to relative normality, the pair are back in planning mode and will become man and wife later this year once Aston, 34, has finished an upcoming solo tour and a run in musical Footloose.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Aston said: “Our date’s in there. I sit down on a regular basis now in the evening. That’s why my Instagram and Twitter have probably been a little bit quieter than usual cos planning is in full swing. I’m enjoying the process of planning – my missus is a trooper, she’s brilliant, so I just have to be like ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and then turn up on the day. She’s a hero.”
The dad-of-two was eager to crack on with the nuptials on a much smaller scale, but Sarah was determined to have the big day she’d always envisioned.
He continued: “If I’d had it my way I’d be ‘let’s do it, registry office, go somewhere, get it done’. She was like ‘no, we’re holding out. We’re doing this properly’.”
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JLS returned with a new album and arena tour last year after eight years away.
Next year marks 15 years since the lads – Aston, Oritsé Williams, JB Gill and Marvin Humes – shot to fame on the X Factor.
Despite the significance of the date, there are currently no plans for the boys to mark the milestone in 2023.
“We haven’t had the conversation,” said Aston. “15 years, jeez. It’s nuts, almost half my life. I can say I’m coming into veteran territory.
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“All of us have had the weirdest couple of years. When we got on tour it was a relief. We can be back on stage, be with the crowd, live music’s back. It was such a celebration. It rounded that off. But the door’s always open now if we want to do new music or shows. We can put those on at any time. Fifteen years is a long time to be working together. It’s mad to think we’re that far into the JLS brand.”
When he’s not busy performing, Aston is keen to use his profile for good.
On Tuesday he travelled to Ronald McDonald House Manchester to officially unveil a new playground made from recycled Happy Meal toys.
“It was amazing to see exactly how the donations from McDonald’s
and its customers help support the families staying at the Houses,” he said.
“Ronald McDonald House Charities UK provide a home away from home when families need it most. As a parent of two myself I can’t even begin to imagine how hard it must be for these families.
“All the parents and guardians I met at the Manchester House couldn’t thank the team enough for the care they’ve given during such difficult moments.
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“The new playground is an incredible addition to this House – it was so lovely to see the kids and their parents playing and
enjoying some time together as a family.”
The 13 Houses around the UK provide free, high quality accommodation for families while their children are looked after in hospital.
To date they have helped more than 250,000 families, with that number growing by over 6,000 each year.
McDonald’s has raised over £100m for the charity over the last 30 years and aims to add £1million to that total this month alone.