When boyband stars grow up: Former 5ive singer Abz is selling his Brit Award on eBay - so he can buy new tools for his garden
- 5ive won Best Pop Act Brit Award in 2000, year they performed with Queen
- But singer Abz has put his trophy up for sale on online auction site eBay
- The 36-year-old now lives with his partner on a smallholding in Mid Wales
- On the listing, he said he needs money to pay for soil and gardening tools
Winning a Brit Award might have been the highlight of his boyband career, but it appears former 5ive singer 'Abz' is ready to put his popstar days behind him.
The 36-year-old, real name Richard Abidin Breen, has put the trophy up for sale on online auction site eBay, saying he needs the money to pay for soil and gardening tools.
The former teen heartthrob told MailOnline he has poured all of his money into his smallholding in Carmarthenshire, Mid Wales, where he lives with his 31-year-old partner, Vicky Fallon.
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Award winners: 5ive members (from left) Sean Conlon, Scott Robinson, Richard 'Abz' Breen, Ritchie Neville and Jason 'J' Brown at the Brit Awards in 2000, where they won Best Pop Act and performed with Queen
For sale: Abz, whose real name is Richard Abidin Breen, has put the trophy up for sale on online auction site eBay, listing pictured above, saying he needs the money to pay for 'soil' and 'some gardening tools'
Life after 5ive: The singer entering the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2013, left. Right, on his smallholding in Carmarthenshire, Mid Wales, where he and his partner filmed BBC2 show, Country Strife: Abz on the Farm
Bidding for the 'Best Pop Act' award is currently at more than £5,300 - and fans still have more than five days to put in an offer.
The band were given the awards in 2000, the year they opened the Brits with rock legends Queen. Together they performed a version of 'We Will Rock You', which went on to become a No. 1 hit.
Speaking to MailOnline, the singer said he remembered it as a 'great' night made all the more special because the award had been voted by the public.
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Using the seller profile 'abzonthefarm', Breen describes the trophy as 'a real conversation piece' and said it is 'guaranteed 100% real'.
Collector's item: Using the seller profile 'abzonthefarm', Breen describes the trophy as 'a real conversation piece' and said it is 'guaranteed 100% real'. Above, photographs of the award taken from the eBay listing
'Pop history': He urges fans to 'take advantage of his poverty' and 'grab this rare opportunity to own a bit of pop history', adding that he is selling it to 'fund a delivery of topsoil and maybe some garden tools'
'A real conversation piece': Bidding for the 'Best Pop Act' award is currently at more than £5,300 - and fans still have more than five days to put in an offer. Abz claims the award has been held by actor Jason Statham
He urges fans to 'take advantage of his poverty' and 'grab this rare opportunity to own a bit of pop history', adding that he is selling it to 'fund a delivery of topsoil and maybe some garden tools'.
While awards might take pride of place in some celebrity homes, the singer admitted his is currently used as a door stop and he thought it was time it found a new home.
'For 14 years visitors have come to see it and had their photos taken with it,' he said. 'I've held on to it for this long and now it has come through for me in its own right'.
He said action star Jason Statham is one of the more high-profile people who have held the trophy. The actor visited Abz at his London home shortly after he won the award.
Boyband: 5ive members from left, Sean Conlon, Abz Love, Ritchie Neville, centre, Scott Robinson, J Brown
Reality TV: Abz came runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother. Pictured with Carol McGiffin and Charlotte Crosby
Simpler life: Abz with his partner, Vicky Fallon, on Country Strife: Abz on the Farm, which aired this summer
After the band split in 2001, Breen released a solo album, Abstract Theory, which produced three top 10 hits. Five reformed in 2012 to take part in ITV reality show The Big Reunion
In 2013, he appeared in Celebrity Big Brother, coming in second place to reality TV star Charlotte Crosby. Later that year, he and his partner, Vicky, bought a smallholdings in rural mid-Wales.
The couple learned about farming from their neighbours. The concept was picked up for a BBC2 series Country Strife: Abz on the Farm, which aired this summer.
FROM REALITY SHOWS TO CELEBRITY WIVES: WHERE ARE FIVE NOW?
Star couple: Ritchie is dating former Atomic Kitten singer Natasha Hamilton, pictured together, who is currently appearing in Celebrity Big Brother
Ritchie Neville
Since Five's break-up in late 2001, Neville has made occasional appearances as a presenter, guest, actor and reality show contestant.
In 2010, Ritchie moved to Australia and found success as restaurateur in Crows Nest, Sydney, attracting a loyal following of locals and tourists.
In January 2014, it was announced that Ritchie would be taking part in celebrity skiing competition The Jump. He finished in third place.
Ritchie is dating former Atomic Kitten singer Natasha Hamilton, who is currently appearing in Celebrity Big Brother. Their couple welcomed their first child, daughter Ella Rose, last September.
Sean Conlon
In March 2012, Conlon auditioned for the first series of The Voice but he failed to make it past the first round after no coach chose him.
He rejoined the group in 2013 as part of ITV's the Big Reunion.
Conlon and his wife, who has kept out of the public eye, welcomed their first child in January 2014.
Scott Robinson
After the split of Five, Robinson worked in radio and television, and was one of the leads in the UK regional touring musical, Boogie Nights 2.
In 2008, Robinson appeared on reality show Celebrity Scissorhands, making it into the final.
Robinson Conlon and Neville are continuing to perform under the name 5ive, but as a three-piece group. He lives with his wife, Kerry, and their four children in Pitsea, Essex.
Jason 'J' Brown
After the band split, Brown maintained a low-key lifestyle.
In 2007, months after a failed 5ive reunion bid, Brown signed up to take part in the seventh series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
He made it to the final with Christopher Biggins and Janice Dickinson, but finished in third place.
Brown was the only member of the group who did not take part in ITV2 reality series The Big Reunion, saying he no longer wanted to be in the public eye.
Now living in the Welsh Valleys, Brown has recently started writing and producing for other musicians.
In the jungle: Jason 'J' Brown, centre, with his hat off with fellow I'm A Celebrity contestants (from left) John Burton Race, Anna Ryder Richardson, Cerys Matthews, Rodney Marsh, Christopher Biggins, Katie Hopkins, Gemma Atkinson, Lynne Franks
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