Beautiful South reunite without singer Paul Heaton

The Beautiful South are reuniting – without frontman Paul Heaton.

Calling themselves The New Beautiful South, the band will play the Welly Club in hometown Hull on March 29.

Singers David Hemingway and Alison Wheeler, plus drummer David Stead, feature in the new band. Guitarist David Rotheray and bassist Sean Welch have joined Heaton in not taking part.

"We never really split up – all that happened was Paul made the decision to leave," Stead told The Hull Daily Mail.

"But Dave, Alison and I wanted to continue. We've been twiddling our thumbs for a while, but this is what we do best. There are still an awful lot of people out there who want to hear our music and we still want to play it.

"We're going to be playing all our greatest hits and the old favourites along with a few new songs."