Dancefloor supremos Steps will celebrate their 20th anniversary with a Kent date this weekend as part of their summer outdoor UK tour.

The band first broke on to the pop scene in 1997 and their debut single 5,6,7,8 achieved recordbreaking success. They went on to achieve an unbroken run of 14 Top 5 singles - including three No.1s - two four-times Platinum albums and one five-times Platinum album.

By the time they split in 2001, they had notched up 20 million in record sales and seven sold-out arena tours. A decade later, they reunited, shooting to No.1 with their hits compilation and a sell-out tour. This year they released Tears on the Dancefloor, which achieved Silver status in three weeks.

Thrilled to be performing for the summer, the band are promising a massive party at their outdoor gigs.

H from the band said: "It is incredible to think that we are here after 20 years. I don't take anything for granted.

"You don't know quite what is going to work, with pop music things change. We didn't know if we'd still fit in with today's music. We had to decide what kind of new music to release. But we stayed true to our band and ourselves.

"Also we're all 30 plus now (that makes me feel really old!). Some of the people we're playing to now weren't even born when we were first around! But it's also great because we get to take our kids on stage with us."

Supporting them will be Blue, who dominated the charts from the early 2000s and have amassed five studio albums and more than 40 million record sales worldwide. Antony Costa, Duncan James, Simon Webbe and Medway’s own Lee Ryan’s debut single All Rise hit the UK charts at No.4, followed closely by their No.1 hit Too Close.

They will also be joined by The X-Factor runner-up Saara Aalto. Liz Doogan-Hobbs MBE, of promoters LHG Live, said: “Steps are amazing performers and put on a terrific show. We’re looking forward to a terrific summer in Kent.”

DETAILS

Steps supported by Blue and Saara Aalto will play the Spitfire Ground, Canterbury on Saturday, June 9. For tickets from £39.50 visit lhgtickets.com, ticketmaster.co.uk or stepsofficial.net. Tickets are all standing.