Eurovision Song Contest winner Mike Nolan has said he is “sad” to say goodbye to The Fizz as he heads to Braintree after the group's final concert.

The 69-year-old played his last gig with original Bucks Fizz members Cheryl Baker and Jay Aston, who formed the spin-off group, last Wednesday after more than 40 years on stage.

Nolan will next be heading to The Insitute in Braintree for its Dick Whittington pantomime.

Bucks Fizz, made up of Nolan, Baker, Aston and Bobby G, won Eurovision for the UK in Dublin in 1981 with the song Making Your Mind Up, famed for its dance routine which saw the skirts of the two female members ripped off to reveal shorter skirts beneath.

They went on to have three number one singles and one top ten album in the UK.

After the concert at The Stag in Sevenoaks, Nolan told the PA news agency: “It was stressful – not horrible stressful, just a bit of a worry, because we wanted it all to be good.

“And our drummer had an accident, and he couldn’t do the gig. He’s been with us for the past five, six, seven years, and a drummer… came in to take his place, and the guy was absolutely brilliant.”

He said the band usually start their shows with a medley of 1980s covers, but decided to only perform Bucks Fizz numbers for his last appearance.

Nolan added: “It was just unbelievable, there was screams and everything like that. It’s good we had our ears in because we wouldn’t be able to keep in tune.

“It was a great way to for it to end for me. I was sad, but very, very happy as well, it was brilliant.”

Nolan refused to rule out returning to the group if they were wanted for a Eurovision-related event or other major gigs.

He has been replaced in The Fizz by Matthew Pateman, the former lead singer of 1990s boy band Bad Boys Inc, and Nikk Mager of Phixx, who appeared on ITV talent show Popstars: The Rivals.

The Dublin-born singer will be starring as Idle Jack in the Braintree panto alongside John Pritchard as Edna the Cook and West End star Jimmy Johnston as Alderman Fitzwarren.

It will be showing at The Institute from December 14 to 31.

For more information or tickets, visit theinstitutebraintree.co.uk.