Vernie Bennett facts for kids

Vernett "Vernie" Bennett (born 17 May 1971) is an English singer. She is a founding member of the R&B girl group Eternal. Her sister, Easther Bennett, is also a member. The group first started with Vernie, Easther, Kéllé Bryan, and Louise Nurding.

Eternal formed in 1992. They became a trio in 1995 when Louise Nurding (now Louise Redknapp) left to start her own singing career. In 1998, Kéllé Bryan left the group, and Eternal became a duo with just Vernie and Easther. The group stopped performing together in 2000. They had sold over 10 million records around the world. After Eternal, Vernie went back to university to finish her law degree. She now lives a family life with her husband and two children. Vernie has also appeared on British TV shows sometimes, both as a host and a guest.

Her Life and Career

Vernie Bennett was born in 1971. She grew up in Croydon, South London. When she was a child, she sang in a gospel choir with her sister, Easther.

Eternal Group

The band Eternal was formed in 1991. They released their first song, "Stay", in 1993. This song became a top ten hit in the UK. It also reached the top 20 on the American Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Eternal was nominated for four Brit Awards. The band also sang a song for the movie soundtrack of Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. They had many popular songs. Eternal performed for the Pope at the Vatican. They also took part in a big concert in South Africa to support the anti-apartheid movement. They performed with famous artists like Midnight Oil and Sting. The band was also part of a Pepsi advertising campaign. Eternal sold more than 10 million records. They had their first number one hit song in 1997.

Eternal released five albums during their time together. These albums were Always and Forever, Power of a Woman, Before the Rain, Greatest Hits, and Eternal. In 1998, Kéllé Bryan left the group. The last album, Eternal, and its main song "What'cha Gonna Do" only featured Vernie and her sister. After this, the group stopped performing.

In December 2013, it was announced that Eternal would get back together for the second series of the ITV2 TV show The Big Reunion. This reunion led to the group performing several special concerts in 2014. In 2024, Christel Lakhdar joined the group. Vernie and Easther talked about their new member on BBC London radio. They said they were excited to play at festivals in Summer 2024. Eternal has more concert dates planned for 2025.

Podcast

Vernie started a podcast called Big Chat Small Talk. She hosts it with her friend, Louise Anderson. The podcast launched in June 2024. In its first week, it was one of the top ten podcasts in the UK. You can listen to it on major audio platforms like Apple Podcasts.

Television Appearances

Vernie has been a TV presenter for shows like Songs of Praise and Gala Bingo. She also presented at the MTV Music Awards.

On 25 November 2015, Vernie appeared on the ITV game show All Star Mr & Mrs with her husband, Bryan. They won £30,000 for charity. She gave the money to Cancer Research UK and CMV Action UK.

During the Christmas season in 2015 and 2016, Vernie acted on stage for the first time. She played the 'Spirit of the Beans' in Jack and the Beanstalk. She continues to support the charity CMV Action UK.

In 2018, she was a guest on the ITV game show Big Star's Little Star.

Her Personal Life

After the group Eternal stopped performing, Vernie went back to university. She finished studying law and is now a practicing lawyer. In 2006, she had her first child. In August 2010, she signed with ASM Artist Management. Vernie lives in London with her husband and their two children.