Stock, Aitken & Waterman To Re-Open Pop Factory

The Sun reports that Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Pete Waterman, the songwriting and production trio of the ’80s and early ’90s that launched the careers of Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley, Bananarama, and others are reforming with a new reality TV show. “Pete had a terrible time over the last year with his son’s long-term illness,” a source said, referring to Waterman’s eldest son Paul, 33, who died from a rare brain disease earlier this year. “He even turned down the chance to be a judge on X Factor because he was nursing Paul. But the sadness has led to a reunion with Mike and Matt. They have been busy developing their television format and, with their experience and track record, the winner of that contest could end up a huge star. It is also [Stock, Aitken & Waterman’s 21st anniversary this year so everything will tie into that. They reckon the timing’s perfect for a comeback.” Read more.