Richard Abidin Breen (born 29 June 1979), better known as Abz Love, is an English rapper, singer, songwriter, DJ, producer and TV personality. Love was a member and the lead singer of the boy band Five. In 2003, Love released his debut solo album Abstract Theory, which earned him a further three top-ten hits. After years out of the spotlight, Love featured on ITV2's The Big Reunion in 2012. In 2013 he appeared on All Star Mr & Mrs and became the runner-up for Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother 12. In 2015, Love starred in BBC Two's documentary series Country Strife: Abz on the Farm, followed by a Christmas special titled Country Strife: Abz on the Christmas Farm. Early life Richard Abiden Breen was born in London to Turkish father Turan Sanveren and Irish mother Kathleen Breen. He was raised on a council estate in Hackney, East London where he was brought up until he left home at 16 to join boyband Five. He won a scholarship to attend the Italia Conti Stage School where he studied acting. One day his teacher suggested he audition for a boy band that was being groomed by Simon Cowell. After performing in front of Cowell and a panel of managers, Love was chosen from over 3,000 auditionees to be in the band Five (also known as 5ive). He changed his name to Abs in order avoid confusion with bandmate Ritchie Neville. Five went on to have international success winning a Brit Award for Best Pop Act 2000, an MTV award and ASCAP awards for songwriting. Love and fellow Five members Jason "J" Brown and Sean Conlon were involved in writing many of the band's hits such as "Everybody Get Up", "Keep On Movin'" and "If Ya Gettin' Down". Career 1997–2001: Career with Five Five (stylised as 5ive) were a successful British boy band in the '90s consisting of members Richard Abidin Love (Abz), Jason Brown (J), Sean Conlon, Ritchie Neville, and Scott Robinson. Formed in 1997 by father/son management team Bob Herbert and Chris Herbert of Safe Management, the same team that originally formed the Spice Girls, the band went on to be signed by music industry boss and A&R Simon Cowell, who at the time was a music executive at Sony BMG. Based on current BPI certifications, Five have sold over 1.6 million albums and 2 million singles in the UK alone.