All Saints have to be one of the success stories of 1998.
                It was quite a year for them, with a string of number ones,
                and success in the States as well as here - they definitely
                did it their own way, but things didn't always go according
                to plan - as we've been finding out recently. The year
                started for them at The Brits - just like the Spice Girls a
                year before, they won both Best Single and Best Video.

                Although the hits kept coming thick and fast in the UK,
                they spent a large part of the year going back and forth to
                the States - and it paid off. "Right now it's still fairly new
                so we don't know what our response is. So far we've gone down quite well. We haven't been out
                here that much but just from the few times we've been here we've had a really good reception.
                So we can't wait for a lot more stuff to be released from us out here and see how people take
                us in."

                They did their bit for charity, they were regular supporters of Breast Cancer Awareness - Mel's
                mum used to have breast cancer - that's why the girls were so keen to lend their support: "We
                wanted to get involved with a charity and Breakthrough is very special for us because my
                mother has had breast cancer twice and it affects the whole family when it does happen and it's
                so very common. Basically we just need loads and loads of money to get some research and
                find out why it happens and how to stop it." 

                Another charity date was with Prince Charles in Hyde Park in
                June, for the Prince's Trust. By this time, Mel from the band was
                already pregnant. She continued to perform as long as possible,
                despite the fact she was having to take it easy, due to a rare
                medical condition. Mel had a disease of the spine called Scoliosis
                when she was young - and still has three metal rods in her back.
                Nic and Nat said she'd had a tough time: "From what we've heard
                she's the first person with three metal rods in her back to be
                pregnant and have a baby in this country. She's going to have a
                caesarean, just for safety reasons as well, plus I don't think she
                wants to stretch anything". The girls say they're very proud of their bandmate: "Mel is just like a
                walking humpty-dumpty. She's SO big, the baby's bigger than her now! She's a real strong
                person - she's gone through a lot. Having the scoliosis and having the operation, learning how
                to walk again and doing what she did is so amazing. She's a tough cookie".

                Happily, of course, the birth was fine, and Mel is now the proud mum of baby Lily-Ella. The
                baby's father is Stuart Zender, who was in Jamiroquai. Nic and Nat also had high profile
                boyfriends - Robbie Williams and Jamie Theakson, and their on-off romances have provided the
                tabloids with headlines across the year. The girls say they never talk to the tabloid press - they
                don't want to add to the gossip that's already out there.

                And, of course the year ended with a good deal more speculation about their future. They've
                had a busy year.

                Nicky All Saint is bound for the Seychelles Islands in the Indian
                Ocean and she's taking Robbie's mum with her! Nicole was specially
                asked to be one of the judges for this Wednesday's Miss World
                competition which will be hosted by Irish heart-throb Ronan Keating.
                Nicky thought it would be a great opportunity to get to know her
                future mother-in-law better.