22/05/2026
Kavana On 90s Pop Stardom, Struggles With Fame, Addiction and Sobriety
Anthony Kavanagh, known to millions of fans as teen star Kavana, was one of the defining faces of late nineties British pop.
Still a teenager when he burst onto the charts with hits like I Can Make You Feel Good, he became a staple of Top of the Pops, Smash Hits magazine covers and tabloid culture at the height of the boyband era and won Smash Hits’ coveted Best Male Artist award in 1997. To the outside world, it looked like a dream life: fame, celebrity parties, chart success and adoring fans.
But behind the carefully manufactured image was a young man who was struggling with loneliness, shame, identity and eventually addiction.
In his deeply candid memoir Pop Scars, Anthony reflects on the psychological cost of sudden fame, the pressure of hiding his sexuality during a less accepting era, and the destructive spiral that followed after the spotlight faded. It’s an honest, darkly funny and ultimately hopeful story about survival, recovery and learning to rebuild a life.
Now, Anthony Kavanagh joins Good Journeys with Ben Veal and Sarah Moon to share his inspiring story and discuss what's next.
Watch on YouTube or listen to the show wherever you enjoy podcasts.
