LONDON, UK (Reuters) - Pop star
Brian Harvey has undergone surgery after suffering a serious head injury in an attack.
Police believe a machete or axe was used in the assault on the former
East 17 singer.
He was attacked by a group of youths as he left the Works nightclub in Nottingham, having appeared at a promotional event. The singer has undergone a skin graft at the City Hospital. He may be discharged later on Tuesday.
The nightclub issued a statement saying Harvey had left at about 0130GMT when the attack happened. "Two females alerted door security staff to an incident, which had occurred approximately 100 yards from the club," added the club. "Apparently, a group of three youths, not customers of The Works, who had approached from another direction, had seriously assaulted Mr Harvey. "Security door staff acted quickly to help contain the incident, but the assailants ran off before they (the door staff) could reach Mr Harvey. "
Police are appealing for two women who left the club at the time of the attack to come forward as they may have witnessed the attack.
Ecstasy
Harvey has been regularly hitting the headlines since becoming part of the hugely successful boy band East 17, who had a string of hits in the early 1990's. Their image had a more urban, street look than their rivals of the time Take That.
However Harvey was sacked from the band in 1997 after he claimed in an interview that he took 12 ecstasy tablets on one night and that drugs made "better people".
A year later Harvey was also convicted of kicking a press photographer and was ordered to pay more than �3,000 in fines and court costs. Harvey was allowed back into East 17, then renamed E17, but the band never reached the heights of their earlier success.
Solo success
He has recently been dating blonde model Emma B after splitting from his dancer wife Natasha Goldman, with whom he has a daughter Teijan. The singer previously had a stormy relationship with ex-EastEnders actress Danniella Westbrook. He teamed up with garage act True Steppers in 2000, before going solo with some success.
Recently he made the top 20 with a song written by rap producer Wyclef Jean entitled Loving You.
However Harvey suffered an embarrassing moment in October when no-one turned up for a record signing in his native Walthamstow, London.
The singer pulled out from the event moments before it was due to start because of a "television appearance".
