Five enjoyed massive success with a hip hop-inspired sound

The line-up will be just four - Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson, Abs Breen and Jason "J" Brown - with former bandmate Sean Conlon focusing on a solo career.

Robinson said that would not prompt a name change, adding: "Five's a brand not a number."

The group, who sold 20 million records worldwide between 1997 and 2001, are working on a new self-funded album.

The record is a collaboration with Robbie Williams' former song writing partner Guy Chambers.

"I just hope everybody is going to want to hear our stuff and see what we are doing now," Brown told BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat.

"Five years later it's going to be a little bit different - not kind of arms in the air - but we are still a full-on pop band, and we are really looking forward to it."

'Bigger than ever'

Five had 11 top 10 singles in the UK, including the number ones Keep On Movin', We Will Rock You and Let's Dance.

Neville said: "We're not clutching at straws. We don't need the money. We're going to be back bigger than ever."

"We're just coming back because why shouldn't we have another crack at the madness?" Brown added.

Five's members were hand-picked from 3,000 hopefuls at an audition set up by the creators of the Spice Girls.