Abz Love
Richard Abidin Breen (born 29 June 1979), better known as Abz Love, is an English singer, rapper, and songwriter. Abz is a member of the boy band Five and was also a member of the supergroup Boyz on Block. In 2003, he released his debut solo album, Abstract Theory, which earned him a further three top-ten hits.
Also recorded as Abs Breen · Richard Abidin Breen
Abz Love

Jessica Faye Hill · CC BY 2.0
- Born
- 1979.
- Nationality
- United Kingdom.
- Occupation
- singer, disc jockey, rapper, songwriter and musician.
- Fields
- pop music, contemporary R&B and hip-hop.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Richard Abidin Breen (born 29 June 1979), better known as Abz Love, is an English singer, rapper, and songwriter. Abz is a member of the boy band Five and was also a member of the supergroup Boyz on Block. In 2003, he released his debut solo album, Abstract Theory, which earned him a further three top-ten hits.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Abz Love. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
wikipedia incomplete · checked 25 September 2026
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
wikidata · Q24752 · wikipedia · Abz Love
In this article
Early life
Early life
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.
Richard Abidin 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 attended Cardinal Pole Catholic School in East London, and 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 put together by Simon Cowell. After performing in front of Cowell and a panel of managers, Abz 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 to 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. Abz 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
Career
In 1997, Abz auditioned for Five, a new boy band-style group with "attitude and edge" and was eventually selected to be part of the band along with Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson, Sean Conlon and Jason "J" Brown. Five subsequently were signed by Simon Cowell and BMG/RCA for a six-album deal. Five went on to enjoy massive success worldwide, selling over 20 million records in their four years. The group sold around 20 million copies worldwide. The band split up on 27 September 2001. In 2006 Five attempted a comeback without Conlon, but failed to sign with a new label and the band disbanded again. After Five split, Abz was signed to Sony BMG by Simon Cowell as a solo artist and became the only band member to release a solo album. Abstract Theory had three top 10 hits on the UK singles chart with "What You Got" (No. 4), "Stop Sign" (No. 10), and "Miss Perfect" (No. 5). Abstract Theory reached No. 29 on the UK Albums Chart. After he was fired from Sony in December 2003, he changed his name to Abz Love and took a long hiatus from his music career. He told BBC Radio 1 that the change from "Abs" to "Abz" was because he was bored of "everyone referencing the six-pack". In January 2013, Five returned to star the ITV2's reality show The Big Reunion. Brown didn't want to rejoin the group and Five announced that they were considering a new fifth member for the comeback, but withdrew to continue with the original four-member lineup. The band decided to continue as a four-piece performing live touring Europe. Also in 2013, Love was runner-up of Celebrity Big Brother 12. Love said he agreed to join the reality show because he was financially broke and living with his aunt Wendy. In August 2014 Love left Five, citing creative differences – years later he said he was unhappy just singing the hit songs and not recording new material. In 2015 he starred in his own reality show, Country Strife: Abz on the Farm, a docu-series aired on BBC Two about his rural life in a farm in Wales. The show became a cult hit with viewers and critics alike. In January 2016, Abz released his first solo single in over a decade, "Cockadoodledoo". From 2019, Love was a member of the supergroup Boyz on Block, along with Ben Ofoedu from Phats & Small, Dane Bowers from Another Level and Shane Lynch from Boyzone. On 20 November 2020, the group released their first single, a cover of East 17's 1994 single "Stay Another Day", featuring Tony Mortimer. They have been performing live touring Europe ever since. In 2022, he joined the tenth series of dating reality show Celebs Go Dating, which aired on Channel 4. On 24 February 2025, Abz Love posted on X that he was once again part of Five after leaving in 2014.
Personal life
Personal life
From 2009 to 2017, Love dated singer Vicky Fallon. In 2013 Love said that he has Asperger syndrome, a form of autism.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1979
Abz Love born at London Borough of Enfield.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Abz Love”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q24752: Abz Love
Unverified · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.MTV. Abs Breen.
- 2.O'Callaghan, Bren. Abs Abstract Theory Review. BBC. 8 September 2003.
- 3.Hurriyet. Five grubunun Türk yıldızı.
- 4.Netter, Matt. Five: A Biography. Pocket Books. 65. 1999. 0671036394.
- 5.Alumni. Cardinal Pole Catholic School.
- 6.Italia Conti. Celebrating 100 Years: 1911-2011.
- 7.Bpi.co.uk. Certified Awards.
- 8.Sunner, Amber. Everything you need to know about Abz Love. Bristol Post. 31 October 2021.
- 9.https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ritchie-neville-pop-from-the-box/id1534001364?i=1000623380480. Apple.com. Retrieved on 4 August 2023.
- 10.MTV. 5ive: "We're gay". 27 September 2006.
- 11.5ive (Five) - BBC Radio One Interview for The Big Reunion [HD].
- 12.Robinson, Scott. I can confirm that five we'll take part in the big reunion on @itv2 Sometime next year We are all Looking forward to the show #willbegreat. 258865157898371073.
- 13.MSN. Boy band 5ive hunting for new member. 17 January 2013.
- 14.Duncan, Amy. 5ive post plea for fifth member on Facebook ahead of reunion 12 years after parting ways. Metro. 17 January 2013.
- 15.Buchanan, Daisy. Abz Love profiled: Big Reunion star and 5ive frontman revealed as Celebrity Big Brother 2013 housemate. Daily Mirror. 22 August 2013.
- 16.Leigh, Rob. Charlotte Crosby wins Celebrity Big Brother 2013. Daily Mirror. 13 September 2013.
- 17.Williams, Helen. What is Abz's net worth? Five singer appears on Celebrity Come Dine with Me!. Reality Titbit. 30 January 2020.
- 18.Brad S. INTERVIEW : Abz (5ive). auspOp. 1 September 2014.
- 19.Kathryn Williams. Former Five star Abz swaps the stage for a farm in Wales in new BBC Two show. walesonline. 20 May 2015.
- 20.Nat Mags. 5ive's Abz Love and girlfriend Vicky Fallon to star in own TV show. Reveal.
- 21.Wollaston, Sam. Country Strife: Abz on the Farm review – braving cabbages in a hilarious escapade. The Guardian. 17 August 2015.
- 22.Jones, Ellen E. Abz on the Farm: Five's former rapper is a star reborn. The Independent. 16 August 2015.
- 23.O'Donovasn, Gerard. Country Strife: Abz on the Farm, BBC Two, review: 'hilarious'. The Telegraph. 16 August 2015.
- 24.Eleftheriou-Smith, Loulla-Mae. Abz from 5ive can't believe his Brit Award has raised more than £1m on eBay: 'All I needed was a bit of soil and it's gone nuts'. The Independent. 9 September 2015.
- 25.Daily Mirror. Boyz on Block lift lid on trashing hotels and 'freeing zoo animals' in 90s. 22 September 2021.
- 26.Copsey, Rob. Boyband supergroup Boyz on Block unveil their first single, a cover of East 17's Stay Another Day. Official Charts.
- 27.Boyz on Block - Stay Another Day. Spotify.
- 28.Boyz on Block to cover East 17's Christmas classic 'Stay Another Day'.
- 29.Celebs Go Dating announce Ulrika Jonsson, Abz Love, Chloe Brockett, Miles Nazaire, Nikita Jasmine & Ryan-Mark Parsons as they re-enter the dating game and begin their search for love Channel 4. www.channel4.com.
- 30.Abz Love announces return to Five. X.com. 24 February 2025.
- 31.Daniels, Colin. CBB star Abz Love: 'I have Asperger's'. Digital Spy. 27 August 2013.
- 32.The Official Charts Company. The Official Charts Company — Abz Love. 3 May 2013.
- 33.Official Charts Company. Scottish Albums Chart - 6 September 2003 - 12 September 2003.
- 34.Golden. iTunes.
- 35.The Starkid. iTunes.
- 36.Love VI. iTunes.
- 37.ARIA Charts. Chartifacts — Wednesday 14th November 2012. 11 October 2012.
- 38.Ultratop.be/nl/. Ultratop Discografie.
- 39.Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 20. 37. 11. 7 September 2002.
- 40.Irishcharts.ie. Hung Medien. Discography on Ireland.
- 41.Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana.
- 42.Dutch Singles Chart / Hung Medien. Dutch chart history. charts.org.
- 43.New Zealand Singles Chart / Hung Medien. Chart history: New Zealand. charts.nz.
- 44.Official Charts Company. Scottish Singles Chart - 30 August 2003 - 5 September 2003.
- 45.Sverigetopplistan Hung Medien. Swedish Singles Charts.
- 46.Cockadoodledoo. Spotify.
- 47.Tictok. iTunes.
- 48.Faith. iTunes.
- 49.Evol. iTunes.
- 50.You. iTunes.
- 51.E.S.G.B. Spotify.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedauthority record
Unverified
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,307 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Abu al-Faraj al-IsfahaniPerson
- Abu al-Majd ibn Abi al-HakamPerson
- Abu Bakr SalemPerson
- Abu TalibPerson
- AccentOrganisation
- Accent RecordsOrganisation
- Accession RecordsOrganisation
- AccordOrganisation
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Abz Love?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.