Sugababes deny Keisha pushed out

The new line-up of the band visited Scott Mills' Radio One show In pictures: Sugababes line-ups

The Sugababes have denied that the sole survivor of the female pop group's original line-up was pushed out.

The trio were interviewed together for the first time since Keisha Buchanan was replaced by former Eurovision singer Jade Ewen earlier this week.

"We just told our managers we couldn't work like this," Heidi Range said and called the new line-up "a new page".

She and Amelle Berrabah told BBC Radio 1 they did not meet Ewen until two days before shooting a video in the US.

Range told afternoon presenter Scott Mills: "Life's too short and you have to enjoy yourself.

"You try to make it work. I have so much respect for the journey that we had with Keisha.

"It's hard but you've got to make a life decision, where you're going to move on, and I know there were reports in the paper that I planned to get Keisha out of the group and that's completely not true."

Main project

She added: "And the one thing I want people to know is that I know I made the right choice, morally, as a person, and I can live with myself with a clear conscience.

"I did the right thing as did Amelle. We're not gonna start saying stuff. No need for it."

I'd hit a wall and just needed some time alone Amelle Berrabah

Ewen said she was flown to Los Angeles on Sunday and had not been aware she was going to join the Sugababes.

She called the experience "exciting".

Ewen confirmed that her solo single My Man, which was released on Monday, is still available for sale, but she would be putting that aspect of her career to one side.

She said: "The Sugababes is my main project," adding that a planned solo album was not completed.

Range said that shortly after the departure of Buchanan, she and Berrabah were given the chance to continue with a new bandmate.

Berrabah, who was initially thought to have quit the band, said she did not "disappear" before Buchanan's departure was officially announced.

"I'd hit a wall and just needed some time alone," she said.

Hit singles

The band filmed the video for About A Girl in the US this week

The new line-up's first single together, About A Girl, was played for the first time on Mills' show.

Ewen is still recording vocals for their next album, which had featured Buchanan's voice.

The group was formed in 1998 by Buchanan, Mutya Buena and Siobhan Donaghy.

Range replaced Donaghy in 2001 and in 2005 Buena was replaced by Berrabah.

The Sugababes have enjoyed six UK number one singles, including Freak Like Me and Push the Button.

But the last 12 months have seen the group release the lowest-selling album of their career.