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Lee Ryan has launched a Supreme Court challenge to overturn his conviction for racially aggravated assault after he told a black British Airways flight attendant he 'wanted her chocolate babies'.

The Blue star was 'slurring his words and staggering around' after he downed a whole bottle of port before a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City Airport in July 2022.

When he was refused more alcohol on the plane and ordered to return to his seat, the 43-year-old made comments about flight attendant Leah Gordon's looks, calling her a 'chocolate cookie' before grabbing her wrists.

He was convicted of racially aggravated assault and behaving in an abusive way towards a cabin crew member in 2023.

Ryan was initially given a suspended sentence for the crime, but the punishment was rescinded pending a bid to overturn his conviction, which went first to Isleworth Crown Court in 2024.

After failing to appeal against his conviction, first at the Crown Court and then the High Court, Ryan must now be re-sentenced.

On Friday, his barrister Thom Dyke told Isleworth Crown Court the singer is making an 'application for legal appeal to the Supreme Court'.

Mr Dyke said the deadline for that application is August 11, and they expect an answer on a 'point of law' within the next two months.

Boyband frontman Lee Ryan at Isleworth Crown Court in 2023. Ryan has launched a Supreme Court challenge to overturn his conviction for racially aggravated assault

Pictured: Leah Gordon the flight attendant who Ryan told he 'wanted her chocolate babies' while he was drunk on a flight

Ryan was not in attendance for the short hearing.

During earlier court proceedings, the flight attendant said Ryan told her he wanted to have her 'chocolate children' and wanted to kiss her.

Ms Gordon said: 'He was making comments about my complexion, you're my chocolate darling, my chocolate cookie, and I'm going to have your chocolate children.'

She went on: 'It felt like he was saying I was beautiful for a black person because of the way he was describing my colour.'

Ms Gordon said Ryan later approached her from behind, saying: 'Before I get off this plane I need a kiss from you.'

After telling him to 'stay away', she said he grabbed both her wrists before passengers intervened.

She added: 'I was intimidated, I felt a bit embarrassed like I wasn't doing my duty properly.

'To get comments about my colour whether intentional or not, it was just unacceptable and so derogatory.'

Ryan confessed to drinking a whole bottle of port and eating cheese in the British Airways lounge after the flight was delayed, and said he had no memory of the incident.

Back on land, Ryan was arrested and quizzed, telling police that he had been a 'd*ckhead' and saying, 'I wish I could actually send the girl a bunch of flowers…' and 'my best friends are black and Asian'.

In tears, the pop star previously told the court in January 2023: 'I'm sorry. My band member is black, I'm not racist, I've had black girlfriends, mixed-race girlfriends.

'It was banter, just drunk banter, I suppose; there was no malice or intention to upset anyone.'

If the singer is unsuccessful in his Supreme Court appeal, he will be sentenced again at Isleworth Crown Court.