Busted star James Bourne has pulled out of the band’s long-awaited joint tour with McFly just hours before it was due to kick off, citing health reasons.
The 41-year-old singer was scheduled to take the stage in Birmingham on Tuesday night for the opening date of the so-called VS Tour, which pits the two chart-topping pop-rock bands against each other in a head-to-head showcase of their biggest hits.
However, Bourne stunned fans by announcing late on Monday that he would not be joining his bandmates.
In a statement shared on social media, he explained: “The VS tour kicks off tomorrow night in Birmingham and as excited as I’ve been all year for this tour to begin, I’m really sorry to say that over the last eight days it has become clear that I am not in good enough health to play these shows :-(
“There’s a lot of information I still don’t have about my condition but my bandmates, management and I are unanimous in deciding that I should focus on the medical stuff for now.
“I really hope I can be in a position to come back further down the line. It’s still going to be an amazing show and I will miss being there! See you all as soon as possible.”
The news sparked an outpouring of support from fans online. One wrote: “Get well soon brother.” Another added: “Aww, wishing you a speedy recovery James.” A third posted: “Oh nooooo JB!!!!!!!!!!! WE WILL MISSS YOUUUUU!!!! Hope you’re okay.”
Bourne’s bandmates Matt Willis and Charlie Simpson are expected to perform as planned, with McFly stars Harry Judd, Dougie Poynter, Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones also on the bill.
The tour will also be visiting arenas in Cardiff, Sheffield, Leeds, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Manchester, Dublin and Belfast, with a final date scheduled for London’s O2 Arena on November 1.
It marks the first time the groups have reunited for a full UK run since their 2014 McBusted project, which grew out of Busted joining McFly on stage for a series of Royal Albert Hall shows.
Busted initially split in 2005 when Simpson left to focus on his band Fightstar, but reunited a decade later to release new music and embark on fresh tours.
