Busted star James Bourne has shared a sombre health update to fans after being forced to quit the band’s tour with McFly, saying he awaits surgery to ‘extend his life’
Busted’s James Bourne has shared a heartbreaking health update with his fans. The artist was compelled to withdraw from his band’s tour with McFly just hours before it began due to his health.
Now, the 42-year-old has broken his silence on social media to provide fans with an update. He revealed that he is awaiting major surgery which he hopes will “extend his life” and that he is eager to return to creating music and touring.
Posting on his Instagram Stories, he shared a sombre update with fans. James wrote: “I realised it’s been about six months since I posted last. I have a plan in place to have a major surgery that should extend my life and hopefully make me well enough to come back to what I love the most which is touring and making music.
“It really sucks to be out of the game. But there is hope!”
He has not revealed the nature of the surgery or condition. Last year, James stated he was unable to perform on the McFly vs Busted tour as he was unwell.
“The VS tour kicks off tomorrow night in Birmingham and as excited as l’ve been all year for this tour to begin, I’m really sorry to say that over the last 8 days it has become clear that I am not in good enough health to play these shows,” he wrote, reports the Mirror.
“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.”
Throughout their tour, the band ensured James remained at the heart of the show in spirit and frequently mentioned him. In one poignant update, Matt Willis stated: “Okay, you may have noticed our best friend is not here tonight. James Bourne is really f***ing sick and we love him and we miss him. This is the first show we’ve ever played without him and it’s really weird.
“But we’re gonna do the best we can.” He also noted that it had “happened f***ing fast”, before adding “health is wealth”. He revealed they had enlisted someone else to perform in James’ stead, before introducing his younger brother Chris to the stage.
After the opening night in Birmingham, Busted vs McFly continued their tour across the UK in cities such as London, Cardiff, Newcastle and Liverpool, wrapping up in Nottingham in November.