James Bourne, one third of the pop-rock trio Busted, said on Tuesday that he will not take part in the group’s scheduled co-headline shows with McFly after doctors identified a health problem that he and the band said requires immediate attention.
Bourne, 42, posted on Instagram that the decision to stand down was made unanimously with his bandmates and management after “over the last 8 days it has become clear that I am not in good enough health to play these shows.” He added that there was “a lot of information I still don’t have about my condition” and that he would focus on medical care in the coming weeks while hoping to rejoin the tour at a later date.
The announcement comes as a surprise to fans and complicates plans for the Busted–McFly collaboration after the two bands, which have shared members and toured together in various guises, revived their association in recent years. Busted—consisting of Bourne, Charlie Simpson and Matt Willis—first rose to prominence in the early 2000s as a three-piece that wrote songs and played instruments, helping to launch the careers of contemporaries including McFly and later forming the supergroup McBusted for joint performances.
Bourne is Busted’s principal songwriter and has written for other acts between band activities. In his Instagram post he said he was “really sorry” for fans and that he hoped to be “in a position to come back further down the line.” He noted he would miss the shows and described the upcoming run as “still going to be an amazing show.” The band and its management did not immediately provide further medical details.
Busted’s career has been marked by high-profile ruptures, reunions and personal struggles. Charlie Simpson left the band in 2005 to focus on his rock group Fightstar, saying at the time he had become unhappy and needed to pursue different musical directions. The split prompted a long hiatus; Simpson later rejoined Bourne and Willis when Busted reunited in 2015. The group toured and released new material before going on hiatus again in 2019.
Simpson has since continued to perform with Fightstar, released solo albums, ran a record label and focused on family life. In 2022, Simpson and his family experienced a medical emergency when his younger son was treated for what the family described as a secondary drowning episode while on holiday. Secondary drowning is a condition in which water inhalation causes the lungs or airways to swell or fluid to accumulate, sometimes leading to delayed respiratory symptoms. Simpson also won the U.K. edition of The Masked Singer in 2023, performing under the Rhino costume.
Bourne’s decision to withdraw from the tour revives attention to other health scares he has discussed publicly. In 2023 he said he was taken to hospital after being bitten by a black widow spider and reported experiencing a dangerously high blood pressure reading. He described recovering from that episode on social media.
Matt Willis has been open about his own struggles. During Busted’s early years he battled drug and alcohol addiction, sought treatment in 2004 and described a relapse after the birth of his first child before ultimately achieving lasting sobriety in 2008. Willis and his wife, television presenter Emma Willis, are parents to three children. His recovery and family life have been the subject of televised and documentary coverage, including a BBC documentary in 2023 that examined his past substance use and recovery. Willis has also worked in television, most recently co-hosting the second U.K. season of Love Is Blind with his wife.
The trio’s history has combined commercial success, personal turmoil and intermittent reunions that have kept public interest high. Industry observers and artists have credited Busted with helping to popularize a generation of pop-rock bands in the early 2000s, and the group’s songwriting and energetic live shows have sustained a devoted fan base despite repeated breaks.
Bourne did not specify a timetable for his return, and representatives for Busted and the McFly lineup have not yet released a detailed plan for how the band will handle the upcoming dates. Ticket-holders and promoters will await further statements about lineups, possible substitutions and any changes to the tour schedule as Bourne pursues medical assessment and treatment.