Busted's James Bourne Reveals Brother Saved His Life with Kidney Donation
The musician stated doctors had given him only a few years to live before his brother's life-saving transplant.
James Bourne, a prominent figure in the pop-punk band Busted, has shared that his brother donated a kidney, a procedure he described as life-saving. Bourne, 43, revealed that doctors had previously informed him he had "a few years left to live" due to his health condition.
Bourne had withdrawn from Busted's arena tour in September 2025, shortly before it commenced, citing health issues. His younger brother, Chris Bourne, stepped in to replace him on the tour. Following the transplant surgery, both brothers are reportedly recovering well.
"I can't believe how much better I'm starting to feel already," James Bourne posted on Monday. "I'm still going to need some time, but I wanted you to know that we're both recovering from surgery just fine. My brother is a hero."
Chris Bourne also shared a brief message on X, formerly Twitter, stating, "We did it brother."
While James Bourne has not disclosed specific details about his medical condition, he previously indicated the need for major surgery to "extend my life."
Busted, formed in the early 2000s with Bourne, Charlie Simpson, and Matt Willis, achieved significant success with UK hits such as "What I Go To School For," "Year 3000," and "Crashed the Wedding." The band disbanded in 2005, and Bourne later collaborated with McFly to form McBusted before Busted reunited in 2015. Bourne has also written songs for other artists and released music from his stage musical, "Murder at the Gates."