Busted Cancel Gig While James Bourne Continues Health Struggle

Busted have announced that they are cancelling an upcoming concert next month as James Bourne continues to deal with an undisclosed health issue.

Just a day before the start of the Busted Vs McFly tour on September 16, the 42-year-old musician revealed that he had to withdraw from the tour, explaining that he was “not in good enough health to play these shows.”

The Year 3000 group, made up of Charlie Simpson and Matt Willis, have continued performing with James’ brother, Chris Bourne, temporarily stepping in to take his place.

However, the band has now decided to pull out of their scheduled appearance at Radio 1’s Anthems Live in Bradford on November 15, saying it “wouldn’t feel right” to perform without him.

In a message shared on Instagram, the band wrote, “We’re sorry to say that we will no longer be performing at Radio 1’s Anthems Live in Bradford on November 15. James’ health is our main concern, and after discussing it as a band, we agreed it wouldn’t feel right to do this show without him. We love Radio 1 and are very grateful for their understanding. We look forward to returning as a full band when the time is right.”

During their first show at bp pulse LIVE in Birmingham, Matt and Charlie told the crowd that James is “really f****** sick.”

Matt told fans, “You might have noticed our best friend isn’t here tonight. James Bourne is really f****** sick, and we love him and miss him. This is the first show we’ve ever done without him, but we’re going to give it everything we’ve got. Health is wealth.”

James had previously said that he was hopeful he could rejoin the tour “further down the line,” but with only three shows left and one now cancelled, that seems unlikely.

In a statement shared on Instagram, he said, “The VS tour kicks off tomorrow night in Birmingham, and I’ve been looking forward to it all year. I’m really sorry to say that over the past week, it’s become clear that I’m not healthy enough to play these shows. There’s still a lot I don’t know about what’s going on, but my bandmates, management, and I all agree that I need to focus on my health right now.”

The remaining shows are set for Glasgow’s Hydro Live on November 3, Manchester’s Co-op Live on November 5, and Sheffield’s Utilita Arena on November 6.