In the shimmering sphere of celestial alignments, it seems fortune has taken a rather sudden detour for James Bourne, the beloved co-founder of Busted. This September, under the auspices of the stars—and perhaps a few unexpected planets—Bourne found himself saddled with health issues, compelling him to withdraw from a much-anticipated tour with McFly, less than a day before showtime. While we always seek to ride the cosmic waves and forge ahead, this news dims the luminescence of the pop-rock universe, as Bourne shared the poignant truth of being on the brink of major surgery. Ever the creative spirit, he yearns to reclaim his spot on stage, echoing the melodies he’s crafted for years, and feeling the pain of missing out on what he loves most—performing! This heartfelt journey offers us a glimpse into the challenges faced by those who inspire us on stage. So, are the stars aligning for a swift recovery and a triumphant return? Only time—and perhaps a sprinkle of astrological magic—will tell. LEARN MORE.
Back in September 2025, James Bourne was forced to sit out of Busted’s tour with McFly.
The musician was set to perform across the UK and Ireland but announced he was withdrawing just 24 hours before the first show due to not being ‘in good enough health’.
And the 42-year-old has now shared a heartbreaking update, explaining he was awaiting major surgery.
Bourne is hoping to be able to get back to making music and performing, of course being known as the co-founder of both Busted and Son of Dork.
The singer-songwriter wrote the majority of Busted’s two albums with Matt Willis, Charlie Simpson and Tom Fletcher and also has co-writing credits on McFly’s first four albums.
Having been involved in music for much of his life, the star said it ‘sucks to be out of the game’.

Bourne performing with Busted in 2004. (Lawrence Lucier/FilmMagic)
Breaking his Instagram silence, Bourne posted on his Stories last night to update fans on his health.
“I realised it’s been about six months since I posted last,” he wrote.
“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!”
Bourne has not disclosed information surrounding what type of surgery or what he is suffering with, citing a lack of information himself back in September.
The night before the Busted vs McFly tour was set to kick off, he wrote on Instagram: “As excited as I’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.”

Bourne, Simpson and Willis. (John Phillips/Getty Images)
Bourne continued: “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.”
Borune’s younger brother, Chris, (who appeared in Busted’s ‘Year 3000’ video) stepped in to replace him after bandmate Willis admitted it would be ‘f**king weird’ doing it without him.
He said during the tour: “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.”
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