Busted’s Matt Willis has expressed admiration for his bandmate James Bourne once more as James remains absent from the band’s ongoing tour due to health reasons. Earlier this month, it was disclosed that James, the guitarist, had withdrawn from the concerts citing his health concerns.
James, aged 42, disclosed that his health condition did not permit him to join Matt, aged 42, and Charlie Simpson, aged 40, on the Busted vs McFly tour, just a day before its commencement in Birmingham. Later, it was confirmed that James’ brother, Chris Bourne, would be taking his place.
During a recent show, Matt addressed James’ absence and shared an update, expressing love and missing his bandmate. In a video shared by TikTok user @smarshie.07 from the OVO Arena Wembley, Matt conveyed, “Mr. James Bourne is really unwell, and we miss him a lot.” He mentioned discussing with James the possibility of continuing the shows without him.
Amid cheers from the audience, Matt elaborated that they needed another guitarist to fill James’ role. Charlie playfully mentioned excluding members of McFly from consideration, to which Matt responded positively to Chris Bourne stepping in as the replacement guitarist.
Chris, known for his appearance in the “Year 3000” music video, was welcomed on stage by Matt and Charlie, receiving an enthusiastic response from the crowd. Matt had previously made a similar announcement at the tour’s kick-off, expressing best wishes for James and introducing Chris to the audience.
In a pre-show statement, James expressed regret for his inability to perform due to health issues and emphasized the importance of focusing on his recovery. He conveyed hope for a possible return in the future and assured fans of an outstanding show despite his absence.
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