Busted member to miss tour due to illness: he will be replaced by his brother.

According to The Sun: BUSTED members, Matt Willis and Charlie Simpson, commented on the absence of their colleague James Bourne from the large-scale tour with McFly, which started last night.

On the eve of the tour, James announced that he had to withdraw due to health issues.

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The guys didn’t want to disappoint fans, so they found a replacement on guitar.

Matt's statements and fan support

During the concert in Birmingham, Matt said: “You may have noticed that our best friend is not here. James Bourne is really very ill, and we love him and miss him.

“This is the first concert we are playing without him, and it’s really strange, but we will do our best.”

He explained that they asked James whether they should continue, and he replied: “You should do it.”

Then the guys introduced a new star participant on stage. Matt noted: “You might recognize this guy from the video for the song Year 3000. This is James’s brother, Chris Bourne.”

Chris came on stage and received loud applause.

Fans supported this initiative; one of them noted: “Chris is a great musician. The best choice for a replacement.”

Another fan added: “So emotional. Love the support for James. His brother did a great job.”

The continuation of the tour and statements from James

A third fan shared: “What an incredible night. Great performances.”

The concert kicked off with 12 McFly songs, after which Busted performed 10 of their hits. The performances were held as a pop battle between the bands, including several McBusted songs.

In his statement, James noted health issues and expressed hope to return later. He wrote: “The VS tour starts tomorrow in Birmingham, and as much as I wish I could do it, I must apologize because over the past 8 days it's become clear that I am not in good health to perform.”

While he did not disclose details of his condition, James added: “I hope to be able to return later.”

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James’s followers quickly expressed their support, including McFly drummer Gary Judd, who wrote: “It won’t be the same without you, buddy. Hope you come back to the tour soon.”

Another fan added: “Get well soon, James.”

James became known when Busted appeared on the pop scene in 2002 with the song What I Go To School For. Since then, the band has released numerous hits.

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Busted has always maintained good relations with McFly and has often conducted joint tours.

They also became famous due to the supergroup McBusted, which included Matt, James, and four guys from McFly.

Last year, both groups announced their reunion for the Busted VS McFly tour, a true battle of the bands.

James noted at that time: “The whole tour aims to determine who the better band is. Fans can decide.”

He also emphasized: “This tour has been a long time coming. Fans wanted this.”

The absence of James Bourne from the tour has raised significant interest and concern among fans. Together with the support of familiar musician Chris, BUSTED members managed to continue the concerts, which promise to be bright. We hope for James's quick recovery so he can return to the stage, where he is sincerely awaited.