Busted’s James Bourne says he needs “major surgery” to “extend my life”

Busted‘s James Bourne has issued an update on his health, saying he needs a “major surgery” to extend his life.

• READ MORE: Charlie Simpson talks new role in The War Of The Worlds and the future of Fightstar and Busted

The guitarist was forced to sit out the band’s joint UK and Ireland tour with McFly last year, telling fans at the time that he was “not in good enough health to play these shows” and said he was “really sorry” to step back from the tour.

His bandmates later addressed his absence on stage, with Matt Willis telling fans: “James Bourne is really fucking sick and we love him and we miss him.”

Now, Bourne has issued another update on his health after months of silence. Taking to Instagram yesterday, he wrote: “I realised it’s been about six months since I posted last.

“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!” he added.

james bourne update omg🥺 pic.twitter.com/VuHpX3oHU4

— rosie🎃 (@pumpkinpalx) April 4, 2026

During the tour, Willis also told fans: “This is the first show we’ve ever played without [Bourne] and it’s really weird, but we’re gonna do the best we can.” He said Bourne falling ill “happened fucking fast”, before telling the crowd: “Health is wealth.”

Willis revealed that he and Charlie Simpson had told Bourne to look after himself, and asked him if he wanted them to cancel the tour. However, Bourne gave them his blessing for the concerts to continue without him.

Busted released their fourth and latest studio album, ‘Half Way There’, in 2019 before sharing their UK Number One ‘Greatest Hits 2.0’ compilation in 2023.

In 2024, the trio revealed that they’d been working on new music with former Bring Me the Horizon musician Jordan Fish. Busted then spoke about how Fish had pushed them in the studio, calling him “an extraordinary talent”.

Meanwhile, many fans believe that Charlie Simpson is the frontman of the mysterious new act President. The band played their debut show at Download 2025, before taking to the stage in London. President have since announced a 2026 UK and Ireland tour and their first US headline dates.