The varied fortunes of Busted: How the band battled addiction, fallouts and health woes as their McFly tour is thrown into chaos

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It’s been 25 years since Busted burst onto the scene and changed the face of the music industry. 

This three-member band stood out because they played their own instruments and wrote their own music – a welcome change from the many groups at the time who relied on predictable love songs and over-the-top dance performances.

James Bourne, Matt Willis, and Charlie Simpson are often recognized for helping to define the pop-rock sound of the early 2000s. Bands like The Vamps and 5 Seconds of Summer have acknowledged their influence as musicians.

They were instrumental in launching McFly’s career, initially by taking them on tour to gain a following, and later by collaborating with them in the band McBusted.

Busted will be joining McFly – Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter, and Harry Judd – on their tour this month, continuing their long-standing connection.

Fans were heartbroken to learn this week that James, 42, had to withdraw due to an unexplained health issue.

What became of the band Busted? The Daily Mail explores what each member has been up to, especially now that their upcoming tour is facing problems.

Charlie Simpson  

As a huge Busted fan, it really broke my heart when Charlie announced he was leaving in 2005. He was the one who ultimately decided he wanted to pursue Fightstar full-time, and that sadly marked the end of Busted as we knew it. It was tough to see him go, but I totally understood his need to follow his passion for rock music with his other band.

He told The Sun he was unhappy towards the end of his time with the band and had a breakdown before deciding to leave.

Charlie explained that he’d planned to leave much sooner, but he had too many obligations and didn’t want to disappoint anyone.

Since then, Charlie has kept performing with Fightstar, while also releasing four solo albums and starting his own record label.

In 2015, he revealed plans to rejoin Matt and James for a Busted tour. The band toured three times and released individual albums before going on break again in 2019.

Since marrying Anna Barnard in 2014, becoming a dad has become a really important part of my life. We’re so lucky to have our two boys, Arlo, who’s nine, and Jago, who’s six. They definitely keep me grounded and focused on what truly matters!

In 2022, Charlie’s family experienced a frightening ordeal when their youngest son was hospitalized after a near-drowning incident during a vacation overseas. The condition, known as ‘secondary drowning,’ occurred after he had initially seemed fine.

Secondary or dry drowning happens when a child swallows water while swimming, which can cause the muscles around their voice box to suddenly tighten up.

Charlie explained that the patient appeared to be losing and regaining consciousness. He was quickly taken for CT scans and X-rays, and they were shocked to learn he had fluid in his lungs and was on the verge of developing pneumonia.

Jago was diagnosed with secondary drowning and had to stay in the hospital for three days. We are incredibly grateful for the wonderful care he received, and it was the most frightening experience our family has ever gone through.

In February 2023, Charlie unexpectedly won the TV show *The Masked Singer*. Throughout the series, he had performed in a rhino costume, keeping his identity a secret until the final reveal.

Charlie has explained his departure from Busted, stating that remaining in the band would have irreparably damaged his relationships with the other members.

He thought that if they’d stayed in the band together, their friendship would have been ruined, and they likely wouldn’t have spoken again. He felt this outcome was unavoidable, and he was ready to focus on the present and discuss something new and positive.

James Bourne 

As the band’s chief songwriter, James is the brains behind some of Busted’s most iconic tracks.

After the band initially broke up, he kept writing songs, but started focusing on creating music for other performers like Mel B, The Saturdays, The Vamps, and 5 Seconds of Summer.

Leaving the band was really hard for Charlie, and he said it took him five years to fully move on from Busted splitting up.

He admitted to spending around five years mostly isolated in his apartment, playing video games and avoiding social contact.

I tried a lot of different things for several years, but I always held onto the hope that we could make another album. It took about five years for me to finally accept that it wasn’t going to happen and move on.

He then created a new rock band, Son Of Dork. Their debut single, “Ticket Outta Loserville,” climbed to number three on the charts in November 2005, and their follow-up, “Eddie’s Song,” peaked at number ten.

So, the band eventually went their separate ways as everyone pursued new creative projects. But the story didn’t end there! I was thrilled to see James take our first album, ‘Loserville,’ and brilliantly transform it into a full-fledged musical! It actually premiered in London’s West End in October 2012 – a really exciting moment for all of us involved.

Although the show didn’t last long, closing after only three months, it had a short run on the East Coast of the US in early 2020.

James also tried to become a solo musician, releasing electronic music under the name Future Boy.

James shared on Tuesday that he’s been dealing with a health issue. He posted on Instagram about his excitement for the VS tour, which begins tomorrow night in Birmingham, saying he’s been looking forward to it all year.

I’m very sorry to announce that my health hasn’t been good enough for the past week, and I won’t be able to perform at these shows. 🙁

Okay, so there’s still so much I don’t understand about what’s going on with my health, but everyone – the band, my management, *everyone* – agrees I need to seriously focus on getting better right now. It’s all hands on deck for doctors’ appointments and treatment, and honestly, I’m relieved they’re all so supportive. It’s just… everything feels a bit overwhelming, but I *have* to prioritize this.

I’m hoping to be able to return sometime in the future. It’s going to be a great show, and I’ll definitely miss it! I look forward to seeing everyone again soon.

This recent health issue happened two years after he was hospitalized from a Black Widow spider bite.

Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE this! James actually posted about it – he said he’s *finally* recovered from a black widow spider bite! He even added ‘touch wood’ like he’s still a little worried, which, honestly, I totally get! I was SO scared for him when I first heard, and I’m just relieved he’s okay. It’s amazing he’s sharing this, I’m so glad he’s doing better!

I didn’t realize how sick I was until I went to my local Next health clinic and they wouldn’t give me an IV because my blood pressure was dangerously high – 190 over 115.

It turned out to be a pretty big deal – I actually had to go to the hospital that night! But thankfully, I’m okay now, doing well! Just thought I’d share…

Matt Willis 

Matt battled drug and alcohol addiction while he was in the band Busted. He decided to get help in 2004, about three months after starting a relationship with his future wife, Emma.

Despite winning I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in 2006, he continued to battle personal issues, and Emma promised to support him through it all.

Matt has been sober since 2008. He and his wife, Emma, have three children, and he’s said that becoming a father was the deciding factor in his decision to stop drinking.

In an interview on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast with Giovanna Fletcher, he shared that he managed to stay sober for a period after his daughter Isabelle was born, but unfortunately, he experienced a relapse around the time she turned six months old.

‘I kind of, I missed Emma’s birthday. She was in Birmingham and I was doing a TV show at the time.

After the wrap party, with a glass of champagne in me, I impulsively drove to her parents’ house around four in the morning.

Since then, he’s transformed his life. In 2023, he created the BBC Documentary *Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction*, though he later shared that his wife, Emma, was hesitant about participating.

Matt has shared that he was deeply involved with the Church of Scientology, regularly visiting their London center each day.

However, he later confessed he created distance between himself and the group when he understood they were attempting to pull him away from his wife, Emma.

His most recent adventure has seen him co-host season two of UK’s Love Is Blind with his wife Emma.  

Love Is Blind is a reality show where single people get engaged before ever seeing each other, testing if emotional connection can blossom without physical attraction.

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2025-09-16 13:21