Jason Orange has quit Take That, leaving bandmates Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald to continue as a three piece.
The news comes as the band have admitted to being ‘devastated’ by the blow.
Jason admitted in a statement he has considered leaving the band for years, and has finally plucked up enough courage to tell his bandmates that he wanted out:
“At a band meeting last week I confirmed to Mark, Gary and Howard that I do not wish to commit to recording and promoting a new album.
“At the end of The Progress Tour [July 2011] I began to question whether it might be the right time for me to not continue on with Take That.
“There have been no fallings out, only a decision on my part that I no longer wish to do this.”
Speaking to The Sun newspaper, a source said:
“They [the remaining bandmates] tried for a long time to get Jason to change his mind and it’s all still very fresh for them at the moment. Jason is an intensely private person and he had had enough of the scrutiny and the pressures of fame.
“It seems crazy to walk away from Britain’s biggest band, but this was a very personal decision for him, not a professional one.”
The remaining bandmates are said to have continued working on their next album.
This is the second member to leave the band following Robbie Williams’ exit.
But for now, we leave you with a classic to soothe your broken hearts…
Video via TakeThatVEVO
