James Bourne of Busted has withdrawn from the upcoming 'Busted vs McFly' tour due to an undisclosed medical condition, with his bandmates Charlie Simpson and Matt Willis continuing to perform in his absence.

Bourne explained on Instagram that his health had deteriorated over the past eight days, making him unfit to perform and requiring medical treatment, and he hopes to rejoin the tour later.

This marks the first time Busted will perform without James Bourne during the tour, with Matt Willis and Charlie Simpson performing as Busted to keep the show going.

Busted, formed in 2002 and reuniting in 2014 after an initial split in 2004, has a close history with McFly, including their collaboration as the supergroup McBusted.

McFly, with members Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Harry Judd, and Dougie Poynter, has a rich history of hits, awards, and previous collaborations with Busted.

The 35-date 'Busted vs McFly' tour, starting September 16 in Birmingham and ending at London's O2 Arena on November 1, is designed as a head-to-head competition with theatrical elements inspired by WWE.

The tour features both bands performing their hits and coming together for joint performances, with a playful rivalry aimed at entertaining fans and determining the 'better band'.

The tour runs across the UK from September 16 to November 8, with stops in major cities including Birmingham, London, Cardiff, and Glasgow.

McFly's members, including Dougie Poynter, Tom Fletcher, and Harry Judd, are preparing energetic, theatrical performances, with playful comments about their competitive stage antics.

Charlie Simpson humorously suggested that McFly might support Busted on the tour, reminiscing about their collaboration during the Year 3000 era.

Both bands are engaged in a promotional 'battle' for the tour, encouraging fans to support their favorite, with previous teasing of a humorous 'fight to the death' concept.

Fans and fellow musicians have expressed support and well-wishes for Bourne's recovery, sharing messages of encouragement on social media.

Harry Judd from McFly expressed disappointment over Bourne's absence, saying 'Won’t be the same without you,' highlighting the impact of his withdrawal.