Your support helps us to tell the story
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
Busted and McFly have announced that they are to go head-to-head in a new joint tour for 2025.
The Noughties pop bands were once pitted against one another but have since collaborated on a number of occasions, including for a supergroup tour in 2014.
McFly were performing as part of their 21st birthday celebrations on Wednesday 9 October when they made the announcement, bringing out Busted as a surprise to fans.
“Busted gatecrashed our show last night (not cool), and challenged us to a VS tour next year,” McFly said in a statement. “They’re old men now, and we are gonna blow them and their carers off the stage next year.
“We’ve had a great time celebrating our 21st birthday this week and next year is going to be even better - P.S Busted Suck. Busted fought back and added: There’s been a lot of talk recently…. This is where the talking ends….! We are ready to show who is the better band once and for all. McFly suck and Busted Rock!”
Meanwhile, Busted stars James Bourne, Charlie Simpson and Matt Willis announced: “The whole tour is to find out who’s a better band. Fans can decide. They can come and support their band and they might change their mind.
“It’s going to be a fight to the death.”
McFly said: “It has been a long time coming, this tour. Fans have wanted this. There’s a massive crossover in the fanbases but secretly [we] think everyone likes Busted more.”
McBusted previously joined forces to release a Top 10 album and embark on a world tour in 2014; their success led to them being booked as special guests for the Australia and Europe legs of One Direction’s On the Road Again tour.
However, they split when Simpson chose to rejoin Busted, a decade after he quit the group.
Tickets for the new McBusted tour will go on sale at 9am Friday 18 October for the 14 shows, which will begin in Birmingham next year on 16 September. Fans can sign up for presale access now.
The full tour dates are as follows:
Busted vs McFly Tour Dates:
September 2025
16 September – bp pulse Live, Birmingham
19 September – OVO Arena Wembley, London
20 September – The O2, London
23 September – Utilita Arena, Cardiff
26 September - Utilita Arena, Sheffield
27 September – First Direct Arena, Leeds
30 September – P&J Live, Aberdeen
October 2025
2 October – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
7 October – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
10 October - Utilita Arena, Newcastle
14 October – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
17 October – AO Arena, Manchester
20 October – 3Arena, Dublin
21 October – SSE Arena, Belfast
Formed in London in 2003, McFly comprise Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd. They rose to fame after supporting Busted on tour in 2004, and won the Brit Award for Best British Pop Act the following year.
They went on to release a string of albums including Top 10s Wonderland (2005), Motion in the Ocean (2006) and Radio:Active (2008).
Meanwhile, pop-punks Busted formed in Essex in 2000. Initially they were only active for five years before splitting to pursue their respective solo projects, having released hit singles including “What I Go to School For”, “Year 3000”, “Air Hostess” and “Crashed the Wedding”.
They reunited in 2015 and released their third studio album, Night Driver, the following year, before their fourth album Half Way There was released in February 2019. After another hiatus, they returned for their 20th anniversary in 2023 and released a greatest hits album.
