Duncan James has revealed he was 'touch and go' for Blue's forthcoming comeback tour after struggling with recovery from a back operation.
The 44-year old was forced to undergo emergency surgery in 2015 for Cauda Equina Syndrome - a condition that affects nerves in the lower back, which left untreated can result in paralysis and incontinence.
Along with bandmates Lee Ryan, Simon Webbe and Antony Costa, however, the star looks set to hit the road later this year in the build-up to Christmas.
"I had a back operation, it was a bit touch and go for a while there but I'm doing well with rehabilitation. We used to burn the candle at both ends," the star told Mail Online.
Dance moves shouldn't prove too strenuous for James, who admitted Blue were never particularly renowned for their routines compared to many of their heyday peers.
"We've never been great dancers. We're not the Beach Boys. We've got the vocals to stand up a great show," he said.
But Webbe jokingly added: "'There's a lot more cracking of knees and elbows than there once was."
The British noughties music icons' reunion tour for 2022 will mark the 20th anniversary of their formation. The tour, named Heart & Soul, will run for 12 shows over three weeks in December this year all over the UK.
The tour was originally set to take place in 2021, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the dates rescheduled to this winter.
The foursome's new album Heart & Soul will be released on September 9, which will follow-up from the band's last album Colours in 2015.
All three of the band’s first albums, All Rise (2001), One Love (2002) and Guilty (2003) were UK number ones and charted all over Europe.
After their split in 2004, the band reunited for a one-off performance at Capital FM’s Summertime Ball in 2009, before going on to be internally-selected to represent the UK at Eurovision 2011.
So far, the band's confirmed dates are:
- Sunday December 4 2022 at 7pm - Cardiff: Motorpoint Arena
- Monday December 5 2022 at 7pm - Manchester: AO Arena Manchester
- Wednesday December 7 2022 at 7pm - Leeds: First Direct Arena
- Friday December 9 2022 at 7pm - Birmingham: Resorts World Arena
- Sunday December 11 at 7pm - Liverpool: M&S Bank Arena
- Monday December 12 at 7pm - Brighton: Brighton Centre
- Tuesday December 13 at 7pm - London: The O2
- Thursday December 15 at 7pm - Bournemouth: Bournemouth International Centre
- Friday December 16 at 7pm - Nottingham: Motorpoint Arena
- Sunday December 18 at 7pm - Aberdeen: P&J Live Arena
- Monday December 19 at 7pm - Glasgow: The OVO Hydro
- Tuesday December 20 at 7pm - Newcastle: Utilita Arena Newcastle
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