JLS split - but Yorkshire shows go on

CHART-TOPPING boy band JLS have shocked fans by announcing they are to split after a string of hits and said: “It has been the most incredible journey.”
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The group, whose hits include Everybody In Love and The Club Is Alive, said they had been agonising over the decision for months.

The quartet, which found fame on The X Factor after featuring in the 2008 series, will give a farewell tour in December and said they wanted to “end on a high”. The tour will include a date at Sheffield Arena on December 10 and another at the new Leeds Arena on December 20.

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The foursome - Aston Merrygold, 25, Marvin Humes, 28, Jonathan “JB” Gill and Oritse Williams, both 26 - had fulfilled their initial recording deal, but did not want to sign a further contract committing them to several more albums.

Their success has led to several spin-offs with the group launching their own range of condoms and Merrygold has taken a judging role on Sky’s Got To Dance series. Gill has developed an interest in farming and recently featured on the BBC’s Countryfile as he learned more about agriculture.

After their run of five number one hits and two Brit awards, they announced their exit with a statement to fans which said: “We wanted to make sure that you heard it from the four of us, that we have decided to bring our time as a band to an end.

“It has been the most incredible journey over the last six years and we have achieved more things than we could have ever dreamed possible.

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“Thanks to all of you guys, your support, your dedication and your love, you have changed our lives forever and we wouldn’t be where we are today without you.

“Goodbye: The Greatest Hits Tour will be the last time that we will perform together as a four and we want to make sure that this tour is the best ever and that we end on a high!

“We will always remain brothers and friends and we will always be your boys.”

They will also release a best-of album to coincide with the finale shows.

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JLS - which stands for Jack the Lad Swing - finished second to Alexandra Burke on The X Factor, but nevertheless picked up a record deal.

The group also set up their own charitable foundation and have pledged to continue with this work, despite going their separate ways.

In an interview with The Sun today, Merrygold said: “We are still the best of friends and always will be - but this is the end.”

Humes added: “It’s an emotional time. There’s no getting away from that. We have been through so much together.

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“But we have to be mature and look at this decision as a celebration of what we managed to achieve.

“We never wanted to overstay our welcome. We never wanted to be that band where people said, ‘Oh bloody hell. It’s JLS again’.

During their career JLS have sold more than 10 million records, had five number one singles and won two Brit awards in 2010, as well as five Mobo Awards.