Take That have revived their legendary Circus tour for 2026 – and this weekend head to their hometown of Manchester, where they will put on a show at the Etihad Stadium. The tour originally took place in 2009, with bandmates Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Howard Donald performing some of their biggest hits with giant elephants, unicycles and incredible dancers.

However, for the rebooted 2026 tour, one member will be absent – Jason. He quit the band back in September 2014, releasing a statement which said: “There have been no fallings out, only a decision on my part that I no longer wish to do this.

"I know how much Mark, Gary and Howard enjoy writing and making music, and they know that they have my full support and encouragement to continue on with what is to be another chapter for the band."

Jason said he was “proud” of his time with the band and thanked his bandmates, adding that he “spent some of the best years of my life with Take That”.

According to Howard, he has gone “off the grid” – speaking on Loose Women in 2018, he said: “He’s not taking emails or phone calls or stuff like that. That's where he wants to be. I think he wants to be a million miles away from this at the moment.”

Jason, along with his former bandmate Robbie Williams, didn’t appear in this year’s Netflix documentary, which examined the band’s legacy.

Jason is thought to be living a quiet life, but has been snapped on rare occasions by paparazzi while out and about in London.

Though his bandmates don’t think he’ll ever return, Howard sent fans into meltdown during an accidental reunion with Jason, tweeting in 2018: “Just bumped into Mr Orange and he looks as handsome as he ever did! Quick chat as I had both kids with me. 1st time he’s ever seen them. #goodtimes.”

Jason retired from the band with a £23million fortune.