Busted’s James Bourne says brother’s kidney donation saved his life
Busted guitarist James Bourne says his younger brother Chris donated a kidney that saved his life after doctors told him he had only a few years left to live. Both brothers are recovering from surgery, he said.
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Busted guitarist James Bourne says his younger brother Chris donated a kidney that saved his life after doctors told him he had only a few years left to live.
The 43-year-old said on Monday that both brothers were recovering from transplant surgery. “I can’t believe how much better I’m starting to feel already,” he wrote, adding that he still needed time to recover. He called Chris a “hero”.
Bourne withdrew from an arena tour with McFly in September 2025, a day before it began, citing health problems. Chris stepped in for him. Bourne later said he needed major surgery to extend his life, but has not given further details about his condition.
Chris posted a brief message on X: “We did it brother.”
Bourne rose to fame with Busted bandmates Charlie Simpson and Matt Willis in the early 2000s. The group had four UK number-one singles before splitting in 2005, and reunited with Simpson in 2015.
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