- Title: ENGLAND: POP GROUP 'TAKE THAT' SPLIT UP AFTER SIX YEARS
- Date: 13th February 1996
- Summary: MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM (FEBRUARY 13, 1996) (RTV-MUST CLEAR PRESS CONFERENCE BEFORE RE-USE) TAKE THAT MEMBERS SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE SINGER GARY BARLOW SAYING CAN WE JUST SAY THANKS FOR EVERYBODY'S SUPPORT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, YOU HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC TO US BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE RUMOURS ARE TRUE - HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE WILL BE OUR LAST SINGLE TOGETHER AND THE GREATEST HITS WILL BE OUR LAST ALBUM, AND FROM TODAY THERE IS NO MORE (ENGLISH)
- Embargoed: 28th February 1996 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MANCHESTER AND LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City:
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVACJO8LLMU8NP1D41UO6X5RK95I
- Story Text: Britain's top-selling teenage pop group Take That, who have had number one hits around the world and launched a thousand copycat haircuts, said on Tuesday (February 13) they were splitting up after six years together.
His voice cracking with emotion, singer-songwriter Gary Barlow told a news conference in the group's Manchester hometown: "From today, there's no more." Take That have scored seven number one hits and sold around four million singles and three million albums in Britain alone.
They have a huge teenage following in many European countries.
"We do care an awful lot about the fans and we hope the fans will understand. We feel we have done all we can as Take That," group member Mark Owen said.
Mark pledged that the band would set up emergency phone lines for distressed fans if needed. Since rumours Take That were splitting up came to a head on Monday, hundreds of tearful fans have flooded the switchboard of their record company RCA pleading for the group to stay together.
Teenage fans were heartbroken when former Take That member Robbie Williams, 22, left the band last year. Robbie's departure prompted tearful fans to jam helpline switchboards, and one girl in Germany mentioned the split before she committed suicide.
The other members of the group -- Gary Barlow, 25, Mark Owen, 24, Jason Orange, 25 and Howard Donald, 27 -- will now go their own way after their final concert in the Netherlands in April.
Gary held out one small ray of hope for the group's fans, hinting at a Beatle-style comeback in the future. "Our dream is that in 5-10 years we'll come back and do it all again", he said".
But Gary, who is seen as the most likely to make a sucess of life after Take That, also took advantage of Tuesday's news conference to announce immediate plans for a solo career. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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