Take That announce UK tour
Take That confirmed today that they are to hit the road again for a huge British stadium tour next summer.
Take That Present The Circus Live – Summer 2009 promises to be the be the band’s biggest tour yet, with eight stadium dates.
The band said the shows will be packed with more drama and excitement than ever - but a tour spokeswoman said there are currently no plans for former band member Robbie Williams to make any appearances.
The tour will kick off in Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on June 6.
Band members Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and Mark Owen then travel to Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, Glasgow’s Hampden Park – and spend three nights in their home city of Manchester at Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
The tour will be topped off with two nights at London’s Wembley Stadium.
A statement from the band said: “All of us are really looking forward to getting back on the road again next summer.
“We can think of no better way to thank everyone for their support and loyalty over the past three years.
“This will be the biggest tour we’ve ever done so we’ll be working especially hard over the next few months to make it the best and most exciting Take That tour yet.”
Take That release their new album 'The Circus' on December 1. The first single from the album, 'Greatest Day', is out on November 24.
The former boyband’s huge recent success comes after they tentatively met up in 2005 to discuss making a TV documentary to mark 10 years since their split.
The documentary was a ratings winner, attracting over seven million viewers, and in November that year the band announced a British tour – their first in a decade.
The Ultimate Tour sold out in record time and saw the band play to over half a million screaming fans around the nation, winning critical and public acclaim.
Their last album 'Beautiful World' sold more than two and a half million copies in the UK alone, making it their most successful record to date.
Last year’s Beautiful World Tour smashed box office records, selling more than 370,000 tickets in fewer than two hours.
Since then, Take That have played live to more than a million people across the UK and Europe.
The live DVDs they released in the wake of both tours were the biggest selling music titles of 2006 ('The Ultimate Tour') and 2007 ('Beautiful World Live').
They have also won a string of awards including an Ivor Novello for single 'Shine' and three Brit Awards – Best Single (2007) for 'Patience', Best Single (2008) for 'Shine' and Best Live Act (2008).
Tickets for the new tour go on sale on Friday.
Fans can buy online at www.gigsandtours.com, www.ticketmaster.co.uk and www.ticketline.co.uk.
Next year’s tour dates:
Saturday, June 6 – Sunderland Stadium of Light
Tuesday, June 16 – Cardiff Millennium Stadium
Saturday, June 20 – Glasgow Hampden Park
Friday, June 26 – Manchester Old Trafford Cricket Ground
Saturday, June 27 – Manchester Old Trafford Cricket Ground
Sunday, June 28 – Manchester Old Trafford Cricket Ground
Friday, July 3 – London Wembley Stadium
Saturday, July 4 – London Wembley Stadium
