The Wanted say stage will be 'bouncing' as Tom Parker joins amid cancer battle

Reunited boyband The Wanted have realised just how precious life is as bandmate Tom Parker battles an inoperable grade-four brain tumour.

The group have embarked on their first arena tour in eight years and, following three weeks of specialist medical care in Spain, Tom was back on stage with his bandmates on Monday and sat on a throne.

Bandmate Nathan Sykes says: “It’s emotional. For Tom to be able to come through his treatment, which is on­going, then get on stage in front of thousands of people was the most amazing moment for all of us.”

Max George adds: “Tom’s situation has brought us all together to be there for him, and we have a bond as friends and brothers before the band now.

“When we go out on stage we are still ‘the band’ – but when we come off there is a difference.”

Last year the group, who topped the charts with debut single All Time Low and Glad You Came, announced they were getting back together following Tom’s diagnosis.

The brave singer, 33, laid bare his health battle in October for Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer documentary Inside My Head, also singing at a fund-raising gig he organised at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Siva Kaneswaran, also 33, says: “Tom wants to be on stage. When it happens he gives 120% – he’s always done that.”

Max, 33, adds: “Tom is really proud Siva’s taken a lot of his vocals but it was lovely to have him back.

“The fans were all waiting for him, and he’s always been here in spirit.

“You can almost feel him in the room because of the way the fans are responding and cheering his name.

“When Tom’s not here, it makes you realise how good he is on choruses and big notes – he’s an unbelievable singer and has got pipes.

“The stage will be bouncing with Tom here – the girls will be flocking around when we have two of them up on stage with us during Heart Vacancy.

“The tour is absolutely wonderful the way it is, but having Tom there makes it more special.”

The group have put their wild antics on hold – with the days of partying on Justin Bieber’s tour bus a distant memory.

Jay McGuiness, who won Strictly in 2015, adds: “Having a bit of perspective makes it all the more enjoyable rather than getting into a club, all dispersing and spying each other two hours later. We were too high energy, too fast.

“Now, whether it’s on stage or in the tour bus, I am savouring every moment.

“Whether it’s a silly in-joke or our manager making fun of us, all the fun stuff is clearly worth living.”

Nathan, 29, adds: “At one point I was blacklisted from every club in London, who were told, ‘Don’t let him in because he’s underage.’ It’s a fine art being naughty.”

So what’s next after the tour?

Jay, 31, teases: “Summer festivals are one of the things we’ve really enjoyed and are discussing.”

Max adds: “Our songs are what we pride ourselves most on, so if we come up with something new we feel is eligible for release then we’ll do it.

“Our focus is the tour, which is exciting – it’s so good to be back first and foremost. Our energy is exactly the same as it was.”

Nathan says: “We’re getting a lot of tour requests for Lie To Me, a song Tom wrote.”

Siva agrees: “We’re missing Tom’s writing as well as him.”

● Visit thewantedmusic.com for tickets to their Greatest Hits tour, running until March 17.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk