Chart-topping boy band JLS are splitting up after five years together.
Aston Merrygold, 25, Marvin Humes, 28, Jonathan “JB” Gill and Oritse Williams, both 26, shot to fame in 2008, finishing second to Alexandra Burke on TV talent show The X Factor.
Now, after five number one hits and two Brit awards under their belts, they are going their separate ways.
The quartet will bow out with a farewell tour planned for December, a final single and a greatest hits album.
The band apparently agonised over their decision for months.
In a message on their website they said: “To each and every JLSter, our beloved fans around the world. We wanted to make sure that you heard it from the four of us, that we have decided to bring our time as a band to an end.
“It has been the most incredible journey over the last six years and we have achieved more things than we could have ever dreamed possible.
“Thanks to all of you guys, your support, your dedication and your love, you have changed our lives forever and we wouldn’t be where we are today without you.
“We are currently in the studio working on what will be our last album Goodbye: The Greatest Hits.
“We will be bringing you a new single later in the year to coincide with the album and the tour.
“Goodbye: The Greatest Hits Tour will be the last time that we will perform together as a 4 and we want to make sure that this tour is the best ever and that we end on a high!
“We will always remain brothers and friends and we will always be your boys.”
Merrygold said it was the right time for the band to go their separate ways, saying: “We are still the best of friends and always will be but this is the end.”
Humes added: “It’s an emotional time. There’s no getting away from that. We have been through so much together.
“But we have to be mature and look at this decision as a celebration of what we managed to achieve.
“We never wanted to overstay our welcome. We never wanted to be that band where people said, ‘Oh bloody hell. It’s JLS again’.
“We wanted to finish on a high. We’re finishing with an arena tour our third arena tour and that is a massive achievement.
“The last five or so years have been nothing short of incredible. It has been an incredible journey.”
Williams added: “I remember that moment in my bedroom when JLS was just an idea and I was determined to make this dream a reality.
“They say all good things come to an end and for us it just felt like it was the right time to move forward and pursue different ventures.”
In their five-year career JLS have sold more than 10 million records, had five number one singles and won two Brit awards in 2010, as well as five MOBO awards.