Gary Barlow is confident Take That will return in their original, five-member line-up one day.
The star is currently taking some time away from the group to promote his solo album, Music Played by Humans, but in a new interview, he couldn’t help but speculate on the future of the band.
Asked if he envisages a day when former members Jason Orange and Robbie Williams will reunite with himself, Mark Owen and Howard Donald, he told Chris Evans’ How to Wow podcast: “I think there will. That’s one of the thrills of being in the band. You don’t know what’s going to happen from record to record and it’s lovely.
“It’s a very safe place Take That. It’s a lovely environment. It feels like a safe haven. It’s a place to go back to when you’ve done a bit of playing around and it’s time to go home.”
Take That formed as a five-piece in 1990, and enjoyed success for five years before Robbie quit the Could It Be Magic group to pursue a successful solo career.
They eventually disbanded in 1996 but, after the group reunited in 2005 as a four-piece, Robbie returned 16 years after his departure for their final LP as a five-piece, Progress, in 2010, and the Progress Live Tour, which wrapped in July, 2011.
Robbie and Jason subsequently departed and the group now performs with Gary, Mark and Howard.
Despite not being a full-time member of the band, Robbie has reunited with Take That on a number of occasions, including most recently for a virtual Meerkat Music show last May (20).
Gary recently revealed Take That’s hiatus will likely continue through 2023, when the band is expected to return with new music, a tour and a movie project.
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Revealing the trio is taking a “little chunk of time away,” Gary teased they’ll return in a couple of years alongside The Greatest Days – a movie based on the band.
“Everyone at the end of the last tour wanted to [record a new album], but we’ve been on this treadmill of album/tour every two years for about 14 years and everyone really wanted a little chunk of time away,” explained the Incredible singer.
“So, I’m trying to be respectful but I just can’t do that personally,” he shared. “I like writing, producing, touring – so I need to do my own thing.
“But maybe in 2023, because we have this movie that’s being shot next year called ‘The Greatest Days’ and I’m hoping when it’s released we can kind of tour off the back of it.”
