AFTER donating his kidney to his pop star brother, Chris Bourne has opened up about the healing process – revealing he used music as therapy.
Busted rocker James and Chris are both now recovering from their operations, which took place on October 3.
On his song Selfless, which Chris produced with his best friend James Ennis and released to raise money for mental-health charity Mind, he told me: “Songwriting is like therapy.
“You’re thinking about a situation and you’re conceptualising it and you’re going through all these things, how you feel about it, and you’re filtering out all of it.
“At the end of it, kind of whatever’s on the paper [ends up] in the song.”
Chris stepped in for James during Busted’s joint tour with McFly in 2025 after the guitarist became too unwell.
Selfless, which was originally a poem by Chris about coming to terms with being a donor, is already a hit with James.
Laughing, Chris said: “For the first time he asked me to play him a song again. He was like, ‘Wow, you actually wrote a good song’.
“I totally trust and respect everything he says about music. And it was weird with this stuff because I’d never written such a personal song.”
Chris said he is looking foward to when he and his brother are fully recovered, and hopes to one day join James on stage.
He revealed: “If Busted felt like they would need an extra guitar player, I would definitely be there. It would be a dream experience.”
LILY’S GOTH HER SPARK BACK
LILY JAMES is black in business after stepping out of the acting world because of burnout.
After starring in a string of blockbusters including Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Cinderella and Pride And Prejudice she was left her feeling flat.
Lily said: I’ve worked consistently since I was 21, and I was beginning to feel so burned out. I was scared I was losing the joy.
“You have to recharge. Going from one job to the next, not only was I feeling like I wasn’t recharging or finding new sources of inspiration, but also blink, and you’ve missed a year.”
Lily is back at it now, though, and attended meetings in New York in this gothic-inspired outfit.
Her next project is Cliffhanger – a remake of the 1993 action film starring Sylvester Stallone – slated for release next year. Welcome back, Lily.
BIG CITY JITTERS FOR FAYE
FAYE WINTER says life in the big smoke after the Love Island villa triggered panic attacks and left her too scared to use the Tube.
The Devon-born reality star and then boyfriend Teddy Soares lived on the outskirts of London after meeting on the dating show in 2021.
She said: “I came out and I was very lost. I really struggled with the London lifestyle. It used to keep me up at night. If I was going to London, I would be awake until, like, one, two in the morning.”
She added: “I was so terrified, it would give me anxiety, like I would have panic attacks. If somebody said I had to get the Tube, I wouldn’t.”
Now back in the countryside, Faye is backing calls for couples to sign “pre-pups” – a pet version of the pre-nup – after her split from Teddy in 2023 turned the spotlight on how she got custody of their beloved golden retriever Bonnie.
It comes after research by Compare The Market found nearly one in three couples clash over who keeps their pet after a break-up.
She said: “Nobody thinks about what will happen if your relationship does come to an end and who’s going to take full responsibility of the dog.
“As a nation of animal lovers, I honestly don’t believe that the law is there to protect them enough.
“People have children, they take priority over their pets, but that shouldn’t be the case.”
DJ JOEL CORRY has opened up about the perils of touring and strict self-care regime.
In an exclusive chat as he promotes Movember’s Why Did We Stop Hugging Our Friends? campaign, the Head & Heart producer said: “I’ve had to really adapt to the lifestyle of long-haul flights, late nights, jet lag.
“I’ve tackled it by keeping my routine on lock. So whenever I land in a different country, I get a workout in.
“It’s more of a mental-health benefit than physical. It keeps my mind clear and positive.”
LADY GAGA and Shakira lead the nominees for the 2027 Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The panel have until December 14 to cast their votes before the winners will be announced at next year’s Induction & Awards Gala in New York City.
I adore both Gaga and Shakira so I’d be over the moon if either comes out on top.
JESS LOCKS A PICTURE
AND the Oscar for the biggest transformation goes to . . . Jessica Chastain.
The Hollywood actress has lopped off her statement long, red hair and dyed it blonde.
It was a surefire way to get noticed on the red carpet as she promoted new Netflix film, Heartland, in New York on Thursday.
Jessica plays Misty Jones, a country music star searching in the underbelly in Nashville for her rising star niece, who has mysteriously vanished.
A lot like Jessica’s hair then. . .
EM BEARS SOUL ON NEW TUNE
EMILY BEAR will perform new single God Forbid A Girl Gets Used To This on Later With Jools Holland tomorrow night.
In an exclusive chat before the BBC Two show, alongside Jamie T and Violet Grohl, Emily told me what inspired the track.
She said: “I’ve fallen in love recently. I usually need really sad things to happen to me to be able to write.
“We hear all these stories about how love makes you fearless, love conquers all.
“No one really talks about what happens when you finally experience that fateful feeling. Suddenly, there’s something you’re terrified to lose.
“This song lives somewhere in that fear, and in the vulnerability of letting yourself start to believe a good thing can just be a good thing.”