Mark Owen's big Take That tour panic

MARK OWEN's been getting through more pants than usual - as nerves kick in ahead of TAKE THAT's Progress tour.

The band will play the first of 36 sell-out stadium shows this Friday.

Mark admitted: "A few weeks ago I had a pre-tour panic, a bit of a meltdown, which I went through for a couple of days.

"Not much sleep, but I came through the other end and I've been all right since.

"But we're confident with it now and I think the show's going to be brilliant."

You can't blame him for getting jittery - this is the biggest-selling UK tour ever.

The first show is at Sunderland's Stadium of Light, where Mark, GARY BARLOW, ROBBIE WILLIAMS, HOWARD DONALD and JASON ORANGE will do four dates.

Then they play the City Of Manchester Stadium, Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, Hampden Park in Glasgow and Villa Park in Birmingham.

The UK dates climax with a record-breaking eight-night run at London's Wembley Stadium, from June 30.

The concerts, which also take in Dublin and six other European cities, will be the first with Robbie since he quit in 1995. It sounds like he can't wait to make up for lost time.

Mark said: "We're having to hold him back. Rob says, 'Come on guys, let's get on with it'.

"We've all got enthusiasm to do a great show and that's what we've always prided ourselves on."

Mark hinted that has led to the odd spat during rehearsals, being held in an aircraft hangar north of the capital.


Speaking to Music Week magazine, he added: "There are certain members of us who push the theatrics more than the others and it's trying to find that happy medium where everybody's comfortable.

"We're like kids really. We're all a bit excited about life and the tour and I'm really proud of what we've achieved. I hope everyone enjoys it."

The band's 2009 Circus tour was truly spectacular.

The lads rode a giant mechanical elephant alongside acrobats and clowns in what must be one of the greatest stadium shows ever performed on these shores.

But their new tour should be more than a match.

We'll find out on Friday...

Fuente: The Sun