A new Netflix documentary focusing on Take That explains how and why Jason Orange left the iconic boyband, and it wasn’t when first planned
Take That members managed to stop Jason Orange leaving the band thanks to one final trick. The trio who are still in the band – Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen – speak in their new Netflix documentary about the fact they knew Jason was happy with a Take That comeback but not for very long.
The band began in the Nineties and had huge success as a boyband with fifth member Robbie Williams then split up in February 1996, a year after Robbie had quit..
But they were offered a lifeline in 2005 when Sony made a documentary about the band called Take That: For The Record. There was a premiere for the show launched at the end of the year, and the four members posed outside for the first time in around 10 years together to help create a buzz.
Despite the documentary being quite staged and awkward in places, it was a ratings hit on TV and led to the foursome being offered the chance to reform and go back on stage.
“We didn’t really know what reception it would have, whether anybody even cared,” Mark admits. After a night drinking together, and even performing the dance to Pray whilst tipsy to see if they could still do it, they agreed to say yes to the concert promoter and arena dates sold out in one morning.
Gary recalls: “I wanted to walk out on stage again. I wanted to sing again. I wanted that audience again. I was desperate for it all, but wanted it to be right for us all. I wanted it to be, to feel good for everyone. And I suppose that was new, because I didn’t really care about anybody else in the 90s, I just wanted to be all right for me.”
The Ultimate Tour was the first time that Take That had performed together since they split in 1996. It ran for a total of 33 shows and the four members – minus Robbie – reportedly banked over a million pounds each after tax, although their windfall is not discussed in the new documentary.
After the comeback tour, the band made new music, including the single Patience, which was a huge hit. Jason insisted the band got split royalties for tracks, which was not the case before when Gary got all the songwriting cash. He says previously Gary had refused to contemplate it.
Gary says: “When we came back…everyone wanted to write, and I realised this takes pressure off me. Now everybody’s sharing the burden of being a creative in a band.”
This was followed up by a Beautiful World Tour in 2007 and then Circus in 2009. Circus was a huge hit with fans and the band and featured stunts and animals. But by then Jason was weary of being on the road again and his appetite to continue was waning. The one thing that would actually keep him onside and on stage – was Robbie Williams.
Gary said: “I knew this was enough for him. I knew Jason was leaving. I think he’d found it hard coming back. I feel like he’d enjoyed the success, but he didn’t want it forever. I felt like to keep Jason, we’ve got to get Rob.”
Howard adds: “Oh, Jason promoted it quite heavy. The fact that he wanted to do this thing with Robbie. He worked together, five of us back together, make everything hunky dory.”
The band met Robbie in America and after a few false starts work on some music together and he joins them on the Progress tour of 2011. It was another huge success and it did stop Jason leaving – but only temporarily.
At the end of this tour, Jason quit – Robbie went back to being solo – and the band become a three piece, going back out on tour a few years later. Gary says Jason told them “I just don’t want to do this,” and he was walking away.
Howard recalls: “After that last(Progress) show, Jason sat us all down and said, Listen, I don’t want to be the band anymore. And I think I’m done. But it was really sad, because Jason felt like one of my best friends. I felt like we had so much in common. We’re from council houses and big families down to earth people. I’d had many laughs with and made me laugh so many times, but it was a scary time, because I almost felt like I was Going back to 96 again. It just was a very uncomfortable feeling. I didn’t really know where to turn.”
Mark adds: “It was a big, a big moment that for us, because now we’ve gone from five on stage to three of us. We’ve lost two members.”
The trio did eventually decide to continue to enjoy touring, albeit without Jason who they had alongside them for so long. Howard said: “We’re not young whipper snappers anymore, but we’re still out there selling tickets, and we’re hungry.”
* Take That is released by Netflix on Tuesday January 27.
Source: Mirror
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