FIVE years after finding fame on X Factor, Croydon boy band JLS are to split.
Croydon-born JB, and his bandmates Aston Merrygold, Marvin Humes and Oritse Williams have decided to go their separate ways after a farewell tour.
The band told a national newspaper they have decided to finish "on a high".
"It's just that time. We are still the best of friends and always will be - but this is the end," Merrygold told The Sun.
The R&B group lost out to Alexandra Burke in the 2008 final of reality programme X Factor.
Humes said: "The last five or so years hav been nothing short of incredible. It has been an incredible journey.
"We are the first X Factor act to finish a five-year recording contract. If we wanted to carry on and sign for another label, it was going to be another three, four or five albums.
"So we all thought about it for a few months and it sort of made sense to say we were moving on with our lives."
Despite losing X Factor, the band's debut single, Beat Again, went straight to the top of the UK charts.
JLS went on to achieve four number one singles and also picked up prizes at the Brits and Mobo awards.
One Direction member Louis Tomlinson said he was sorry to hear about the end of a fellow boy band.
"Sad to hear about JLS. Wish them all the best of luck in what they go on to do," he posted on Twitter.
In December 2008 four girls were taken to hospital after being crushed in a crowd surge when more than 2,000 people turned out for the band's free homecoming gig outside Fairfield Halls.
