Former Blue member Simon Webbe recently confessed Elton John was behind their shocking separation last month.

It appears Elton, 58, while registering with Blue for a version of 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word' in 2002, advised the band to stop now, because their popularity is decreasing and they should focus on solo projects.

Webbe, now a manager, explained: "We decided to have a break because Sir Elton told us: 'You have a certain amount of longevity in the business. If you keep releasing pop albums as Blue you'll go stale.'

"His comments made sense. He's a legend with almost 40 years in the business. I realised it would be best to take time out."