Take That star Jason Orange now looks worlds away from his boyband days.
The music star rose to fame as a member of the pop group. Jason was a member from their formation in 1990 until their hiatus in 1996, before rejoining for the 2005 reunion.
In 2014, however, he retired from entertainment and has lived a pretty low-key life since.
Stepping out this week, the Manchester-born singer, now 54, was almost unrecognisable.
The ex-boybander was seen out in Cheshire, rocking a casual yet stylish ensemble as he strolled around Hale Village.
Jason donned a white shirt and brown jacket with matching trousers.
He completed his look with beige boots and cool aviator shades.
The Could It Be Magic hitmaker was also pictured getting out of his gold classic Mercedes-Benz.
Jason – who was part of Take That’s original line-up along with Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Robbie Williams, and Mark Owen – is rarely seen these days, nor does he attend glitzy events like he used to at the height of his fame.
Two decades ago when quitting the band, Jason released a statement.
‘I want to start by saying how proud I am of what we have achieved together over the years,’ he began.
‘I have spent some of the best years of my life with Take That and I’d like to thank everyone who has been a part of my journey, including my bandmates, who I feel are like brothers to me.’
Speaking about his former bandmate, Jason, in an interview, Mark assured The Times in 2023 that there’s no bad blood.
‘I think Jason felt like he didn’t want to do it any more. But I’m not going to speak for him. He’s still here anyway.
‘The other day we were trying to work out who the best joke-teller in the band is and remembered how Jason always laughed before he got to the punchline.’
The other band members have also spoken about how Jason’s departure was his own decision.
Gary told Metro.co.uk in 2020 that they still ‘hear from Jason now and again.’
‘Then when you reply, the email doesn’t work. It’s bigger than we all know. Him cutting himself off from a life he just didn’t want anymore,’ he explained.
‘If you were 20 you would open the discussion up, but he is a grown man. You have to respect the fact he doesn’t want to do this.
‘It was hard for us to watch him go.’
Gary – who has teased a full Take That reunion in the future – added that Jason ‘didn’t want any creative involvement’ in the group in his latter years and ‘wanted to leave’.
Of course, Robbie also left in 1995 and wasn’t part of the 200s comeback, having forged a stellar solo career for himself by this point.
In a major nostalgia hit for fans, Angels hitmaker Robbie did rejoin Take That for a one-off lockdown performance in 2020. Alas, Jason sat that one out.
Take That now performs as a trio, consisting of Gary, 53, Howard, 56, and Mark, 52.
The three-piece has been going strong for some time, having performed at King Charles’s Coronation Concert last May to an electric crowd.
Our beloved Shine hitmakers are now on the road once again and have been travelling across Europe with their epic This Life tour.
Gary and co. sang their hearts out in Italy recently and are due to head to Spain next.
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