Band's new album 'Circus' storms to the top of the charts as ticket sales for next year's tour sell out in five hours Take That excited millions of fans worldwide in November 2005 when they announced their intention to reunite and perform in a comeback tour. Now, more than three years later, the group are emulating their success in the 90s and are proving they have the staying power to remain successful for the foreseeable future - unlike Boyzone, East 17 and New Kids on the Block, who have failed to reignite the interest in their careers with comebacks. And, with the release of their new album 'The Circus', the boys - Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Howard Donald - are reassuring fans they can hold their own among the newer artists in the charts at the moment. Owen revealed the album's name was inspired after a visit to see the Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, adding: "It's no ordinary circus, it's a really magnificent show, so strange and magical." Featuring soaring ballads such as their single 'Greatest Day' and lively tracks including The Beatles-inspired 'Hello' - sung by the ever-lovable Owen, who is slowly overtaking Barlow as the main singer on the band's tracks - 'The Circus' is already causing a storm among fans. Outselling Britney Spears' similarly-named 'Circus' record, which was released the day after the band's album, Take That stormed to the top of the UK album chart this weekend, after 'Greatest Day' shot to number one in the UK singles chart last week. The band have already broken records, after 'The Circus' sold a staggering 133,000 copies in its first day of release - beating the previous record held by Coldplay, who shifted 125,000 copies of their most recent record 'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends' in June, according to Official Charts Company data. Barlow says he knew the record was going to be a success, and was thrilled when 600,000 tickets for the group's upcoming tour 'Take That Present The Circus' - which runs in the UK from June 6 to July 4 next year - sold out in just five hours. "We wrote the album with stadiums in mind," he explained. "We imagined how it would be to sing the songs on stage at Wembley Stadium before we even started writing. We thought now was the time to do it. I feel like we will never be bigger than we are now - this is it. "This album has been the most enjoyable record I've ever made. Although there was a huge amount of pressure on us, it never felt like it in the studio. It just feels great, it feels perfect and it feels like it could be our ultimate record." Owen - who recently welcomed his second daughter with partner Emma Ferguson into the world - added: "If someone had told me a few years ago we'd be back with another hit album and I'd have two kids I'd never have believed them. It's brilliant - we are so lucky." The group have also found they have more chance of phenomenal success when they reunited rather than with their separate solo careers. While Barlow was hailed as the most promising member of the band following their split in 1996, his solo career soon floundered and after the mediocre success of first solo album 'Open Road', his second solo record 'Twelve Nights, Eleven Days' only made it to number 35 in the UK album charts. Owen also attempted to repackage himself as a solo artist, releasing singles 'Child' and 'Clementine' before the launch of his debut solo record 'Green Man'. However, following the lack of interest in his solo career, he was dropped by BMG records in 1997. After winning UK reality TV show 'Celebrity Big Brother' in 2002, Owen's second solo bid saw 'Four Minute Warning' making it to number four in UK singles charts in 2003 - but his next two songs failed to chart inside the UK top 20. Donald and Orange both dropped out of the music industry, with Orange pursuing his dancing career and Donald establishing himself as a DJ in Ibiza. But it was Robbie Williams, the original underdog of the band, who found the most success as a solo artist. Now, in a cruel twist of fate, Robbie's career is on the backburner - he hasn't released an album since 2006's poorly-received 'Rudebox' - while Take That's popularity among fans and the music industry alike continues to blossom. However, Barlow has now hinted that - due to the extreme demand from some fans and a desire to rekindle his friendship with Robbie - the singer may be joining the group on their tour "some day". "As long as we're alive people are going to ask if we're going to get back together," he said. "I do believe we will one day, I just don't know when. "The five of us were together a lot over the summer and it just felt like we were back in the '90s. I get an email every week from Rob, Mark gets one every other week, Jason phones him once a week. We're all keeping in touch. It's really fun getting to know him again, I must say. The five of us are rebuilding our friendship, and that's really the only place to start." Owen added: "Reuniting with Rob would be our crowning glory. Whether it'd be for one last tour or for just one song, personally, I think that would be wonderful." While a hologram of Robbie singing 'Could It Be Magic' was shown during the band's comeback 'Ultimate Tour' in 2006, the group have not appeared as a five-piece on stage together since 1995. Fan reactions to the news of Robbie's possible return is predictably mixed. While some think it would be "amazing" to see the band reunited in the form which made them famous, others aren't so sure. One fan wrote on an internet forum: "I'm also pleased Robbie is out of the picture as I do believe all four are happy in their skins now and get on so well. Robbie would be a bad influence in the band". Even though the likelihood of Robbie joining the band at one or more of their tour dates has increased, he is unlikely to record with Take That as he is still working on his upcoming solo record, which has already been given the thumbs up by his former bandmates.
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