Gary Barlow, 55, announces 'with a heavy heart' he cannot repeat Circus tour for a third time due to age-related challenges as he says he 'physically can't do this show again'

has announced he cannot repeat Take That's energetic Circus tour for a third time, as he admitted he 'physically can't' do the show again in an emotional statement.

The singer, 55, recently wrapped the big-budget reprisal of Take That's famous tour The Circus, which first wowed crowds across the country in 2009.

Following the final show in Dublin on Saturday, Gary took to X to pen an emotional statement where he admitted age-related challenges prevented him from doing the same tour again.

However, he went on to say that the tour, which he performed with Howard Donald and Mark Owen, was their 'best ever.'

Gary wrote: 'Best tour ever - to say that 35 years into our career is saying something #circuslive.'

He then went on to add: 'And another tour comes to a close. Somehow, this one feels a little different. 

'With the other tours, it's always comforting to know there will almost definitely be a next time. But I'm pretty sure this tour won't return. 

'I was 38 when we originally did this show, and I have to say it's been a whole other challenge doing it as a 55-year-old. 

'I just can't see a way I could physically do this show again.

'So, it's with an extremely heavy heart that I leave The Circus in my past. I got to run away with The Circus twice. 

'Now I'm running towards our next exciting, brand new show.'

During the tour, Gary has also impressed fans by showcasing his impressive 'glow-up,' after he showed off his muscular physique in a black vest as he performed new single Sweet July alongside bandmates  and .

It's no wonder Gary was looking well, having previously revealed that he was pulling out all the stops to prepare for The Circus Tour, which kicked off in May.

In December, the singer took to Instagram to revea, where annual memberships start at £6,500 plus a £1,500 joining fee. 

In one snap, Gary could be seen wearing a VO2 max mask as he jogged on a treadmill, dressed down in casual workout gear. 

Another showed him running again, this time captioned: '6 months to go to the Circus Tour' along with a clown and flexed-bicep emoji.

He then shared a photo of himself with a tube in his arm as he appeared to have his bloods checked, writing: 'No pain no gain'. 

The star also posted a shirtless photo of himself during a workout, admitting he's 'excited' to take on the high-energy show once again, though he was 16 years younger at the time. 

Meanwhile, in other photos, Gary checked his health stats on a screen mid-run and tested the strength of his leg muscles on a Biodex leg-extension machine.

He rounded things off by sharing the results of his spine lab assessment, joking: 'Still in one piece' alongside several crying and laughing emojis. 

Gary has showcased a variety of different looks over the years, previously revealing that he was pleased when his weight gain resulted in him being recognised less. 

Speaking in Take That's Netflix documentary, Gary reflected on the band's split in 1996, saying: 'It was just so excruciating. You just wanted to crawl into a hole.

'There was a period of about 13 months when I didn't leave the house once. And I also started to put weight on.  And the more weight I put on the less people would recognise me. 

'I thought "this is good, this is what I've been waiting for, living a normal life." So I went on a mission. If the food passed me, I'd just eat it... and I killed the pop star. 

'I would have these nights where I'd eat and eat and eat, but however I felt about myself, I felt ten times worse the day after.' 

In the series, Gary explained that he developed an eating disorder in the Nineties after his solo career failed to take off, admitting he was consumed with 'jealousy' at former bandmate ' success. 

He confessed: 'I was incredibly competitive so yeah, I think I was jealous.' 

Explaining that he lost his way after being dropped by his record label, Gary said he began to think: 'What am I going to do with the rest of my life? 

'Because that's it with music now. I can't even walk down the street now without someone shouting something about Robbie to me.'

Gary became the subject of widespread mockery, and he 'saw it all', with the issue being compounded by Robbie publicly making jibes at him. 

Detailing the start of his bingeing and purging cycle, Gary continued: 'One day I thought, I've been out, it's 10 o'clock, I've eaten too much, I need to get rid of this food.

'You just go off to a dark corner of the house and just throw up, just make yourself sick. 

'You think it's only once and all of a sudden you're walking down that corridor again and again - is this it? Is this what I'm going to be doing forever?'

Gary's weight ballooned to 17 stone at the height of his battle before things came to a head in 2003. 

He previously recalled: 'It was the day when I just went, 'No, I'm not having this anymore, I'm going to change. I want to change and I'm determined that this is not who I've become.'

'It only took a few years to get that low, but it took me years to get back to who I wanted to be. 10 years probably.'