Flashback to 1996: Take That broke a million hearts by confirming they were splitting up
For thousands of heartbroken fans it was the news they had dreaded - their beloved Take That had parted ways.
Record company switchboards were jammed with calls from distraught fans trying to come to terms with the shock split.
Voluntary counsellors at The Samaritans and Childline were on standby to deal with a deluge of phone calls following the announcement.
And tearful teenagers set up a makeshift "shrine'' with posters, flowers and candles outside HMV record store in Oxford Street, London.
Among some fans, the split sparked the sort of emotions not seen since the height of Beatlemania some 30 years before.
After months of rumours, singer-songwriter Gary Barlow confirmed the band's members were going their separate ways during a news conference in Manchester.
"Thanks for everybody's support in the last five years. You've been absolutely fantastic,'' he said.
"How Deep is Your Love is going to be our last single together and the greatest hits is to be our last album. From today, it's no more.''
The brainchild of Manchester-based Nigel Martin-Smith, Take That had swept all before them during the mid-1990s, topping the singles charts eight times over a three-year-period.
However, throughout 1995 there had been rumours that all was not well behind the scenes, with the rest of the band reportedly disgruntled by Robbie Williams’ rebellious behaviour.
The stories appeared to be confirmed when Stoke-born Williams suddenly quit the band in July 1995.
Williams later admitted he had been drinking heavily at the time of the split, telling BBC Radio 4 that he was neither sacked nor walked out on his own, but the split came by mutual agreement with bandmates Jason Orange, Mark Owen, Gary Barlow and Howard Donald.
As a four-piece, Take That completed its successful Nobody Else Tour in late 1995, and then started to plan for its next album. However, over Christmas they mutually agreed it was time to part ways.
Reports of the split began to surface on February 12, 1996. However, to begin with, the group’s record company flatly denied the story. “There is no truth in the rumours, and we have no further comment,” an RCA spokeswoman said.
But the denial lasted for just a few hours, before Gary, Howard, Jason and Mark called a press conference confirming the fans’ worst fears.
More than 200,000 grieving fans bombarded a television helpline on ITV's This Morning show.
It was open for only 90 minutes but fans of all ages rang up for advice from presenters Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley and agony uncle Aric Sigman.
And was not only teeny fans who phoned the helpline which smashed the record for the most calls into the show on one subject.
Caroline, a 30 year old from Essex, said she had been unable to work since Take That shocked the pop world by announcing the split.
A spokesman for the show said lines were jammed the moment the phone in was announced. Some of the fans were too distraught to go on air.
"We had 40 and 50 year olds ringing in in tears. University students and people from all walks of life rang too,'' she added.
The number of calls, counted by BT, was the highest ever for the show, beating even one run by astrologer Russell Grant.
A spokeswoman for Take That's record company, RCA, said: "The Samaritans' advice is that distressed fans should try to talk to someone close to them or other fans who know how they feel.
"As Mark said yesterday, this is not the end of Take That.
"They are all individuals and they are still going to go on in their own paths.''
Heartbroken Emma Watkinson was so upset by their split that she ditched almost all of her precious Take That collection.
She told the Star: "I don't like keeping it all. It's just sitting there on the shelf. It upsets me.
"I couldn't believe it when they split up. They said they would always be Take That as long as their fans wanted them to be.''
The Blue Coat schoolgirl had spent more than £100 on her heroes over the past two years.
Her Take That alarm clock, T-shirts, cassettes, books and wall clock went to a 24-year-old collector.
But she hadn't yet got rid of her bedspread and pillows, her watches, videos, concert tickets and badges.
"If they get together again I'll regret it. I'll buy it all back again,'' she said.
"My mum said I should keep it all because it will be worth something. But I'm not bothered about the money.
"It's such a waste of talent. It depresses me.''
Emma Bennington has vivid memories of the traumatic way she felt on the day Take That split in February, 1996.
Speaking on the 10th anniversary, she recalled: "It felt like my whole world had broken down. I cried for hours on the phone to friends."
