How The Wanted’s Max George has pulled out of gigs over string of debilitating health battles – as star reveals he is in hospital with ‘heart issues’

After fighting crippling depression, alcoholism and the death of his bandmate, Max George faces a new battle today as it was revealed that he is facing heart surgery over Christmas.

The singer has admitted he is ‘very lucky that this was caught when it was’ as he revealed the shocking health scare last night.

Fans are heartbroken and frightened for him as he faces a spell in hospital and an invasive procedure over the festive period.

Max hasn’t disclosed what the heart condition is, only that it was picked up during tests after feeling unwell and being rushed to hospital.

It came just two years after his bandmate Tom Parker died aged 33 in 2022 following an 18-month battle with brain cancer. Max quit drinking at the time after admitting he had a drink problem and used alcohol to help with anxiety.

There were signs that all was not well with Max, 36, when he had to pull out of shows earlier this year. 

In March he was due to appear in The Syndicate opposite Brooke Vincent but had to pull out due to ‘personal reasons’. A month later there was a picture of Max with a mysterious swollen eye.

Ten years ago he suffered from debilitating depression after his band The Wanted went on an indefinite hiatus back in 2014.  

Max had brain scans in hospital because he became so unwell – but had no clue his physical symptoms were about by mental illness.

Talking to Made In Chelsea’s Jamie Laing and Francis Boulle on their Private Parts podcast, Max said: ‘I had a three month period in my life where I couldn’t leave my apartment without being sick.

‘My head was spinning. I couldn’t walk. So I ended up in hospital having scans on my brain and it was all down to being depressed.’ 

 Max was devastated when The Wanted ended due to what Max calls a ‘bust up’ at the record label, but said he moved to LA very soon after and immediately got a part as Clint in Glee.

But when that came to an end, things came crashing down.

Max said: ‘There wasn’t anything specific, I felt like I was in a rut about what to do next, but I felt lucky, I have a great family, I got Glee and moved to LA…

‘But nothing worked. The doctors put me on stuff [medication] over there. It helped – but I came off it because I didn’t want to take something for six, seven or eight months and not be fine without it.

‘I remember, the first morning it happened. I woke up and had felt fine the day before. My jaw seized up. I thought I had done something in my sleep.

‘But the next day it was the same and my doctor said there was nothing wrong with it. So I started thinking there must be something wrong in my head.

‘I came home for Christmas and got more opinions from doctors, brain scans. Nothing showed up, so they agreed it must be anxiety, depression.

He continued: ‘I couldn’t do any exercise without being sick. Then three or four months into it, I woke up and my head was completely clear.

‘I couldn’t believe it had gone. I cried to myself because I felt like me again and I felt like I could go back to living my life.’

Max’s bandmate Siva Kaneswaran led the celeb wellwishers sending love to The Wanted star after he revealed is undergoing heart surgery over Christmas on Thursday.

His EastEnders actress girlfriend Maisie Smith, 23, also shared a sweet message on his post following the heartbreaking news just weeks before Christmas.

Leading the heartfelt tributes, Siva wrote: ‘Here for you brother. Rest up and get well soon ❤️’

Maisie penned: ‘Love you Max ❤️’ 

JLS star Marvin Humes wrote: ‘Sorry to hear you’re not well geezer..you’re strong and will fight through..big love mate ❤️’.

Marvin’s bandmate JB Gill added: ‘God bless you bro, wishing you better soon. Sending lots of love.’

Chloe Burrows wrote: ‘Omg Maxy sending all my love xc’

And among the many other stars, Amy Walsh added: ‘Ah babe. Sending you lots of love!!! Hope it’s an easy recovery for you! You’re a fighter, stay strong xxx’

While he hasn’t disclosed what condition he is suffering with, he told fans: ‘Hey everyone, Yesterday I felt really unwell and was taken in to hospital. 

‘Unfortunately after some tests they’ve found that I have some issues with my heart.

‘I have a lot more tests to determine the extent of the problems and what surgery I will need to get me back on my feet.

‘It’s gonna be a difficult few weeks / months… and Christmas in a hospital bed wasn’t exactly what I had planned! 

‘But, as always, I’m surrounded with love and support by my wonderful partner Maisie [Smith], her family, my family and friends.. and I’m 100% in the best place.

‘Although this is a huge shock and no doubt a set back, it’s something I’ll take on with all I’ve got! I count myself very lucky that this was caught when it was.

‘Apologies if I bore you with updates in the coming weeks..I’ve probably got a month in a bed and there’s not THAT much to do!

‘Let’s do this! Much love, Max x’

Shortly after his announcement, Max posted a light-hearted jibe from his hospital bed about Manchester City loss in Wednesday night’s football game.

Lying in bed with a heart monitor across his chest, he jokied: ‘So I think they are officially trying to kill me off… come on boys.’

Max has been open about his battle with binge drinking and alcoholism over the years, previously admitting he drank ’10 pints and three bottles of wine in one night’.

Last year, the singer revealed he used alcohol to ‘adapt’ to the spotlight and to help ease his anxiety during his ‘lowest ever point.’

He referenced one incident in which he consumed 10 pints and three bottles of wine in one night while out celebrating his birthday.

The binge contained roughly 38 units of alcohol. The NHS advises that men and women don’t consume more than 14 units across the space of a week. 

Speaking about his drinking on Channel 4’s Scared Of The Dark, he said: ‘I would always be p***ed before we performed. I struggled to adapt so I used to drink to make myself feel like it didn’t bother me.

‘It’s quite hard sometimes to differentiate between the anxiety and depression but mine was certainly more the anxiety side which started when the boys got to number one with All Time Low.’

Referencing his birthday binge session, he confessed: ‘I was ill for a week. The doctor looked at my liver and said my liver count was pretty low, I’m not messing with my liver. So I stopped.’ 

He added that he was also inspired to stop drinking after learning of late bandmate Tom’s stage four glioblastoma diagnosis.

Breaking down in tears, he confessed to Paul: ‘How do you deal with it? There’s no cure for that so you just sort of learn to carry on with your life I guess. But deal with it, definitely not. 

‘I don’t—I don’t think I’ll ever be okay with it you know. One of the last things I said to him was— I thanked him for making my life so much better than what it ever could have been, you know, like that whole journey through being in the band. 

‘He was my best friend. F**k. I just don’t want it to be like a burden or a thing with anyone else.’

Max previously revealed that sobriety has made life clearer, despite leaving him ‘really bored at weekends’.

He said in March last year: ‘I haven’t drunk in 18 months, everyone says ‘I bet you feel well better don’t you?’

‘No, I just feel really bored at weekends! Just grim as usual through the week. It has been good, it’s easier to keep fit… so yeah, everything’s pretty clear now.’

The Wanted released a statement in January 2014 to announce they were taking time apart to ‘pursue personal endeavours’. 

Max’s bandmate Tom was given just 12 months to live by doctors in October 2020, before his death in 2022.

Tom shared daughter Aurelia, five, and four-year-old son Bodhi with his widow Kelsey, who is now in a relationship with her new partner Will.

Max has been in a relationship with EastEnders star Maisie since 2022 and received scrutiny at the start of their relationship because of their age gap.

The pair were due to play a married couple in Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War Of The Worlds, which will tour in 2025.

The year after he performed on Strictly, Max was invited on the dance show’s nationwide tour which was when he struck up a romance with co-star Maisie.

In 2022, he was forced to defend their 13 age-gap, telling Hello! ‘It never enters my mind. Maisie has already done so many things that I’m in awe of – I look up to her.’

Max and Siva reformed the group earlier this year a decade after the boyband’s split.

After Jay McGuiness and Nathan Sykes chose not to join, Max and Siva joined forces as a duo in April, embarking on a tour as the Wanted 2.0.

The Wanted released a statement in January 2014 to announce they were taking time apart to ‘pursue personal endeavours’. 

Max and Siva announced last week they will be headlining their very first UK headline show as The Wanted 2.0 in Manchester Cathedral.

They also announced they are headlining ten dates in 2025 with the UK’s biggest food and music festival. 

Following Max’s health scare, it is unclear whether the duo will be going along with their tour. 

If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s drinking, call Drinkline for free on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).