Busted are recording a new album without lead singer Charlie Simpson.

Matt Willis and guitarist James Bourne are currently writing new material together and hope to release an LP next year.

Willis, who is currently appearing in the West End production Flashdance, said their song writing had matured, although he promised that fans they their new songs are not about “really grown-up stuff”.

“I don't know if Flashdance has influenced me, but its quite 80s, quite synth-based. But it's still got guitars. It's great. It's wicked,” he told BBC Newsbeat.

"Things are looking good. Fingers crossed, we should be making an album within the next six months hopefully. But we'll see."

It is not clear whether Simpson, who left the band in 2005 to form Fightstar, will be part of the project.

(by Jason Gregory)