Music

Tom Parker, member of boy band the Wanted, dies from brain cancer at 33

"Our hearts are broken," Parker's wife says. "Tom was the centre of our world and we can't imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence."

By

Jessica Wang

Published on March 30, 2022 02:39PM EDT

Tom Parker, a singer for the British-Irish boy band the Wanted, died Wednesday from stage four brain cancer. He was 33.

Parker's wife, actress Kelsey Parker (née Hardwick), shared the news on Instagram, writing that the singer-songwriter passed "peacefully" early Wednesday with his family by his side.

"Our hearts are broken. Tom was the centre of our world and we can't imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence," Kelsey wrote. "We are truly thankful for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we all unite to ensure Tom's light continues to shine for his beautiful children."

The couple share two young children together, daughter Aurelia Rose and son Bodhi Thomas Paris. The actress said Parker "fought until the very end" in her post, adding, "Thank you to everyone who has supported in his care throughout."

Parker announced his stage four glioblastoma diagnosis in October 2020, sharing that he had undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

"We are all absolutely devastated but we are gonna fight this all the way," Parker wrote on social media at the time. "We don't want your sadness, we just want love and positivity and together we will raise awareness of this terrible disease and look for all available treatment options. It's gonna be a tough battle but with everyone's love and support we are going to beat this."

Parker formed the Wanted in 2009 with members Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, and Nathan Sykes. The band rose to stardom with their 2010 debut single "All Time Low." Their 2012 single "Glad You Came" from their second studio album Battleground swept U.K. and U.S. charts, climbing to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Tom Parker, member of boy band the Wanted, dies from brain cancer at 33. Robin Marchant/Getty Images

The Wanted disbanded in 2014 after releasing three albums, but reunited in 2021 for a Stand Up To Cancer benefit concert. Prior to their split, the group also headlined their own E! reality show The Wanted Life in 2013, which ran for one season. The eight-episode series chronicled the making-of the band's third album as they resided together in a Hollywood Hills home and learned to navigate American culture.

The group mourned the loss of Parker on Instagram Wednesday, writing, "Max, Jay, Siva, Nathan and the whole Wanted family are devastated by the tragic and premature loss of our bandmate Tom Parker... Tom was an amazing husband to Kelsey, and father to Aurelia and Bodhi. He was our brother. Words can't express the loss and sadness we feel. Always and forever in our hearts."

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