If you’ve ever watched Derry Girls, you’ll remember the scene where Erin, Orla, Clare, Michelle, and James lie to their parents as they head to Belfast, all wrapped up in their denim jackets, standing at the barriers with a giant cutout of Gary Barlow, basking in the electric atmosphere that Take That creates. In news that sent a collective shiver of delight and nostalgia across the UK and Ireland this week, the pop titans have decided to make a comeback to the stage through the revival of their legendary The Circus Live tour for the summer of 2026, seventeen years after their record-breaking run in 2009.
Back in 2009, The Circus Live set a new precedent for stadium pop; it was not just a hit; it was a phenomenon of sorts, smashing records by selling 600,000 tickets in under five hours. It wasn’t just about the music; it was also the immersive spectacle, crowned by the unforgettable sights of the band riding a 30-foot mechanical elephant through stadiums packed with a million fans screaming. This time around, band members Gary Barlow, Howard Daniel, and Mark Owen have promised something “bigger, braver, and bolder”, a contemporary show which will be laced with nostalgia, and an opportunity for the band to showcase something fresh to their fans who have been waiting for the last 17 years.
The 11-date tour kicks off on May 29 2026, at St Mary’s Stadium in the port city of Southampton, making its way through iconic venues like Manchester’s Etihad Stadium, Hampden Park in Glasgow, and the London Stadium, before concluding in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on July 4. Support acts will include The Script, who had also supported the original 2009 tour, returning alongside the iconic Belinda Carlisle, guaranteeing a multi-generational feast of pop classics.
| Date | City | Venue | Country | Start Time | Support Acts |
| May 29 2026 (Fri) | Southampton | St Mary’s Stadium | UK | 17:00 | The Script, Belinda Carlisle |
| June 5 2026 (Fri) | Coventry | Building Society Arena | UK | 17:00 | The Script, Belinda Carlisle |
| June 6 2026 (Sat) | Coventry | Building Society Arena | UK | 17:00 | The Script, Belinda Carlisle |
| June 9 2026 (Tue) | Sunderland | Stadium of Light | UK | 17:00 | The Script, Belinda Carlisle |
| June 12 2026 (Fri) | Glasgow | Hampden Park National Stadium | UK | 17:00 | The Script, Belinda Carlisle |
| June 16 2026 (Tue) | Cardiff | Principality Stadium | UK | 17:00 | The Script, Belinda Carlisle |
| June 19 2026 (Fri) | Manchester | Etihad Stadium | UK | 17:00 | The Script, Belinda Carlisle |
| June 20 2026 (Sat) | Manchester | Etihad Stadium | UK | 17:00 | The Script, Belinda Carlisle |
| June 26 2026 (Fri) | London | London Stadium | UK | 17:00 | The Script, Belinda Carlisle |
| June 27 2026 (Sat) | London | London Stadium | UK | 17:00 | The Script, Belinda Carlisle |
| July 4 2026 (Sat) | Dublin | Aviva Stadium | IE | 17:00 | The Script (TBC), Belinda Carlisle |
General sale opens on Friday, September 26, at 09:30 BST. Fans who pre-order their forthcoming tenth studio album from their official website, titled ‘TT10’, before 17:00 BST on Tuesday, September 23, will receive a code, allowing them to participate in the pre-sale, which begins at 09:30 BST on Thursday, September 25.
Much like the scene in Derry Girls, Take That’s revival of The Circus Live taps into collective memory. It’s about more than nostalgia; it is about how pop culture is lodged in the contemporary pop landscape. As the pre-sale frenzy grips, Take That isn’t just simply reviving a tour; they are resurrecting a feeling of joy, spectacle, and shared celebration. Whether this tour soars or merely glimmers will depend on how much risk they take and how well they live up to the expectations, as it seeks to create a shared spectacle of British pop theatre at its grandest.
