Mark Owen shocks BBC Breakfast hosts as he looks worlds away from his former Take That days 

Mark Owen looked worlds away from his early Take That days as he appeared on BBC Breakfast on Monday. 

The singer, 50, who has long been known as the ‘cute one’ in the band was seen sporting a moustache and long hair as he promoted his solo album.

The shows co-host Sally Nugent seemed a bit surprised by his appearance during the interview.

Same but different:  Mark Owen looked worlds away from his early Take That days as he appeared on BBC Breakfast on Monday with long hair and a moustache

The songwriter appeared on the popular programme to promote his new album Land of Dreams, which is his fifth solo release outside of his work with Take That.

He spoke to Sally, 51, and co-host Jon Kay, 52, about his career but the musician drew attention for his facial hair – looking very different from his early days in the band.

Sally addressed Mark’s new look outright, probing the hitmaker about why he now dons a moustache.

Referring to his Take That days, she asked: ‘Actually, you look different. The moustache, how long has that been there?’

Mark replied: ‘It’s been there for about four years probably.

‘It started off as a beard and then my beard got a bit patchy on this side. Then we were going on tour, and beards can get a bit sweaty on tour…’

Sally interrupted to then joke about co-host Jon’s facial hair, to which he chimed in: ‘Yeah, yeah, patchy beards, I’m with you, Mark.’

Blunt: Sally addressed Mark’s new look outright, probing the hitmaker about why he now dons a moustache

Sally let out a chuckle as Mark continued: ‘So then it became a moustache and it sort of stuck.

‘My children keep threatening to cut it off, they’re like, ‘Can we just…?’

Explaining his reasoning for wanting to keep the moustache, he commented: ‘I’ve done my artwork. I can’t change the look! I’ve done the video. I can’t change my look now.’

The facial hair didn’t go unnoticed by viewers, with one person admitting they were distracted: ‘Can’t stop looking at Mike Owens moustache #BBCBreakfast.’

Reason: Explaining his reasoning for wanting to keep the moustache, he commented: ‘I’ve done my artwork. I can’t change the look! I’ve done the video. I can’t change my look now’

Others expressed surprise over his appearance, with one writing: ‘Good Lord, what’s happened to Mark Owen?’ Another wasn’t sure if it was him, asking: ‘Was that Mark Owen?’

Speaking about his long-awaited album, Mark told The Sun earlier this year: ‘I try and play it cool but I’m not cool, there’s no coolness in me. Even being in Take That for all this time I still don’t think there is, but that’s all right.

‘Howard (Donald) always thinks he’s cool, and Jason (Orange) really was cool — he just is. At least I’ll be the coolest guy on this album!’

The group last performed together in 2019 on their Odyssey: Greatest Hits Live tour and have spent the past few years on a break working on solo projects.

Famous five: Mark long been known as the ‘cute one’ in the band [Clockwise, from top left: Jason Orange, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark and Robbie Williams in 1992]

And their break, as well as the coronavirus lockdown, allowed Mark to work on his own album, though the record was initially met with a cheeky jibe from his pals.

He explained that he ‘sent the song’ to Howard and Gaz, only for them to say ‘it was s**t’, with Mark quick to add: ‘No, afterwards they were very complimentary.’

The star went on to say that with Take That’s latest hiatus, it allowed him to fully focus on creating his album, remarking that making music and performing is ‘part of my life.’

He said: We’ve made three Take That records since my last solo album but I’m not very good at multi-tasking. I can’t do two things at once so I needed to know I had a couple of years to focus on it. The adrenaline of making music and performing is just part of my life.’

Oh dear! In a new interview, the singer, 50, opened up about his latest music offering, revealing that bandmates Gary Barlow, 51, and Howard Donald, 54, joked it was ‘s**t’

He added that he ‘can’t wait’ to get ‘back on stage’, adding that he can’t wait for his work to get ‘out there’. 

The Babe hitmaker is no doubt especially proud of his album as his daughters Willow, 13, and Fox, nine make a cameo appearance on it as backing singers. 

And as well as new music, fans of Mark could have even more to celebrate as the star hinted that he could make the move back to the UK after years of living in Los Angles. 

He noted that the last few times he had returned to his native Manchester, he had felt ‘a bit of a pull’ back to the North of England.

Speak into existence: ‘Howard (Donald) always thinks he’s cool, and Jason (Orange) really was cool — he just is. At least I’ll be the coolest guy on this album!’ [pictured in 2019]

He said despite family living there, being back in Manchester ‘just feels different’ as he questioned why he was getting ‘a pull’ towards his home city.

It comes days after the members of Take That dapper figures at the Greatest Days photo call during Cannes film festival on Wednesday. 

The trio comprising of Gary, Howard and Mark posed in their summery suits at the event to promote the film which will tell the story of their band’s rise to fame. 

But a notable former member Robbie Williams, 48, was missing from the line up – after in 2014 both Robbie and Jason Orange decided to leave the group after it reformed. 

New project: We’ve made three Take That records since my last solo album but I’m not very good at multi-tasking. I can’t do two things at once so I needed to know I had a couple of years to focus on it’ [pictured in 2019]

Gary looked typically suave in a cream suit and white chinos as he smiled for the cameras in the sunshine. 

Beside him Howard looked ruggedly handsome in a bright white jacket and clashing red trousers as he held his sunglasses and sported a grey beard.  

Meanwhile Owen showed off his quirky sense of style in a pink silk patterned blouse and light blue blazer. 

The film follows a young boyband inspired by, (but not the same) as the real-life pop group and compromises newcomers Aaron Bryan, Dalvin Cory, Joshua Jung, Mark Samaras and Mervin Noronha. 

Handsome: It comes days after the members of Take That dapper figures at the Greatest Days photo call during Cannes film festival on Wednesday (L-R: Howard Donald, Gary Barlow and Mark)

Based on the stage musical The Band, the film will reportedly feature music from Take That and has a buy-in from the group and Universal Music.

According to Deadline, the film follows five best friends who have the night of their lives at a concert by their favourite boy band.

25 years later, they reunite and reminisce about their younger days. 

In a statement, Take That said: ‘This is a really exciting time for us! We’re really looking forward to working with such a talented and creative team on the film and we’re absolutely delighted to have such a brilliant cast on board!’ 

Yay! Based on the stage musical The Band, the film will reportedly feature music from Take That and has a buy-in from the group and Universal Music