George Shelley axed from Union J as his former bandmates tear into him

George Shelley has been sensationally axed from Union J, and the gloves are off as his former bandmates have torn into him for supposed ‘diva’ behaviour. In a no-holds-barred interview with The Sun, remaining members Jaymi Hensley, Josh Cuthbert and JJ Hamblett accused Shelley of failing to pull his weight in the band after appearing on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! last year, and that they eventually issued him with an ultimatum on whether to leave the band. “Using a sporting analogy, he wanted to turn up to the big matches but not turn up to training,” Josh told the newspaper. The boys say that instead of carrying on as a threesome, they will now look for a fourth member to replace Shelley. “I would much rather have someone who wants to do it and is committed to do it. I’m not going to lose any sleep over him not being in the band,” Josh added. The shock news comes exactly one month after Shelley came out publicly in a heartfelt YouTube video, in which he revealed he’d had both girlfriends and boyfriends in the past. His former bandmate Jaymi Hensley – who is also openly gay – offered his support in the aftermath of the announcement, telling Attitude he was “so proud” of the 22-year-old. In yesterday’s interview, he admitted he was “bitter” and “devastated” about the George’s acrimonious exit from the group. “It’s heart-breaking. I spoke to him the other day and I said I’m heartbroken over this. I am absolutely devastated. This is taking up all my time and affecting my home life,” he said. “It brings us down. When you turn up to something and the other person can’t be there, or they are turning up late. That makes you not love the project. One negative view can ruin it for everyone. “I am bitter about things that have happened. He wasn’t putting his the full effort in. One member is not bigger than the band and we feel that there should be no member who is bigger than the project.”Shelley originally joined the group during the 2012 series of X Factor, in which the boys eventually finished fourth. They went on to score four UK Top Ten hits. A spokesperson for George responded the comments last night, accusing the singer’s former bandmates of simply being jealous of his individual success. “George left Union J as he had been offered a two year contract with Capital Radio and a contract with the BBC,” the said. “He wants to focus now on broadcasting. He is beyond charming and not a diva at all. “The other members of Union J are simply jealous he has achieved the start of a new career and they have not. “George had agreed to be totally magnanimous towards them.” More stories: Union J’s George Shelley is all grown up in hot new shoot Harry Judd wants you to watch him getting nailed for Sport Relief