UB40 were formed in 1978 in Birmingham, named after form the unemployed had to fill out to claim benefits at the time. The reggae and pop band welcomed Duncan Campbell as their singer in 2008, after  Ali Campbell left the band due to a dispute with management. Robin Campbell, his bandmate, is also his brother.

Campbell has decided to leave the band due to health concerns. Earlier this month he suffered a seizure, which while it left no damage comes less than a year after the singer suffered a stroke in August 2020. He made a full recovery, but has decided that his ill health means he must retire from the music industry. In a statement, he said: ‘Unfortunately, due to continued ill health, I have reluctantly decided to retire from the band so as to focus on my recovery…‘I am very grateful, and would like to express my sincere thanks to the fans for all their support during this time and indeed throughout my time with UB40. The band have my full support going forward and, of course, my very best wishes for the future with their new singer.’

Campbell’s brother, Robin Campbell, also spoke out on the matter, saying ‘We’ve been rehearsing with every intention of Duncan’s return to performing, but sadly, after suffering further illness, he has made the decision to retire from music in order to concentrate fully on his recovery….While we are deeply saddened, we completely understand and fully support his decision. As far as touring goes, we are ready to hit the road for our upcoming summer shows and will be announcing our new frontman imminently.’

The news comes just after UB40’s new album ‘Bigga Baggariddim’ was released last week. No announcement has been made on who will replace Campbell as the singer of the band.