Rockstar Hospitalized After Black Widow Spider Bite

The singer called it a "cool story" on Instagram.

By Ashley Turner

English pop-punk band The Busted's singer James Bourne revealed he was hospitalized after getting bitten by a spider. Bourne, 40, said he didn't grasp how serious the bite from a black widow spider was at first, but he realized the gravity of what had happened when he was told he had hypertension after having been refused an IV drip at a local hospital.

This particular spider species is well known for its distinctive markings on its abdomen, and it is widely reported that its poison is 15 times stronger than rattlesnakes. National Geographic's website explains that bites can cause nausea, muscle aches, and paralysis of the diaphragm, which can result in difficulty breathing. The website emphasizes the importance of receiving immediate medical attention if experiencing any of these symptoms.

Bourne said he is grateful to be "alive and kicking" and is now ready to share his story with the world. As he took to social media on Friday, the "Year 3000" singer shared two images with his Instagram followers, one depicting a black widow spider and the other of the bite he received.

Captioning the two pictures, Bourne told his fans: "I'm finally recovered now (touch wood) from being bitten by a black widow spider. I did not know how serious my condition was until I was refused an IV drip at my local Next health because I was suffering hypertension with a blood pressure reading of 190 / 115 mmHg. Apparently that's quite serious . I ended up at the hospital later that night! Anyway, im still here, Alive and kicking! Cool story bro…"

"Ouch! I'm glad you are on the mend…great story though," one of Borne's followers said beneath his update, with another adding, "Oh dam! Glad you're getting there! ...all that horrible stuff & not even spiderman powers..but seriously glad your (sic) OK x."

"Omg! Big get well soon James. Speedy recovery sir," wrote Heart 90s radio presenter Kevin Hughes, with a kiss emoji. "Sooo you're saying you're Spider Man?" joked another.

Bourne lives in Los Angeles, and it has been estimated that around 2,500 people in the United States are bitten by black widow spiders each year (with most of them not requiring medical treatment and less than 10 of these cases resulting in death). Black widow spiders are not naturally found in the UK.

Aside from Bourne's health scare, bandmates Matt Willis and Charlie Simpson recently reunited with him to celebrate Busted's 20th anniversary with a tour that saw them play 14 shows across the UK. Last month, they performed at the sold-out Capital Jingle Bell Ball at London's O2 Arena.

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