'X Factor' U.K. Alumni JLS Split After Six Years

LONDON – Boyband JLS, runners-up on X Factor U.K. in 2008 and one of the most successful alumni from the show, shook the U.K. pop world Friday with the announcement that they are splitting up.

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The London-based quartet, who finished second to Alexandra Burke on the 2008 run of Simon Cowell's reality TV singing contest, told fans that they have decided to "bring [their] time as a band to an end."

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Aston Merrygold, Marvin Humes, Jonathan ‘JB’ Gill and Oritse Williams said in a joint statement on the band's website: "We wanted to make sure that you heard it from the four of us, that we have decided to bring our time as a band to an end. It has been the most incredible journey over the last six years and we have achieved more things than we could have ever dreamed possible. Thanks to all of you guys, your support, your dedication and your love, you have changed our lives forever and we wouldn't be where we are today without you."

JLS said they are working on a greatest hits album, a farewell single, and will embark on one final tour.

The band has had 10 top-10 singles and five number-one hits in the U.K.

The band's 2009 debut album, JLS, is the third biggest-selling debut album by any X Factor artist from the U.K. show, behind Leona Lewis’ Spirit and One Direction's Up All Night. The JLS debut sold over 1.4 million copies in the U.K., according to the Official Chart Company.