Neville Staple has said that he has decided not to be part of the The Specials 2013 Tour.
Staples, who played an excellent gig in Coventry on Saturday night, missed The Special set for BBC6 Music on Wednesday at the Maida Vale Studios.
In order to quash any speculation, he has released the following statement:
"Hi everyone,
Some of you may have noticed my absense from The Specials performance on BBC 6 Music on 12th December, so before rumours begin, I thought I had better clarify the situation.
Despite enjoying the last few years with the rest of the guys, I decided to take a back seat with The Specials and not participate in either last nights performance or in the next tour.
I wish you all and everyone in The Specials a merry Christmas and all the best for 2013.
Neville"
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM