Take That gets held up by a giant robot

UNDERWEAR MAGNETS and relatively convincing dancers Take That have had some poor treatment at the hands of an on stage robot.

Om, the group's stage robot - yes, Take That has an even more wooden mover than Gary Barlow - either malfunctioned over the weekend or grew sentient. Either way, during a performance in Manchester he clasped part of the band in his hands and refused to let them go.

This action, for which we think he should be rewarded, did not have what could be described as the desired effect, and rather than forcing the show to be called off it just meant that two people who might or might not be called Gary, Bary, Robbie, Colin or John had to perform ten feet up in the air.

"Take That singers Mark Owen and Howard Donald were both trapped on a stage robot during their concert at the City of Manchester stadium at the weekend. The pair were meant to be lowered to the stage on the palms of the group's giant robot man, Om, but the mechanics failed," the BBC reported.

"It meant they were stuck singing Love Love three metres (10ft) above the rest of the band on Saturday night."

The INQUIRER is not aware of the Take That song, which even by its title sounds repetitive, however, we think that any concert - indeed any musical event - could be enlivened by what happened next.

"Ladders were used to rescue Mark Owen so he could continue his performance," added the BBC. "Howard Donald was forced to sing lead vocals for the next track Never Forget while still stuck on the robot before being helped down himself."

If Om is reading we would suggest that he go solo for a few years and then return triumphantly to the 'Take That' fold - it worked for Robbie after all. However, it seems that it will remain business as usual for the grabby Om.

"The mechanical man did stop in motion at the end of Love Love but the matter was resolved and by the end of the show he was standing tall again," revealed the band in a statement.

"There is no guarantee that with a mechanical structure the size of Om, there will be no recurrence at some point but all seems fine now." µ