Why Was Bonehead Missing From Part of the Oasis Reunion Tour? His Cancer Diagnosis Explained

“Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger” gives Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs an important place in the story of the band’s reunion. The founding Oasis guitarist is there as Liam and Noel Gallagher cautiously begin working together again, and his presence connects the Live ’25 lineup directly to the band’s earliest years. That can make his absence during part of the world tour particularly noticeable.

Bonehead did not leave Oasis again, nor was his absence caused by a disagreement within the reunited band. He temporarily stepped away from the tour to undergo the next phase of treatment for prostate cancer, which he had been diagnosed with earlier in 2025.

Bonehead Was Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer in 2025

Bonehead revealed his diagnosis publicly in October 2025, several months after Oasis had begun its reunion shows. He explained that treatment had been going well enough for him to participate in the earlier concerts, including the band’s dates in the UK, Ireland and North America.

His treatment schedule eventually required a planned break from touring. Bonehead said he was responding well but needed to begin the next stage of his care, which meant stepping away from the band temporarily rather than trying to continue performing through treatment.

The diagnosis came several years after another serious health scare. Bonehead had previously been treated for tonsil cancer in 2022, during a period when he was regularly performing with Liam Gallagher.

Which Oasis Shows Did Bonehead Miss?

Bonehead missed the Asian and Australian stretch of the Live ’25 tour running from late October into early November.

His absence included the Seoul concert on October 21, two Tokyo Dome shows on October 25 and 26, three Melbourne concerts on October 31, November 1 and November 4, and two Sydney shows on November 7 and 8. Liam Gallagher solo guitarist Mike Moore stepped into the touring lineup while Bonehead was receiving treatment.

Bonehead was optimistic from the beginning that his absence would be temporary. When announcing the break, he told fans that he expected to be ready for the South American leg in November.

That is exactly what happened. Bonehead returned to the Oasis lineup for the closing South American concerts and was back on stage when the band reached Sao Paulo, Brazil, later that month.

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Why Bonehead Matters to the Oasis Reunion

Bonehead’s presence carries more weight than simply adding another guitarist to the reunion lineup. He was a founding member of Oasis and played on the band’s first three studio albums, including “Definitely Maybe,” “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?” and “Be Here Now,” before leaving in 1999.

He also remained particularly close to Liam during the long period when Oasis was inactive. Bonehead performed with him during his solo career, which meant that his return when Liam and Noel finally reunited felt like another piece of the classic Oasis story coming back together.

Noel has also acknowledged how important Bonehead was to the reunion. During the Live ’25 tour, he told the Cardiff audience that without Bonehead, “none of this would have happened,” underlining his role in bringing the old relationships back together.

His disappearance from several shows was therefore understandably noticeable to fans following the tour or watching footage from different countries. Fortunately, it was a planned medical absence rather than another Oasis lineup dispute, and Bonehead was able to return before the reunion tour reached its conclusion.