JLS to split five years after X Factor breakthrough

British boyband Jls are to split after five years together.

The X Factor stars will hit the road for one final tour in December (13) before calling it quits.

Singer Aston Merrygold tells Britain's The Sun, "It’s just that time. We are still best of friends and always will be - but this is the end.”

And bandmate Marvin Humes, who is about to become a dad next month (May13), adds, "It’s an emotional time. There’s no getting away from that. We have been through so much together, but we have to be mature and look at this decision as a celebration of what we managed to achieve. We never wanted to overstay our welcome. We never wanted to be that band where people said, ‘Oh, bloody hell. It’s JLS again’.

“We wanted to finish on a high. We’re finishing with an arena tour - our third arena tour - and that is a massive achievement.

“The last five or so years have been nothing short of incredible. It has been an incredible journey.”

JLS' breakthrough came in 2008 when they made the finals of Simon Cowell's talent show, losing out to pop star Alexandra Burke.

They have since sold 10 million albums worldwide and scored five number one singles in their native U.K. The band will release a greatest hits record to coincide with its last tour.