Take That surprised by 'Circus' success

Howard Donald has confessed that the success of Take That's new album The Circus has been a "surprise".

The group's record, their second since reforming, topped the Christmas album charts and is the fastest-selling LP of 2008.

Donald told OK!: "It was a surprise. I was very happy with the work we'd done on it and expected it to be successful, but not as successful as it has been."

Jason Orange explained that he and his bandmates have subdued their extrovert personalities since reuniting in 2005.

"The first time around, we had characters that we played up, that we acted out on stage and through the media," he said. "Those characters were either extensions of who we actually were or they were complete alter egos.

"When we got back together again, those roles were quickly re-established. But we're older now and hopefully a bit more mature, so there wasn't the desperation to act on those characteristics and exaggerate them so much."

> Click here to read our review of The Circus