[Shaun]

James Blunt has called time on his musical career, saying he wants to "take more time for himself".

Blunt, 38, sold 11m copies of his breathrough album 'Back To Bedlam' in 2005 aided by the worldwide hit 'You're Beautiful'. However, it seems that the former Queen's guard, who saw action in Kosovo, has no interest in maintaining his career as a musician and recently told The Daily Mail that he has no further plans to write music. Speaking to a reporter from the paper, Blunt said:

"I just want to take some time out for myself. I haven’t got any plans to do more songwriting. I have been chilling out since I finished my world tour and I’ve spent a lot of time in Ibiza, where I have a villa."

Blunt's most recent album, 'Some Kind Of Trouble', was released in 2010.

The singer last hit the headlines in January when his mother defended him from the criticism he often receives for being posh, saying that the music industry was "snobbish".

"I was most interested to hear Pete Waterman's thoughts on public school rock stars," Jane Blount said in an email to Radio 4. "His attitude is reflected by most of the critics in the UK. My son James Blunt, who is hugely appreciated worldwide, receives harsh criticism here and we have, rather sadly, been aware that it is because of his background."