It is one of the most famous rifts in British pop culture, yet it feels weirdly private. Most people know Olly Murs as the cheeky, hat-wearing singer who danced his way through The X Factor in 2009. But while he was becoming a household name, he was losing his "womb mate." Olly Murs twin brother, Ben Hart, hasn't spoken to him in over 15 years.
It wasn't a slow drift. It was an explosion.
If you grew up with a sibling, you know the petty fights. The stolen clothes. The remote control wars. But for twins, that bond is usually on another level. Olly and Ben were inseparable for 25 years. Then, a single Saturday night changed everything. Honestly, it’s a story that makes you wonder if fame is actually worth the price tag it puts on your family.
The Wedding That Broke a Family
The year was 2009. Olly was the breakout star of The X Factor Season 6. He was scheduled to be the Best Man at Ben’s wedding. But there was a massive problem: the wedding date clashed with the show's semi-finals.
Simon Cowell and the show's producers basically told Olly he couldn't leave. It’s been reported that he was "banned" from attending because the rehearsals were too intense. Olly stayed. He performed. He made the final. But while he was singing for millions of viewers, Ben was standing at the altar without his brother by his side.
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Ben didn't take it well. He labeled Olly a "self-obsessed sell-out."
The fallout was nuclear. Ben didn't just stop talking to Olly; he cut off his entire family. He even took the radical step of changing his name. He dropped "Murs" entirely and took his wife Amy's surname, becoming Ben Hart. He wanted a clean break from the "bright, shiny Olly" brand and the "VIP lifestyle" he felt his parents were chasing.
Is It Really Just About the X Factor?
Most headlines say the feud started because of the wedding. If you ask Olly, though, the story is way more complicated. He’s hinted in various interviews—most notably with The Sunday Times—that the tension was brewing long before the cameras started rolling.
"Long before X Factor there were problems between Ben and his girlfriend and our family," Olly once explained. "His wedding was his excuse for not having me in his life anymore."
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It’s a classic "he said, she said" situation. Ben claims the family was "torn apart by greed." Olly claims the wedding was just the final straw for a brother who was already looking for a reason to leave.
The Cost to Their Parents
The person caught in the middle of this isn't a celebrity; it’s their mum, Vicky-Lynn Murs. She has been vocal about how the stress of the twin's estrangement literally made her physically ill. At one point, she was so weak she had to use a walking stick and feared she had MS.
It’s heartbreaking, really. Imagine having two sons who shared a womb, and now one won't even acknowledge the other exists. Ben has stayed firm, though. He’s built a life as an engineer, far away from the red carpets and the paparazzi. He’s a dad now, but Olly has never met his nephews.
Attempts to Reconcile (And the Door Slammed Shut)
Over the years, there have been a few "almost" moments.
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- 2013: Ben allegedly reached out when his son was born. Olly says the story is "inconsistent," but Ben claims he was told to "delete the number."
- 2017: Olly tried to text Ben for his birthday. The message didn't go through because Ben had changed his number again.
- 2020: On The Voice, Olly broke down in tears after watching a pair of twins perform. He admitted he had no idea where Ben was even living.
Even as recently as 2024 and heading into 2026, the status remains the same: radio silence. When Olly married Amelia Tank in 2023, Ben wasn't there. When Olly welcomed his daughter, Madison, in 2024, there was no public sign of a reunion.
Why This Feud Still Matters
This isn't just a gossip story. It’s a case study on the "dark side" of reality TV fame. We see the glitz, the record deals, and the tours. We don't usually see the empty seat at the Thanksgiving table or the brother who changes his name to avoid being asked about his famous twin at the bank.
Actionable Insights for Navigating Family Rifts:
If you’re dealing with a similar family fracture, the Murs/Hart saga offers a few grim but important lessons:
- Distance can harden pride: The longer a feud lasts, the harder it is for either side to "back down" without feeling like they lost the argument.
- Third parties matter: Both brothers have blamed each other's partners (Ben’s wife and Olly’s "fame-hungry" circle) for fueling the fire. Sometimes, the people around us make reconciliation harder.
- Publicity is poison: Trying to fix a family problem through the Daily Mail or The Sun almost always backfires. It turns private pain into a public performance.
At 41 years old, both men are now deep into their own separate lives. Whether they ever sit in a room and admit it was "a silly 15 years" remains to be seen. For now, the story of olly murs twin brother serves as a stark reminder that sometimes, the biggest price of winning is what you leave behind.
Next Steps for You:
If you're following this story to understand the psychological impact of sibling rivalry or the pressures of sudden fame, you might want to look into the "Twin Bond" studies by experts like Dr. Nancy Segal. Understanding the unique biological connection between twins helps explain why this particular rift feels so much more permanent and painful than a standard sibling spat.