The Busted boys have traded in their school uniforms for a time machine. Er, like you do. We caught up with them to find out what's been happening on Planet Busted..

This time last year, Busted were at home in a leafy London suburb, dreaming of fame and fortune while they practised their synchronised jumping. But since What I Go To School For made a dent in the top five, things have changed.
Now they're bona fide celebs, and have been spotted frequenting posh bars, enjoying their fair share of groupies and sneaking out late at night to go partying on the Smash Hits Tour. They've changed their hair every week, collected lots of pop star phone numbers, had numerous snogs and they're about to cause havoc in the charts again with their top new single, Year 3000.
We caught up with the trio to talk about bum-wiping robots, ping-pong and why MC Harvey should be Prime Minister.

Your new single's about the year 3000. What do you reckon the world will be like then?
Charlie: Just like it is in the films. High buildings, fast cars. I'd love there to be a virtual world you could go into to touch and feel stuff. Hopefully there will be ladies with three breasts, too.

If you could time travel to any era, where would you go?
Mattie: I'd go back to '77 during the height of punk. I've read about the Sex Pistols but I don't know what it was really like.
Charlie: I'd go back to the '60s when The Beatles were around.
James: I'd travel back to a time before Michael Jackson and write all the songs before him. I wouldn't have the surgery, but I'd show him pictures of the future to warn him.

Who do you think should rule the world in the future?
Mattie: MC Harvey or Darius would make good Prime Ministers.
Charlie: Giant robots will rule the world. And they'll try and kill us humans with their killer rays.

If you could invent a robot, what would you get it to do
James: I'd have a robot guitar. It would fix and tune itself.
Charlie: I'd get it to do things I couldn't be bothered to do, like turning the TV on.

If they invented a toilet that could wipe your bum automatically, would you want to get one?
James: No, because I like to be in charge of my own bottom.
Charlie: I'd get one. But if it did something weird I'd burn it.

What will music be like in the future?
James: It'll either go back to guitar music or someone will invent a new sound. More people should write their own music. That's what should change.

Do you think there'll be gigs on the moon one day?
Charlie: That would be cool - an arena tour of the moon. Dr Evil would be in the audience and all the aliens would be different colours, but most would be green. I'd love to go to space like Lance Bass nearly did. I haven't got £20 million though..

Speaking of cash, have you spent much of yours yet?
Mattie: I bought a Ford Mondeo for my mum and she was a happy woman. I also got myself a Lambretta scooter. I rode it around town and felt like Jimmy the mod from Quadrophenia (cult 1979 film). But somebody vandalised it - they smashed it up and ripped the seat - so I might sell it.

We heard a rumour that you were all given Porsches..
Charlie: That is completely false. We've also heard rumours that we ring our mums every day and that one of us is dating Avril Lavigne - all untrue.

Has your life changed since your last single?
Charlie: When we started out, I was a bit indimidated. It was all new and weird - it was like, 'People are interviewing me. Why the hell do they care?' But now it's great.
Mattie: Charlie was the ugly duckling of the band. Before What I Go To School For, he was really quiet and just lurked around in the background. Now he's blossomed and grown into a beautiful swan.
James: It's completely changed my life, but I don't think it's changed me as a person.

Do you have the same mates?
James: Some people I used to hang out with have gone weird. Other mates pretend they don't know what I'm doing because they don't know what to say.

Are you still practising your rock jumping?
James: No. We don't stand there and go, 'One, to, three.. jump!' You don't think we do, do you?

Er, course not. Let's talk about your image, Mattie. Did a badger inspire your new hairstyle?
Mattie: No badgers inspired my hair. I nicked the style from a bass player in the Dum Dums (an old indie rock band). Before, it was black with a bleached tufty bit. Everybody says I've got the most original haircut they've ever seen. My mum hates it, though.

Are you ever turned away from posh bars for looking scruffy?
Mattie: Nah. Before we were in Busted, James and I used to try getting into Chinawhite and Sugar Reef (London celeb nightspots) and we were turned down every time. Now, we can just stroll in with trainers and freaky hair.

So, who are your new pop star mates?
James: Justin Timberlake was really friendly when we met him. All I could think was, 'Why did you dump Britney?' but I didn't say it.
Mattie: I think Blazin' Squad are top guys. We hung out with them a lot on the Smash Hits Tour.

James, do you want to clear the rumour up about your tattooed privates?
James: It all started when I was in a web chat and someone asked if I had a tatoo. I said, 'I have, but I'm not telling you where.' The next day we had a signing and everyone was asking about it because they thought it was on my privates. As if.

Who's the grossest in Busted?
Mattie: James. He can go four days without a shower. When we're on tour, I always share a room with Charlie. Now you know why.
Charlie: He stinks. When we moved into our house, we found this big room with an en suite bathroom. Even though the other two rooms share a bathroom, I was like, 'James, you have the en suite, mate.'

What's the most minging thing you've ever done, James?
James: Once I thought a slug was a wine gum and ate it. It was on the floor of my bedroom and I was hungry. That'll teach me to eact sweets off the floor, won't it?
Mattie: He was nearly sick. He followed it everywhere afterwards and really wanted to kill that slug. We put salt on it and it started bubbling with horrible saliva stuff.
Charlie: Once James sneezed and he thought it was funny to leave the snot dripping from his nose.

Do you ever play pranks on each other?
James: We wind each other up. If we're on a plane and there's a bit of turbulence, I stare at Charlie in a freaky way. It makes him nervous.

Is life in the Busted house one big party?
James: We have great house parties. I love ping-pong and always promised myself that I'd get a table. We turned the dining room into the ping-pong room, and whenever people come over we have tournaments.

Do you have girls back, too?
James: Occasionally..

Are you single?
Charlie: We see girls, but none of us have girlfriends because it wouldn't work as we're away so much. We have one-off flings.

What have your fans been like?
Mattie: Wicked. We get all sorts of stuff sent to us. I must have a collection of about 58 ties at home. One girl wrote to me and knew everything about me, which was freaky. And I get lots of teddies.
James: I said I liked Jaffa Cakes in an interview and now I'm given them everywhere I go. It's a great way of getting what you want - just say it in an interview. Just so everyone knows, I love £50 notes..

Is it weird suddenly having loads of girls interested in you?
James: Sometimes girls give us their phone numbers. You think, 'Would you have done that before I was in a band?' and you know the answer. But if someone fancied me because I'm famous and they were fit, I wouldn't have a problem.

Who gets the most girls in Busted?
Mattie: Charlie gets them all. He gets all the decent women.
Charlie: But now that I'm in the public eye I'm more selective.

A lot of your fans dress up in schoolgirl outfits now..
James: It's great. They just turn up to our gigs dressed up. It shows they're into what we're doing.
Mattie: My ex-girlfriend did the whole schoolgirl thing for me. Ages ago.

You mean.. in a naughty way?
Mattie: *whispers* Yeah. So I don't mind it. But in January all our fans will be dressing up as robots, so we're enjoying the schoolgirl thing while we can.

FUTURE PERFECT?

"In the future, people will be able to make their ideal girlfriend," reckons Charlie. So we asked Busted to make their perfect girl from any celebrity body parts they fancy.

James: We'll have Britney's face on her second album, Britney's figure on her second album..

Charlie: Let's have Britney's stomach and, um, Britney's boobs. Actually, no. Jordan's.

Mattie: I don't want to do this, man - the girl's going to end up looking like a freak. Oh, OK. Can we have Natalie Portman from Star Wars' body? Liz Hurley's eyes. And Jennifer Lopez' and Kylie's bums mixed together.

Charlie: Holly Valance has a nice bum. Mattie thinks that Kelly Osbourne is attractive - I wouldn't even go there. Pink has got something sexy about her, but Kelly - no. If Pink had long blonde hair like Britney, she'd be completely stunning.

James: Let's have Jennifer Aniston's hair.

Mattie: Melinda Messenger's got a lovely smile.

Charlie: And let's finish with Tara Reid's legs.