JAMES Blunt has revealed he is releasing a new album next year in the funniest way possible.

The crooner – who is well known for his self-deprecating nature – tweeted: “If you thought 2016 was bad - I'm releasing an album in 2017.”

If you thought 2016 was bad - I'm releasing an album in 2017.

— James Blunt (@JamesBlunt) December 13, 2016

But while many thought he may have been joking, his website confirmed the news writing ‘New album on the way…’.

A message below read: “In the meantime here’s a song you may not have heard” alongside the Soundcloud  link for Smoke Signals – the title track from his EP released in 2014.

The news received a very mixed reaction from fans and of course a number of rather amusing jokey responses.

One person commented: “12 cover versions of 'You're Beautiful' I hope.”

While another remarked: “Haven't we suffered enough? Please have some mercy James 😱”

And someone else praised his announcement, writing: “This tweet is the greatest/bestest tweet ever to be tweeted in the history of twitter! Go on Blunty..”

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James hasn't released new material since his 2013 album Moon Landing - which was re-released in November 2014 as 'Moon Landing - Apollo Edition' with five bonus tracks.

Earlier this year it was revealed that James had been working on music with Mike Posner – famed for  his record ‘I Took A Pill In Ibiza’.

Mike said back in May: "I wrote with James Blunt this year. We wrote a couple of songs on the piano. I'm not sure if they'll make his album but we'll see. It was pretty cool. He's really talented so I was so happy to work with him."

2006, actually. RT @K_Dick33: Why does James Blunt have a million followers? He stopped being relevant in 2009

— James Blunt (@JamesBlunt) January 30, 2015

Yeah, I bought those 20 million albums myself. RT @TroyJosephDavis: no one really likes James Blunt right?

— James Blunt (@JamesBlunt) April 17, 2015

Earlier this year James lived up to his reputation as the king of the Twitter comebacks after his appearance at Invictus Games.

Following her performance one unhappy viewer tweeted: "Who the f*** invited James Blunt to the Invictus Games? He better be out of Disney World before I get there."

Not missing a beat, he quickly replied: "Prince Harry. By text. BOOM!"

Just that and a few super models. RT @_idkmatilda: has James blunt done anything other than that one song in his whole career

— James Blunt (@JamesBlunt) October 8, 2015

Other memorable comebacks include when someone tweeted: “@BBCRadio2 please please please please stop playing James Blunt please... thank you” and he replied: “Dad? Is that you!?”

And when someone else wrote: “Why does James Blunt have a million followers? He stopped being relevant in 2009,” he responded: “2006, actually.”

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