((?:<[^>]*>)*) can match nothing (because of the * quantifier), so your original expression matches every sting of one or more space characters.

When you add the . between the (?:<[^>]*>) and the *, then there must be a tag, which can be followed by anything.

A better solution might be ((?:<[^>]*>)+)

In reply to Re: spaces removed in backreference by ig
in thread spaces removed in backreference by Allasso

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