X FACTOR:
WESTLIFE, TAKE THAT AND JLS DO BATTLE
Westlife are gunning to blow rivals Take That and JLS off the stage on this weekend X Factor
Sunday's X Factor will be a celebration of boybands 10th November 2010 WESTLIFE are gunning to blow rivals
Take That and JLS off the stage on
this weekend X Factor.
Sunday show is set to be a thrilling battle of the boybands, with all three acts performing their new singles.
The Loife Mark Feehily, 30 Nicky Byrne, 32, Shane Filan, 31, and Kian Egan, 30
are comparing it to a fierce football match.
Mark, whose crew will perform new single Safe,
out Monday, told me: We love Take That and think JLS are great. We have respect for those boys but Sunday will be like a local derby. We are all mates off the field but when we get on the pitch, the collars go up and we go into fighting mode.
Cheering them on from the touchline will be record boss Simon Cowell, 51, and manager Louis Walsh, 58. Mark added:
We want to make Simon proud. He's been super-involved in the new album.
He wants us to sound the best and look the best on Sunday. Mark added: Sunday will be a celebration of boybands.
Four years ago, people were saying the formula was dead and now look at us.
Take That are the daddies they inspired us.
And JLS are the new boys, really relevant.
Westlife fly in daughter to see Mary Byrne
12/11/2010
Mary Byrne's daughter is jetting to London on Westlife's private plane to support her fragile mum.
But cleaner Debbie will have to conquer her fear of flying after the Irish boys, who are performing on this week's show, made the offer at the Mirror's Pride of Britain awards.
First-time flyer Debbie, 25, who lives with Mary on a Dublin council estate, said: "I'm petrified.
But the Westlife boys said I could jump on their plane
Saturday November 13 2010
Westlife were forced to pull out of an appearance on the 'Late Late Show'
last night after pressure from 'The X Factor'.
The boyband had been due to debut their new single 'Safe' on the RTE programme and then travel to the UK today to perform the same song on 'The X Factor' results show tomorrow night. A Westlife source said that the band had given in to pressure from 'The X Factor' due to the reach of the of ITV show and its importance in achieving chart success.
Kian Egan revealed yesterday:
"The 'Late Late' slot had been set up months in advance.
It's the first show we go on every time we release an album. "Our manager Louis Walsh rang this week and said we couldn't do the 'Late Late Show'.
He had been informed by the 'X Factor' people that they wanted a 'world exclusive' on our single.
They didn't even want us performing the song on an Irish TV show.
"We were told they were considering replacing us if we went ahead with the 'Late Late Show' so we had to pull it. We had no other option." Sunday's 'X Factor' live show will be one of the biggest so far, featuring a guest performance from former 'X Factor' finalists JLS, along with the reformed Take That.
While Take That will receive top billing on the programme,
Kian said Westlife would be using fire and pyrotechnics to stage a live spectacular.
"It's an epic performance and we're pulling out the stops on every front to make it memorable," he said, as Westlife announced a fourth date in the O2 in Dublin for April 9, 2011. He added the band had offered advice to 'X Factor'
Irish performer Mary Byrne after her disappointing performance last week, telling her everyone could
"have a bad night".
Westlife
announce 4th date at O2 due to demand
November 12, 2010 Recession proof and in demand, Westlife have been force,
had teeth pulled into submission and agreed to play a fourth date at The O2 Dublin.
The will tack on the date at the end of the other
3 dates in April 2011.
The new date is
Saturday 9th April, Ticket go on sale
Thursday 18th April at 9am.
Their new album Gravity goes on sale 19th November,
So if your lucky you could have a ticket and a new album in the space of two days.
All other dates on April
2nd, 3rd and 8th are now SOLD OUT.
Tickets cost 54.80 including booking fee.
Westlife: The O2, Dublin
Saturday 2nd April - SOLD OUT
Sunday 3rd April SOLD OUT Friday 8th April SOLD OUT
Saturday 9th April DUE TO PHENOMENAL DEMAND EXTRA DATE
Westlife
are determined to show up their fellow boybands
We are pulling out all the stops to be the group people remember from the night.
Wstlife star Shane Filan 14th November 2010 By James Ingham WESTLIFE
are planning the most expensive X Factor performance ever to make sure they win the battle of the boy bands
with Take That and JLS. Simon Cowell has given the thumbs-up to £80,000 being spent on the group's four-minute performance of new single Safe tonight.
Firefighters and paramedics will also be on hand in case anything goes wrong during the song,
which has been purposefully choreographed to upstage their rivals.
Tonight's results show has been labelled the Battle of the Boy Bands with Westlife,
Take That and JLS all singing their new singles.
And Westlife star Shane Filan, 31, admitted the rival groups were having their very own mini X Factor competition.
He said: Everyone there will want to have the best performance of the night.
It's like our very own X Factor competition.
We all want to be No.1 and it's down to the performance. Revealing details of their show the Irish hunk added:
Simon and Louis want us to put on a spectacular performance. We are pulling out all the stops to be the group people remember from the night.
I know it's extremely expensive and we will have firemen on standby due to the flames that will be on stage with us. There's certainly no stools in sight.
We banned them a while ago because we got so much stick. It's amazing to have Take That with Robbie, JLS and us all performing on the same night.
Everyone is there to launch our new albums and kick us off into next year.
The X Factor has the power to do that.
X Factor:
Westlife get JLS kicked off their afterparty table
16/11/2010 It was billed as the Battle of the Boybands - but did those involved have to take it quite so literally?
Take That, Westlife and JLS all performed during the X Factor's results show on Sunday night.
And if there was any laddish rivalry onstage it was nothing compared with the open hostilities that broke out between Westlife and JLS during the afterparty at London's Whisky Mist. Both bands have singles out this week,
and both seemed desperate to out-party one another. The stage was set for a rumble. JLS had tried to nab the Mayfair club's best table by dashing straight there from the studio.
But they were foiled by the forward-thinking Irish foursome,
who had pre-booked the premier spot - and had JLS unceremoniously booted off it.
An amused onlooker tells me: "JLS went straight for the private booth Prince Harry always requests as it's the best spot in the club.
But they were kicked off because it had been reserved for Westlife.
They couldn't believe it!"
But jokers JLS - whose single Love You More is up against Westlife's newie Safe this week - had the last laugh, with some help from the oddly attired waiters.
My source adds: "The guys bringing drinks were dressed as Red Bull racing drivers with helmets, which Aston and Marvin thought was hilarious.
(You probably had to be there...) a "They ordered three bottles of £500-a-pop Armand de Brignac champagne and sent one to The Wanted and one over to Westlife with the driver,
so it looked as if they were going to have it sprayed all over them. Kian found it funny and raised a glass to them." ..... Westlife star dismisses JLS feud stories Wednesday 17 November 2010 Westlife star Kian Egan has denied reports suggesting that the group banished JLS from their table at an 'X Factor' after-party. Responding to the stories with a posting on Twitter,
Egan said:
"We DID NOT kick JLS off our table at whisky mist after the x factor. (sic)"
"We had drinks with the boys and it was a great night." He also invited people to ask JLS about the alleged incident.
Both groups performed on Saturday night's results show on 'The X Factor'.
A Twitter war has broken out between WESTLIFE star NICKY BYRNE and
ONE DIRECTION'S NIALL HORAN.
The Irish duo met last weekend when the crooners performed on Sunday's X Factor results show.
At the time Niall was lurking 1000 followers behind heartthrob Nicky who had gathered a whopping 49,000 followers.
But Nicky is now eating humble pie after Niall has raced ahead by 5,000 to 55,899.
Nicky told me: "I'm a bit gutted.
I'm trying to catch him up." Shane added:
"We've all got into Twitte now
Westlife member
Nicky Byrne reckons they could
beat Take That in a sing-off.
Speaking to Now magazine,
Nicky said that Take That would win in a dance-off, but that he and band mates Shane Filan, Mark Feehily and Kian Egan would win in a sing-off.
In a dance-off, probably Take That.
A sing-off is another question I reckon we win! he said. ..... Westlife have revealed that despite their clean-cut image they are secret party animals who are ''leading double lives''.
Westlife are secret party animals.
The Irish boyband - who are known for their clean-cut image - have admitted they can get away with "leading double lives" because no-one is aware they have such a rebellious streak.
Kian Egan explained: "We can put the drink away, b****y sure we can.
Come on, we're Irishmen! We've been at parties where we've got away with murder because everyone assumes we're boring.
The paparazzi never hang around for us,
so we can almost lead a double life. "Mark and I are probably the worst.
We've done 40 nights on the trot before and I guess some people would be called alcoholics for that." However, despite the band's boozy nights out,
Kian confessed the group - completed by Nicky Byrne, Mark Feehily and Shane Filan - have a strict anti-drugs policy. He added to Fabulous magazine:
"We've never gone down that road. I've never been offered hard drugs and if we've been at parties where it's going on we've left immediately.
I don't want to be around it.
"And anyone who works with us knows that if there's even a whiff of drugs they'll be sacked."
FEEHILY: 'SUICIDE IS NOT THE ANSWER'
Monday November 22,2010 MARK FEEHILY
struggled to recover from the depression he suffered at the height of his fame with WESTLIFE,
but insists he's
"living proof" why suicide is never the answer.
The Irish singer shot to fame with the boy band in 1998 but fell into a downward spiral and became
"very unbalanced" after his bandmates teased him about his weight.
He tells the Daily Mail Weekend magazine,
"Back then, all I wanted to do was go home for a long, long time.
It wasn't all bad, but there were a lot of feelings that started to creep into my mind.
I didn't want to be there getting picked apart by everyone.
"My weight's always fluctuated from chubby to above normal and I didn't like my bad points being pointed out.
I didn't think anyone had the right.
There was a time I was very unbalanced." The pop star is relieved he didn't take any drastic measures during his low points, because his life eventually improved - and he's now thrown himself into charity work to help others who are suffering.
He adds: "I'm involved in charities in Ireland now.
One is called Aware and it is based around suicide, particularly in young kids.
It's something that's very close to my heart.
I'm not saying I ever planned anything, but you go to quite a deep, dark place and there's no one to turn to.
"I'm lucky. I'm living proof it's better to not choose (suicide), and fight your way through it.
But it wasn't easy.
I buried my feelings of unhappiness deep inside myself."
IF WESTLIFE ever want to call it a day,
they should host their own chat show http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/3240308/Westlifes-Kian-Egan-grills-pal-Mark-Feehily.html
WESTLIFE
heartthrob NICKY BYRNE has revealed his kids think
he's in TAKE THAT. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/music/3242431/Westlife-star-Nicky-Byrne-reveals-his-sons-think-hes-in-Take-That.html
IRISH crooners WESTLIFE
are the most unlikely supporters of grime. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/music/3244337/Westlifes-Kian-Egan-eyes-up-move-into-grime-world.html
NADINE COYL'S NO FLOP
Westlife's
Mark Feehily 25th November 2010
By Kim DawsonYour OIRISH
legends Westlife are flying the flag for their north-of-the-border pop
pal Nadine Coyle.
The lads reckon the Derry diva has been cruelly treated after her debut solo album Insatiable flopped.
And they also reckon Nadine, 25, has been bullied into a war with bandmate Cheryl Cole, 27.
Loife member Mark Feehily, 30, told me: 1 supporting Nadine.
She lives in LA now but I know her from years ago and we still keep in touch.
She's an immensely talented girl and drop-dead gorgeous but Cheryl is the nation's sweetheart so anyone who gets compared to her is going to come off worse.
He added: I think Nadine just needs to keep her head down and carry on doing what she's doing.
I don't like it when I feel people are being ganged up on.
It's like a schoolground mentality.
People want to read Girls Aloud are killing each other but it's only the five girls in the band who really know whats going on. Meanwhile,
the boys Mark, Shane Filan, 31, Nicky Byrne, 32 and Kian Egan, 31 are vying for the album top spot this weekend with their new collection, Gravity.
And the fact they are up against Take That and JLS doesn't faze them.
Mark explained:
We been through this with Busted, Blue, 5ive and McFly, and we not been affected by any of them. We got our own thing and we not running scared.
He went on: People might ask how the hell are Westlife still here? We do sometimes.
And the simple reason is because we released a song that everyone liked and don't just act like four guys with four mic stands on tour.
We're not as young as we were but we're lucky on the looks front, too.
Sometimes guys look better with age.
Hear, hear.
Westlife:
Cowell picked our covers
Westlife have admitted they weren't sure about the two cover versions on their new album - but were persuaded by Simon Cowell to keep them on the record.
The Irish boy band deliver their own version of Athlete's Chances and The Reason by Hoobastank on their new offering Gravity, on which has the X Factor judge is an executive producer.
Shane Filan said:
"It's Simon Cowell's doing.
Every year he puts a couple of songs out there and says that we should do versions.
After we thought we'd finished the album, we sat down with him and he said 'Guys, trust me, it'll be a big song for you'.
We weren't sure at first, but we lived with them, and sure enough he was right. It's more a trust thing with Simon.
He has worked with us and picked each of our No 1 singles, so we want to show that we trust him."
Gaybo delight at hosting
Westlife TV special By Lorna Nolan Friday December 03 2010
LEGENDARY broadcaster
Gay Byrne has revealed his delight after boyband Westlife insisted they wanted him to host their Christmas special.
The former Late Late Show presenter admits that he was honoured when the chart-topping group requested that he be the presenter of the show over his successors on the long-running chat show,
Pat Kenny and Ryan Tubridy.
"It was a nice compliment," Gay told the Herald.
"They started all those years ago on The Late Late Show, and I think what we have is a lovely programme with a lovely audience. "They're very lovely lads and it'll be an enjoyable show.
It was a look back at 12 years of their successful operation since they began."
The show is to be screened
on RTE One on December 13
and the audience is made up entirely of veteran fans of the group. Viewers will see those lucky enough to win a spot in the audience recount their memories of the foursome.
"It was very much about the fans and their stories about the boys over the years," said a source.
"People spent hours travelling from all over the country to be there and the Westlife guys were so grateful to have a full audience despite the weather.
"To show their gratitude they gave everyone in the audience a copy of their new album Gravity and even stayed around to sign them all.
" Viewers will also see Gay grill the hugely successful group on one of the low points of their career,
when former member Brian McFadden decided to quit the band in 2004 "They spoke very candidly about it and said they initially thought it was all a big joke when he told them.
" Tonight will see the foursome perform at this year's Cheerios Childline Concert at the O2, with host Nicky Byrne.
Westlife stars
put family plans on hold
Wednesday 8 December 2010
Westlife stars Nicky Byrne and Shane Filan have postponed plans to expand their families due to their hectic pop careers.
Byrne and wife Georgina Ahern, who have toddler twins Rocco and Jay, have no immediate plans to add to their brood.
He said: "I have two children under four.
Right now, no. One day is the crucial thing." Fellow band member Filan also said that he and his wife Gillian have their hands full with their three young children Nicole,
Patrick and Shane Jr. Filan explained: "We have three kids under the ages of five and it's a pretty busy house. I'm away a lot so it's tough on Gillian.
"But we'd love to have more kinds one day - probably four or five years from now.
" Bandmate Kian Egan, who married singer Jodi Albert last year, has no plans to start a family as of yet.
The Irish Daily Star quotes Egan as saying:
"We've a lot going on in our lives at the moment and that it taking priority. We talk about it all the time.
We're building a family home for when it does happen but we just want to wait a few more years."
Mark Feehily also revealed that his plans to marry fiancé Kevin McDaid have been put on hold due to the band's jet-set lifestyle.
WESTLIFE POP INTO GREAT ORMOND STREET :
Seamus Glancy,3, with Jen and Westlife
14th December 2010 By Jeffier Dunkerley As tiny Ben rips open his first Christmas present it isnt the milestone his mum imagined. For the little bundle of joy is marking his first birthday AND first Christmas on the wards of Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
Sadly many children will spend the big day in hospital.
But your Daily Star is determined to make it as good as it can be. As part of our charity appeal we inviting celebrity pals and big-hearted readers to bring some extra sparkle to the wards this December.
And its smiles all round as Westlife's Kian, Nicky, Shane and Mark deliver big baskets of gifts for the little patients.
Shane Filan, 31, cuddles Ben, who has leukaemia, and gulps: He such a happy fella you wouldnt know how poorly he is.
It breaks your heart.
I have three kids of my own and it's always tough to leave them when we tour.
Visiting Great Ormond Street, especially at Christmas, makes you see what a special place this is.
Ben's mum Angela Quadling, 36, of Sittingbourne, Kent, says: find your baby has leukaemia is the worst news.
But we're thankful to be under some of the best care here.
The excitement of the band's visit to Elephant Ward was missed by sleeping beauty Rhianna Umpleby,
three, from Basildon, Essex. Mum Lisa, 22, says: We having a tough time of it today we just found out she has leukaemia.
Nicky Byrne, 32, holds back tears as he admits:
Seeing this little girl just brings a lump to my throat she was born on the same date and year as my little twins.
I can't imagine what this family is going through.
And for gay band member Mark Feehily, 30, the day makes him yearn to become a dad.
Mark, 30, says: Visiting the wards has blown me away.
To see the tiny faces look up at me and to make the kids laugh is the best feeling in the world.
Just because youre gay doesnt mean those instincts towards wanting children go away.
I think I make a great dad.
Kian Egan, 31, cuddles fellow Irish boy Larry Connor from Co Wexford.
and tells the three-year-old fighting two rare cancers:
You re a long way from home. But you are having the best care possible.
Great Ormond Street's Children's Charity needs £50million a year in donations to keep the hospital world class.
It's thanks to the public that its good work can continue, says Shane. So please support the Daily Star Appeal.
Westlife announce woodland concert in Cotswolds
Monday 14th March, 2011
Westlife are set to perform live at a special woodland location in Gloucestershire this summer.
The Irish boy band will appear at Westonbirt Arboretum on Saturday July 16th as part of the Forestry Commission Live Music series.
Known for hits such as Flying Without Wings and Swear It Again, the group have sold more than 43 million records worldwide and enjoyed 14 number one singles in the UK.
Tickets for their show at Westonbirt Arboretum go on sale from Friday March 18th, priced at £37.50 plus booking fee.
All money generated from ticket sales will be spent by the Forestry Commission on the upkeep of the nation's woodlands. Other acts due to perform at the visitor attraction near Tetbury this summer include Scouting for Girls,
Texas and Bryan Ferry.
Arguably the UK's most famous arboretum, Westonbirt contains some 18,000 trees and shrubs spread over approximately 600 acres.
Westlife fans planning to attend the concert can use LateRooms.com to locate a nearby Cotswold hotel, such as the Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel. Visit http://www.forestry.gov.uk/music
for more information about this event.
Westlife return to Echo Arena,
Liverpool Mar 16 2011
Ellesmere Port Pioneer
AFTER a hugely successful UK tour last year, Westlife have hit the road again to wow audiences across the country,
including at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, on Friday. The shows will include the bands biggest hits as well as tracks from their latest album.
Westlife are among the worlds most prolific touring acts,
with nine sell-out tours already under their belts, including playing to a full house at the legendary Croke Park in Dublin.
They have sold more tickets at Londons Wembley Arena than any other act and have played a record 25 dates there.
No pop group can compare to Westlifes extraordinary success, having been certified by the BPI as the biggest selling band
of the past decade.
During their 11 years at the top of pop hierarchy
Westlife have sold more than 43 million records globally.
In the UK alone they have scored 10 multi-platinum albums and a record-breaking 14 No 1 hits.
Visit www.echoarena.com or ring 0844 8000 400.
Headliners for last night of festival Published
online at 18/03/2011 07:43:32
Westlife,
courtesy of the BBC The biggest selling band of the 'noughties' is coming to the Isle of Man this summer.
Westlife will bring the Manx Telecom Bay Festival to a close on Sunday, June 19. Promoter Jamie Irving says it's the perfect act to conclude the even
Tickets for the Westlife concert
go on sale next Wednesday (March 23).
Westlife is an Irish pop group formed in 1998 and is the only act in British or Irish history to have its first seven singles go to number one. The group has sold over 46 million records worldwide and has had 14 number one singles in the United Kingdom.
That's the third highest total in UK chart history, tying with Cliff Richard and trailing behind only Elvis Presley and The Beatles. The group was the second biggest selling artist in the United Kingdom in the last decade (behind Robbie Williams) and the biggest selling band (beating Coldplay), with 11 million album sales
Westlife
to perform at Jebel Ali concert Anna Seaman Last Updated:
Mar 21, 2011 ABU DHABI //Fans of the Irish pop group
Westlife will have a chance to see them perform next month in the Emirates.
The Irish four-piece band will be in Dubai on
April 14 at the Jebel Ali International Centre of Excellence to help celebrate the 30th anniversary of the complex and the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa next door.
Westlife, who formed in 1998, are the only act in British or Irish history to have their first seven singles go straight to the top of the charts.
They have sold more than 46 million records worldwide and recently released their eleventh album, Gravity.
The group has performed live with Mariah Carey, Sinead O'Connor and Lionel Richie, winning multiple awards in the UK and Ireland. Their biggest-selling record, Flying Without Wings, was released in 1999 and has sold 390,000 copies.
Their single You Raise Me Up, which is based on a traditional Irish folk melody, has been covered more than 125 times by different artists.
Tickets are on sale for Dh250 or Dh450 from www.boxofficeme.com, www.timeouttickets.com, www.virginmegastore.me and all branches of Virgin Megastores. aseaman@thenational.ae .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rifaHoCFbu8
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