WESTLIFE HAILED FOLLOWING THEIR APPEARANCE ON LATE LATE SHOW
WESTLIFE THRILL THEIR FANS WITH THREE SONG PERFORMANCE ON TV
WESTLIFE celebrated topping the UK charts with an appearance on The Late Late Show last Friday night which delighted their fans both in the audience and those viewing at home.
The group sang three songs which enthralled their audience with the band dedicating one of them to the late Gay Byrne who had the group on one of his last shows.
It was the first time Westlife, made up of Sligo born, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and Shane Filan along with Dubliner, Nicky Byrne, had been together on RTE since they reformed in 2018.
Host Ryan Tubridy described the Westlife segment on his show as a knockout on his radio show on Monday. He was particularly fulsome in his prise of the band’s performance of ‘Flying Without Wings’ by the piano.
Westlife performed sell out shows in Croke Park this year and head for Cork next August. The lads couldn’t have been in better form as they settled into the show on Friday night with host Ryan Tubridy congratulating them on the fact their new album, Spectrum is number one in the charts in Ireland and the UK.
It was the band’s first release in nine years and is Westlife’s 11 th studio album, and their first since 2010 record Gravity.
Westlife first appeared on The Late Late Show in 1998, which was one of the last being hosted by Gay Byrne.
“That performance was 21 years ago this week. It was our first time to ever perform on The Late Late Show - we kind of felt like ‘Oh my God’ we’ve made it - we’re on the Late Late with Gay Byrne.
“It was a huge deal. It’s something you look forward to your whole life,” Filan added. Nicky Byrne remembered how the iconic presenter made reference to their outfits.
“We were wearing long coats and he made reference to how Dublin Corporation had lent us the coats for the night,” he laughed. “We all grew up with him. He was a special, special man.”
Mark Feehily added that Byrne discussed him coming out as gay that year and admits it meant so much to him.
“The one stand-out moment for me was when we did a TV special at Christmas time. I really wasn’t expecting it but he brought up the coming out issue, and said it’s fantastic how you can be who you want to be, and be yourself in this country and everyone supports you. I don’t know why, but I didn’t expect him to bring it up, but it was really lovely for him to acknowledge it for me.
“He was like the granddad of Ireland and so he spoke for a certain generation.”“It was very nice. He didn’t have to bring it up but it’s like he wanted to, and he wanted to show that he was very supportive,” he explained.
Westlife performed My Blood on the Late Late Show which is co-written by Ed Sheeran and Steve Mac and the group played a photo guessing game with Tubridy, where pictures of the band as kids were shown to viewers.
The band also performed Flying Without Wings, which they dedicated to the late Gay Byrne and his family, and they also performed Hello My Love, which the audience also loved, getting to their feet.
Over 10,000 fans applied for the chance to be a part of The Late Late Show audience following a call out earlier in the week and some audience members had the chance to share their memories and stories with the muchloved group. Long-time Westlife fan, Sinéad Doyle, shared her heartfelt story about how the band’s track, I’ ll See You
Again, gave her peace following her son’s passing four years ago. Ryan brought her down from the audience to meet and greet the band.
Mark spoke about how wonderful be feels on becoming a dad and said it was a great country in which to bring up his daughter. Layla.
He said: “It’s been great. She’s fantastic, she’s really chilled apart from the occasional cry. I think people got quite dramatic about how hard it would be. She’s just absolutely gorgeous.
“She’s really chilled. Honestly the audience’s reaction is the same as the whole country’s reaction - nothing but love.
“I can’t wait to bring her up in this country. She’s definitely going to have an Irish accent growing up anyway.”