‘I speak to the Boyzone boys almost every day’
The singer and presenter tells Closer about keeping in touch with his bandmates – and why this Christmas is going to be extra special for him and pregnant wife Storm
He rose to fame in the ’90s as one sixth of hit band Boyzone, before branching out as a solo artist and becoming a household name. But Ronan Keating says that he talks to his former bandmates – Keith
Duffy, Shane Lynch, Mikey Graham,
Darren Holden and Don Mescall (the sixth member, who replaced Stephen
Gately after he sadly passed away in 2009) – regularly, and that the boys make an effort to meet up every Christmas.
Ronan, 42, says, “We talk almost every day. We all had dinner a few weeks ago.
They came to the house and I cooked for them, trying not to poison them! But, yeah, we talk all through the festive season. If I’m in Dublin for Christmas, we’ll catch up. I’m away this year, though, so we’ll have to make a point of doing it in the new year instead.”
EXCITING GIFT
Since Boyzone, Ronan has had a successful solo career, and currently hosts the breakfast show on Magic Radio.
He’s loved-up with wife Storm, 38 – whom he married in 2015, after splitting from first wife Yvonne Connolly – and, after having their son Cooper in 2017, they now have another baby on the way.
And Ronan – who also has children Jack, 20, Missy, 18, and Ali, 14, with Yvonne – says Christmas will be extra special this year, as it’ll be his last as a father of four.
He says, “It’s very exciting. My older kids are over the moon excited, and so is Cooper. It’s happy news in our household.
Expecting another baby is the best present.
“I’ll be a dad of five, dear God. But I can’t wait – I’m one of five myself, so I’ll see what my own mum and dad went through.”
Ronan adds that this year will also see a first for him, as he’ll be spending Christmas on the beach in Australia, where Storm is from.
TROPICAL YULE
He says, “We’ve always spent it in the UK in Dublin, so Storm has always been with my family. Now is the first time we’ll be with her family and I’m really excited.
“It’s going to be a very hot Christmas. Storm said sometimes it’s the hottest time of the year in Australia. We’ll be spending the day playing cricket on the beach, apparently! It’s a mad idea for me, because it’s always been cold and damp in Dublin.”
He adds that son Cooper is at the age where he’s starting to understand the concept of Christmas, and that seeing his son get excited brings back the magic for Ronan.
He says, “Cooper wrote his Santa letter at the beginning of the month. He totally gets it this year and it’s so cute to see. He’s asked for a little helicopter, so hopefully Santa brings him that.”
While 2020 will no doubt be an exciting year for Ronan – as well as welcoming another child to his brood, he’s releasing a new album and going on tour later in the year – the Irish heartthrob admits he isn’t a fan of New Year’s Eve or making resolutions.
He says, “I don’t make them – I tend to just implement things in my life all year round. I feel like resolutions are only made to be broken.
“And I’m not a massive fan of New
Year’s Eve. It’s always a bit of an anti-climax for me. But my ideal New Year’s would be spent with my close family – with the ones I love. That’s what it’s all about.”
● Magic Radio has gone 100% Christmas, playing non-stop Christmas songs until 27 December. Listen and read about their Mission Christmas campaign at Magic.co.uk
‘Resolutions are made to be broken’