Mark Feehily is unable to join bandmates Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan and Kian Egan as they prepare for their 25th anniversary tour due to health issues, but he will be missed
Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan and Shane Filan of Westlife(Image: Collins Photo Agency)
Westlife has said that they hope to honour Mark Feehily during their upcoming tour shows despite the fact that he can’t join them.
Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan and Shane Filan are gearing up for the band’s 25th anniversary tour, which kicks off in September, but Mark won’t be joining them due to ongoing health issues.
However, they are figuring out a way to still keep him a part of the experience.
“Mark will always be in our thoughts every show, every night,” Kian told RSVP. “We haven’t really gotten into the details of what it is that we’re going to try and achieve just yet. We’re still in the early processes of it.
“Obviously, he’ll be dearly missed on this tour, so we’ll definitely have [something]. We just haven’t figured it out yet.”
Shane went on to add that it was disappointing that Mark wouldn’t be able to join them.
“It’s very disappointing that he’s not here for the tour and he won’t be with us on this tour at all,” the Sligo man said. “But it is a moment in our life, 25 years, that we couldn’t miss. He obviously gives us his blessing to go ahead. It’s very important for us and for the fans to celebrate 25 years.
“The show must go on, unfortunately, and it’s going to be an incredible show. We’ve been touring now two years or three years as three people so we’re well used to it. It’s not like it’s going to happen now.”
He added: “We can’t wait to have Mark back when he’s ready.”
It comes as they revealed they have been approached about a documentary, and they plan to do one eventually.
Boyzone and Take That were recently the subjects of documentaries that explored their rise to fame and the ups and downs of their careers.
The bandmates admitted they’re not sure if they’re ready to lay their lives out bare just yet.
“There has been whispers of it, but not maybe right now,” said Shane. “I think there will be a documentary at some stage, but I don’t think it’s going to be right now.”
Nicky added: “Maybe a movie, that would be cool. Listen, we’ve never discussed it properly. It depends what it’s going to be. People always want the warts and all; do we want to be doing that? I don’t know if I’d be into that.”
“A docuseries would be good, a movie could be even cooler,” Shane agreed. “If it was played by young lads and a story of the Sligo-Dublin connection, how we met Louis Walsh and this thing just took off. It was a dream back then and now it’s obviously crazy what has happened since but it would be a very good story.”
The lads were chatting as they had their hands cast at the 3Arena on Friday in recognition of their record-breaking number of shows at the venue.
Westlife’s upcoming September residency marks the band’s 25th anniversary and will bring their total number of performances at 3Arena to an unprecedented 82 shows, a figure unmatched by any other artist in the venue’s history.
“I remember we did ChildLine, I think it was the first time we performed in here and I remember chatting to Louis Walsh backstage and saying, ‘do you think we’ll ever do a night here on our own?’ recalled Shane. “Looking back now 25 years later, with 82 shows, it’s incredible. It’s incredible the support we’ve had in Ireland.”
Nicky went on to say: “We’ve all also come here as kids. My first ever concert was the Cranberries here in 1995 or 1994. To be celebrating this and 25 years is just incredible. It doesn’t happen everyday.”
The band also said that the upcoming tour would be their “biggest shows yet”.
“Production wise, it’s absolutely incredible,” said Shane. “The things that you can do that you couldn’t do three or four years ago, it’s going to be very visually spectacular. The music is the star of the show and we’re lucky to have a great catalogue of songs after 25 years. To get to sing those songs with the production we’re going to be bringing into this building… It’s going to be spectacular to say the least. We’re very, very excited about it.”
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