Westlife singer Mark Feehily has spoken about the impact that partner Kevin McDaid has had on his life and has described coming out as "the best thing I have ever done".

In an interview with the Sligo Champion Feehily, who came out in 2005, said: "The thing that finally set me free was falling in love with Kevin.

"It's like the penny dropped. I suddenly realised I didn't care who knows about this. This is me. This is who I am."

He continued: "All I know is that coming out for me was the best thing I have ever done. It changed my life, allowed me to be happy with who I was.

"I believe everybody should feel free to express who they are as a person. It's not about sex, but about being honest with yourself and others, and being happy."

Feehily said before he came out he had locked away his sexuality and "got on with life".

"But I was often unhappy, because I suppose I knew I wasn't being true to myself," he said.

"The idea out there at the time was that all these young girls loved us and all that, and that made it even more crazy.