WESTLIFE IRELAND

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

The boos don't bother me, says Voice judge Kian

We Still Love You Kian

By ALEXANDRA RYAN

Monday March 05 2012

KIAN Egan says being booed by The Voice audience doesn't bother him because he's being paid to be brutally honest.

The Westlife star was met with jeers as he entered the Helix last night for the first live show -- after jetting in from China.

The dad of one has come under fire for being too mean to contestants.

Speaking to the Herald, Kian said he didn't mind the booing but admitted that he may have been too harsh.

"It really doesn't bother me. The other three judges are sitting there saying that everyone is great and I understand that.

"But for me I can't be like that, I can't tell everyone that they are absolutely brilliant if they are not. If they are then no problem. But this is what I've been hired to do. Sure, people are going to criticise me and say 'what does he know?' but at the end of the day I've been hired to do this job and I'm going to do the job the best I can," he explained.

MANNER

"I might have been a little bit too harsh with some of my comments. I don't think I was wrong in what I was saying, it was more the delivery. It was important to me tonight to put my criticisms in the right manner and I think I did better."

Meanwhile Kian, who flew in from Westlife's Farewell tour in China, admitted he couldn't wait to prove co-star Brian Kennedy wrong this weekend. Kian says he is looking forward to performing on the live stage, so he can finally prove to Brian that he really can sing live.

"I'm not nervous about performing at all. I can't wait to finally answer Brian's smart comments and prove him wrong," he said. "I'm nervous about who my bottom two are going to be. My fear would be losing someone really strong."

Former Fair City actor Ryan O'Shaughnessy and Gavin Kenny became the first performers to be booted off the show.

- ALEXANDRA RYAN

Sourse http://www.herald.ie

Friday, March 2, 2012

Nicky Byrne to host “Football’s Next Star”

WESTLIFE star Nicky Byrne has been confirmed as the host of the RTE version of the hit TV show Football’s Next Star, which is due to air this autumn, according to Celtic FC.

Nicky, who was signed by Leeds United when he was 16, is a fanatical Celtic supporter, and he played for the Hoops in the Legends match at Celtic Park against Manchester United back in August.

So he’s the ideal host for Football’s Next Star, which will be produced by Tyrone Productions for RTE Young Peoples Programmes, and it will feature 10 young footballers who will battle it out for one coveted place at Celtic’s prestigious Youth Academy. It’s every Bhoy’s dream!

The Celtic coaching team, and possibly Manager Neil Lennon, will be in Ireland this month to conduct football trials with interested players. The first trials will take place this Saturday March 3 and Sunday, March 4 at the AUL Centre, Clonshaugh North Co. Dublin and there is still time to register.

If you think you have what it takes, you must register in advance to take part. To register simply email football@tyroneproductions.ie or call 01 889 4970 (ROI) or from Northern Ireland 00 353 1 889 4970

The trials are open to 16 and 17-year-old boys born on or between the dates of 1 January 1995 and 3 March 1996. It’s also very important that you check out www.rte.ie/trte for full terms and conditions.

The second and final weekend of trials will take place in the Limerick Arena, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Co. Limerick on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th March.

The trials in Dublin and Limerick will be overseen by coaching staff from the Celtic Youth Academy and participants will be required to arrive with their kit and boots, ready to undertake a series of football tests.

Between 40 and 50 contestants will be shortlisted from the Dublin and Limerick trials and they will go on to participate in the next stage of the competition which will be held at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, where the Celtic FC coaching team will make the final selection of 10 talented young players.

The final 10 will travel to Glasgow, where they will face a month of intensive training at one of Europe’s biggest clubs. They will eat, sleep and breathe football and get a real taste of what it is like to be a professional footballer…but only one boy can win a place at the Celtic Youth Academy.

Throughout the competition the boys will have the opportunity to win spot prizes, including master classes with some of football’s biggest stars and a trip abroad to play top foreign teams, as our youngsters get a real taste of what the life of a real professional must be like.

According to IFTN sources Noleen Golding (OMG! Jedward’s Dream Factory) will produce and direct the project for Tyrone. She commented: “Throughout the series viewers will see the young footballers really develop their skills and start what is hopefully the beginning of a superstar career at Celtic FC!”

Nicky Byrne, who will present Football’s Next Star for Tyrone Productions, is very excited about the show and says:

“I am really looking forward to hosting this new RTE show. What an amazing opportunity for one lad to get to be part of Celtic FC – a club that is steeped in history and has such strong ties to Ireland. Some of the big names in Irish football have played for Celtic FC in recent years – Neil Lennon who obviously manages the team now, Roy Keane and Robbie Keane to name but a few and the success that Anthony Stokes is having at the club at present shows us that this is really an opportunity of a lifetime”

Special guest judges for Ireland’s ‘Football’s Next Star’ are yet to be confirmed . José Mourhino and Jamie Redknapp guest starred in the UK version of the series.

Source: http://www.sportsnewsireland.com

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Westlife have the best life in China

Boys bowled over by country and people

Pop sensations Westlife are taking time out of their farewell tour of China to enjoy the top tourist sights.

The four pals posted a photo online as they posed in the famous Tiananmen Square in Beijing yesterday.

The band had performed before 15,000 fans in the MasterCard Centre in the city the night before. Band member Nicky Byrne tweeted: “Taking in the sights in China... Tiananmen square & the Forbidden City.’’

A spokesperson for the stars revealed Westlife are having the time of their lives in China. “They’ve really been bowled over by the country and the Chinese people — probably because they have more time to see the place this time.

“In terms of concerts, they said it’s the new America. There’s a massive population and a huge appetite for live music and they were amazed by the rapturous welcome they’ve received in China,” the spokesperson added. Westlife’s farewell tour of China is expected to earn them a whopping €5m.

The group will play in seven different cities for the final time in their 14-year history. The last Westlife tour is scheduled to visit the cities of Hangzhou, Chendu, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hong Kong during the tour, which continues until March 3
.

Source: http://www.clickonline.com

Westlife bids farewell in Beijing

housands of Westlife fans flocked to the Beijing Mastercard Center Wednesday night to give their goodbyes to the group, chanting their names and cheering after every song.

The evening marked the beginning of the well-known Irish boy band's farewell tour.

"Five months ago, we came to China to hold concerts and had a very pleasant time. So we want to celebrate our last tour tonight in Beijing," said Kian, a member of the band.

Tickets for the event sold out about a month ago, with prices skyrocketing as high as 1,288 yuan (205 U.S. dollars), according to box office staff.

The band took to the stage to perform 14 of their greatest hits, receiving shouts and screams from the audience. The band returned the favor, proclaiming "we love Beijing!" and "we love China!" during the performance.

"I felt I would regret it for the rest of my life if I failed to come here. I've followed their EPs and albums for 14 years," said a Chinese fan who referred to himself as "Bill." Bill flew all the way from northeast China's city of Shenyang to attend the show.

An 18-year-old woman calling herself "Shirley" said she was reluctant to leave the concert. "I got to know them through my English class. It was a pity that they finished their show after just an hour and a half," she said.

Source: http://www.china.org.cn

Westlife back Niamh’s appeal

Published on Friday 24 February 2012 08:45

Westlife are backing a campaign to raise money for life-saving cancer treatment for a five-year-old girl from Wellingborough.

The Irish pop group has invited Niamh Curry and her family to meet them at one of their London concerts in May.

Niamh has the rare and aggressive cancer neuroblastoma and her parents Chris and Samantha are trying to raise £450,000 to take their daughter to America after doctors exhausted their treatment options here in the UK.

Band member Shane Phelan has been following her story on Twitter – Niamh’s Next Step is one of just 88 Twitter users the singer follows on the social media network, despite having 156,000 followers himself.

His wife Gillian has been in touch with the Curry family to show her support for their campaign.

Mr Curry said: “She’s been following us since we started and she sent us a message saying Shane and the rest of Westlife wanted to do something to help.

“They have invited us down to meet them at their concert on May 12, and they have also given us VIP concert tickets and a meet and greet with Westlife as a prize for an auction we are having in May.

“Gillian has also asked us to send over some special Niamh wristbands and she’s going to see if she can get the band to wear them. That would be amazing for us because it would raise so much awareness.”

The campaign is also receiving a lot of backing from the world of boxing.

The family has been invited by boxing promoter Frank Warren to attend a world title bout on March 16, where three boxers will wear Niamh’s charity T-shirt, including Billy Joe Saunders.

They hope the event will prove to be a good fundraising opportunity, and a chance to raise the awareness of their campaign.

The total amount they have raised so far now stands at £95,000, but they need to reach their fundraising target in order to take Niamh to America, where there are more treatment options. If they can raise the money, Niamh will receive special antibody treatment in Philadelphia.

NIAMH’S NEXT STEP

Source; http://www.northantset.co.uk