![\"Westlife](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-2243309734_8e72d6.jpg\")
\n\t\tWestlife are \u2018bigger than ever\u2019 after 25 years (Picture: Nicky J. Sims\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tWestlife are \u2018bigger than ever\u2019 after 25 years (Picture: Nicky J. Sims\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
With 14 number one singles, it\u2019s hard to imagine Westlife<\/a> could be any more popular than they were during the height of 90s\/00s boyband craze.<\/p>\n And then they sold out the Royal Albert Hall twice.<\/p>\n \u2018We started off when we were 17-year-old boys wanting to become pop stars,\u2019 Shane Filan recalled as the band sat down with Metro after the huge gigs.<\/p>\n \u2018That\u2019s what we wanted, but we never thought it would lead to this.\u2019<\/p>\n Westlife \u2014 Shane, Nicky Byrne<\/a>, Kian Egan, and Mark Feehily <\/a>\u2014 are already preparing a huge tour in celebration of a quarter of a century performing together.<\/p>\n Sadly, Mark was missing from the lineup<\/a> when they took the stage at London<\/a>\u2019s famed venue (and on the cosy sofa with Metro) due to ongoing health<\/a> issues.<\/p>\n In his place, the group brought out vocal powerhouses Loren Allred and Katherine Jenkins in a performance which some have dubbed \u2018the best show ever\u2019\u2026 according to Shane.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018We\u2019re hitting all these milestones and we feel genuinely honoured to be that successful, and have those fans that just stick with us,\u2019 he shared.<\/p>\n \u2018We\u2019re doing stuff that we never thought we\u2019d physically do, and it feels like it\u2019s getting bigger. You could see it the other night in the Royal Albert Hall, the sheer love in the room for Westlife, and we were just part of it with them.\u2019<\/p>\n Their two shows at the historic hall, which feature a full orchestra behind them, have also been filmed for a cinematic release on November 29.<\/p>\n The more cynical might write off the boyband as just rehashing the glory days, but with a new song out \u2014 Chariot \u2014\u00a0and big plans for 2026, this nostalgia stigma doesn\u2019t worry them.<\/p>\n Nicky said: \u2018I suppose, there is a little bit of a bang of legacy [or] heritage act at the moment from us. But that\u2019s not necessarily a bad thing.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t He explained how, without that label, they wouldn\u2019t have the opportunities that they do. There\u2019s no massive 25th anniversary tour if you haven\u2019t been around for 25 years.<\/p>\n \u2018We look ahead, and we go, what else can we do? What\u2019s next? Do we do another Royal Albert down the road after this tour? Do we look beyond that?\u2019<\/p>\n Shane added: \u2018At the moment, with Westlife, everything has to be important. If we\u2019re going to do something, we do it right. <\/p>\n \u2018We don\u2019t have to do anything. We have a responsibility to our fans to deliver a show that they\u2019re proud of.\u2019<\/p>\n Getting things right isn\u2019t always as easy as it sounds, as when performing Chariot for the first time live, Shane got a little tongue-tied.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t \u2018Live to the world, the first ever performance of it, and it was Mark\u2019s verse. It totally made up a line on the spot,\u2019 he confessed.<\/p>\n Mark has been unable to join his bandmates on stage but does feature on their new track Chariot, and the trio have said he is very much still a member of Westlife.<\/p>\n Shane sang a rendition of his fumble for us, laughing with his bandmates, before giving us the real, incredibly emotional lyric.<\/p>\n \u2018I don\u2019t want a tearful sombre last goodbye\/The memories of my final moment should be golden\u2019.<\/p>\n The muddled sentence he managed was \u2018definitely not better\u2019 than Ed Sheeran<\/a>\u2019s words, with the Shape Of You icon having co-written the track.<\/p>\n Turns out Ed is a massive fan of the boyband and \u2018champions\u2019 them wherever he goes, even writing a bunch of Westlife tracks before they were even back together.<\/p>\n Kian revealed: \u2018We have been watching Ed blow up over the years. When Westlife got back together in 2018, our longtime songwriter-producer said, \u201cBelieve it or not, I\u2019ve been working with Ed, he\u2019s a massive Westlife fan\u201d. We were like, \u201cwhat?\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n He laughed and added that the Lego<\/a> House singer considers Flying Without Wings \u2018one of the best songs of all time\u2019.<\/p>\n \u2018To have a superstar like Ed Sheeran talk about us like that, and give us his seal of approval? He feels like a member of the band at this stage,\u2019 he continued.<\/p>\n Ed\u2019s not the only one loving the Uptown Girl hitmakers, as fellow boyband icon Niall Horan<\/a> was in the crowd for their Royal Albert Hall gig.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t \u2018Niall is constantly asking us to join the band,\u2019 Nicky joked. \u2018We never really considered it but now, you know\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n They first met the One Direction<\/a> star in 2010 during X Factor<\/a>, with the trio praising his \u2018wonderful career\u2019 and how the boyband went \u2018stratospheric\u2019.<\/p>\n \u2018He\u2019s maturing, isn\u2019t he? He kind of looks like Westlife now,\u2019 Nicky added, with Kian insisting Niall would have to bring back his blonde hair to join.<\/p>\n When asked where the boy bands have gone, Kian shared: \u2018Boy bands are never going to go away. I think young girls want to get into that type of music.<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s just the time, everything seems to come in cycles, I feel like there\u2019s a lot of rock bands coming back through again now. Before you know it, it\u2019ll turn again, but I don\u2019t know, it\u2019ll be interesting to see.\u2019<\/p>\n As for Westlife themselves, their music is as beloved as ever, with Kian revealing Mark was once recognised in a Bali<\/a> rice field as \u2018Mr Westlife\u2019.<\/p>\n \t\t The You Raise Me Up singers have already announced a European tour, with America and Asia yet to be confirmed, and promise it\u2019s going to be massive.<\/p>\n They\u2019re attempting to top the incredible performances at the Royal Albert Hall with next year\u2019s tour, although it may be hard thanks to Loren and Katherine.<\/p>\n Shane said, \u2018They elevated the songs to another level\u2019, revealing he had never sung You Raise Me Up, which they duetted with the Greatest Showman star, with a female vocalist.<\/p>\n \u2018I mean, to stand on the stage and hear them sing the way they do, you nearly want to retire on the spot,\u2019 Nicky praised.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t Kian quipped \u2018don\u2019t do that\u2019, to which his bandmate reassured him \u2018not yet\u2019 \u2014\u00a0even if there is some occasional \u2018dad dancing\u2019 going on. <\/p>\n Shane added: \u2018Both of them sang it in a higher octave, the songs are quite high already, [our] jaws [were] on the floor just listening to them. It was incredible.\u2019<\/p>\n While the song is already quite high, Westlife didn\u2019t attempt to match the women\u2019s vocal prowess.<\/p>\n \u2018I was going to finish it with [Loren],\u2019 Shane laughed. \u2018And next thing, she just went up an octave. And I went, \u201cDo you know what? That\u2019s probably better, I\u2019m just gonna watch this\u201d.\u2019<\/p>\n One thing is clear: while they might not be hitting the high notes, they are hitting career highs with no plans to stop any time soon.<\/p>\n Tickets for Westlife 25: The Anniversary World Tour are on sale now. New single Chariot is out now with album 25 \u2013 The Ultimate Collection out February 13, 2026.<\/p>\n Got a story?<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff<\/a> page \u2013 we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Westlife](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-2243309738.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe group recently performed at the Royal Albert Hall (Picture: Nicky J. Sims\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_4186-e8fd-rotated-e1761910691978.jpeg\")
\n\t\tThey told Metro about their big plans for next year (Picture: Metro)<\/p>\n![\"Cheerios's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-93204599.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe group\u2019s live shows are missing a member (Picture: Phillip Massey\/WireImage)<\/p>\n![\"BBC2](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-1174864301.jpg\")
\n\t\tMark Feehily does feature on their new song (Picture: Jo Hale\/Redferns)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/G4dSVpYWYAA_ilH-81dd.jpeg\")
\n\t\tNiall Horan wants to join Westlife (Picture: shanefilanofficial\/instagram)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/G4dOQp8XoAI8Bvw-1bd4.jpeg\")
\n\t\tKian reckons he needs to bring the blonde back first (Picture: shanefilanofficial\/instagram)<\/p>\n![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-1351572468.jpg\")
\n\t\tWestlife have 14 UK number ones (Picture: Samir Hussein\/WireImage)<\/p>\n![\"Westlife](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-2243936719.jpg\")
\n\t\tThey sang with Katherine Jenkins for their Royal Albert Hall gig (Picture: Joseph Okpako\/WireImage)<\/p>\n![\"Westlife](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-2243937392.jpg\")
\n\t\t\u2018Boy bands never go away\u2019 (Picture:Joseph Okpako\/WireImage)<\/p>\n
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