Westlife launched their 25th anniversary celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday night with an emotional tribute to absent band member Mark Feehily. The trio of Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan performed alongside the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, but Feehily was missing due to ongoing health issues.
Addressing the sold-out crowd, Nicky Byrne said: 'We were just five lads from Ireland - two from Dublin and three from Sligo - and now we are here. The legends that have performed here… The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra have stood on this stage and now it’s Westlife. We’re truly humbled.'
Midway through the two-hour show, the band paused to speak about Feehily. Shane Filan told the audience: 'I want to take a little moment now to speak about Mark who is unfortunately not with us tonight. But we love him, we miss him and we cannot wait to have him back on this stage with us.' He confirmed that Feehily features on new music, including the track 'Chariot' written by Ed Sheeran, and the band's upcoming album due in February.
The band dedicated 'Flying Without Wings' to Feehily, describing it as his favourite song, and invited a female vocalist from their choir to sing his famous lines. The night ended with a singalong of their debut single 'Swear it Again'.
Feehily has faced several health setbacks in recent years, including pneumonia in 2022, severe sepsis in 2020, and hernia surgery last year, which led him to step back from touring. Despite his absence, the band expressed hope for his return to the stage.
