Members of Westlife have offered a health update on Mark Feehily, who is absent from the band's new tour. Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan and Kian Egan are returning to the stage without their bandmate to mark 25 years together. Alongside a brand new single and a greatest hits album, the trio are performing around the world on a huge new tour. However, Mark will not be joining them for their live shows, after recently struggling with his health.
The 45-year-old battled sepsis in 2020, and then faced pneumonia, an incisional hernia and underwent several major operations. Amid his absence from Westlife, his bandmates have now shared an update. Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Monday with presenters Jon Kay and Sarah Campbell, they said he was “doing ok”. Shane said: “He’s ok, he’s taking a step back at the moment. He’s on the new music which is great, he’s on Chariot obviously as well, but no, not with us on this one.” He added: “He’s good and he sends his love to everybody and to all the fans too.”
The trio elsewhere spoke about the “phenomenal” few months they’ve had recently. Shane said: “It feels really special, the last week has been incredible. I think the 25 years now, we’re feeling it ourselves, the memories, the nostalgia, it’s really kicking in. We start the tour in September in Ireland… it’s going to be a couple of years but it’s going to be amazing.”
Westlife had announced Mark’s absence from the coming shows previously, saying in a statement: “Sadly, Mark will be unable to join the celebrations. We hope he can join us back on stage when he is ready and able. He sends his love and positivity to you all as always.” The remaining members of the band had also shared their devastation over Mark's absence, ahead of their appearance on Britain's Got Talent days ago. Kian told The Daily Mirror: “We’re devastated he won’t be joining us on this tour. We’ll be missing him every night just as much as the fans will. But he’s given us his full support. This is the 25th anniversary, it's something that we all felt needed to be celebrated. We hope as soon as he’s ready he’ll be back with us and we look forward to that moment.”
The singer had previously addressed his health problems when he took a temporary departure from Westlife days before their first-ever American tour in 2024. He said at the time: “Most of you are aware that I have had some health challenges over the past while. It actually all started 3.5 years ago in August 2020 when I had surgery. Within a few days of this surgery I was in severe pain and was rushed into A&E. I eventually ended that awful day in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) where I was informed that due to a complication with the surgery, I had developed severe 'Sepsis', a life-threatening infection that would require immediate emergency surgery to rectify the problem and basically save my life.”
He continued: “I spent the next few months in hospital. It was during lockdown. For months, due to strict Covid restrictions, I was not allowed any visitors including my fiance and my then 10-month-old daughter. It was physically and mentally a very difficult time, not to mention traumatic having to spend so long in ICU. In late 2021, I became very ill in Newcastle before a concert and ended up back in A&E, this time being told I had pneumonia. I was told I had to go straight home to recover and regrettably miss the rest of the concerts that December. I was referred to a consultant who told me I needed more surgery which I went ahead with in May 2022 meaning I was forced to miss more of The Wild Dreams tour. Three months after that surgery, I tried my best to soldier on for you guys and to go back on tour but unfortunately the physical demands of the concerts and extensive travel were proving too much for me. I developed a very large 'incisional hernia' and I was told that I needed further surgery to fix it. This would be my fourth major surgery since the start of it all, but I had no option.”
He added: “It is with the upmost level of regret that I must now temporarily stand down from all Westlife touring until a time that I have had the chance to fully recover from the turbulent journey I have been through as an individual. Believe me, I wish things could be different! I would like to thank you so very much for your support and understanding of me and my health over the past few years.” BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.
