Westlife are storming to the top of the charts with their latest hit following their dazzling turn on Britain's Got Talent on Saturday. The group, currently comprising Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan, stormed the stage on the ITV show to perform in front of Simon Cowell, who was integral to the start of their career when they were formed in 1998.
Emotional Reunion Backstage
Speaking to Daily Mail, a source close to Westlife, who are preparing to embark on their 25th anniversary tour, revealed they 'grew emotional' upon seeing Simon. The insider said: 'Seeing Simon Cowell backstage afterwards was particularly emotional because he's been part of the journey from day one. There was a lot of nostalgia in the room but also excitement'.
Chart Success
In conjunction with the BGT appearance, the boys are set for glory as they are on course for number one album next week and are currently outperforming the entire top 75 according to latest figures. They marked the milestone on BGT with a mash-up of their greatest hits such as Flying Without Wings and Uptown Girl, launching from the 1999 track Swear It Again.
After Simon gave them their first record deal, the trio were said to be feeling emotional when placed in front of Simon. Speaking to Daily Mail, the source said: 'For the band, this performance felt bigger than just another TV appearance... There was a real sense backstage that they were celebrating not only the release of the new album, but everything they've built together over the last 25 years.'
Anniversary Tour
The album was released last week and to mark the release, the group announced the global expansion of their highly anticipated Westlife 25: The Anniversary World Tour. The new dates are across Asia, Mexico, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand. Speaking about the expansion, they said: 'What better way to mark 25 years of Westlife than with an album that brings together our biggest hits alongside new music we’re so proud of. We’re beyond excited to head out on a global tour and celebrate these songs with the fans who’ve made it all possible.'
Tribute to Absent Bandmate
Ahead of their performance, Westlife paid tribute to absent bandmate Mark Feehily. Mark announced in 2024 he would be stepping back from the group indefinitely due to unspecified health woes and while he will not appear on the tour, he is still featured on their new album. Speaking to The Mirror, Kian said: '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.'
Westlife's Journey
Westlife soared to fame in 1998 when they were formed in Dublin, with the original line-up also featuring Brian McFadden, who later left in 2004. The group broke hearts of fans around the globe when they announced plans to disband in 2012 before all embarking on respective solo careers over the years. A hugely successful return in 2018 saw the group reform with comeback single Hello My Love, and the announcement of The Twenty Tour for 2019.
