Westlife: Why did Bryan McFadden leave Westlife?
WESTLIFE are performing on Strictly Come Dancing tonight but only 4 of the original 5 band members will be present. Bryan McFadden left the band in 2004 but why? Express.co.uk has everything you need to know.
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Strictly Come Dancing: The Results airs tonight (Sunday, November 17) at 7:15pm on BBC One. Before the bottom two of Blackpool Week are announced, viewers will be treated to an unmissable musical performance from Irish boyband Westlife.
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Why did Bryan McFadden leave Westlife?
Westlife was originally made up of Kian Egan, Mark Feehly, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Bryan McFadden.
The band was formed in 1998 and Westlife performed as a five-piece until early 2004, when McFadden announced he was leaving the band.
During their career, Westlife has sold a total of 13 albums, five of which are as part of their original line-up and eight as a four-piece.
The news that McFadden was leaving Westlife was announced three weeks before the band embarked on their fourth world tour.
McFadden made the decision to leave the band on March 9, 2004, and a press conference was held by the band to announce the news.
McFadden said his decision to leave the band was to spend more time with his family.
His sudden departure meant his final public performance as part of the band was at Newcastle Upon Tyne’s Powerhouse nightclub on February 2004.
In a statement at the press conference, McFadden said: “It’s very hard to juggle two lives when you’ve got a family.”
Paying tribute to McFadden, bandmate Egan said: “We’ve shared laughter, tears, success, weddings and babies, but most of all we’ve shared our dreams.”
Speaking to press including Hot Press.com, McFadden said: “It's very, very hard to juggle two lives when you've got a family and being in a band like Westlife, it is a huge commitment.
“To be honest for the last year, especially since Lily was born, I haven't really been able to commit 100 percent to Westlife and I haven't been able to commit 100 percent to my family, so I kinda felt it was unfair to both. I felt it was the right time to stand back.“
“To be honest with you for now anyway I just want to concentrate on my family and being at home.
“I have absolutely nothing lined up. Not musically, not TV, nothing. I think the most important thing to do first of all is settled this with Westlife. I'm not even gonna think about what I'm gonna do for a long time.“
He added: “They're my four best friends in the whole world and we've done so much over the last five years. I've told everyone this - it's got absolutely nothing to do with the guys, it's completely got to do with me.”
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Since leaving the band, McFadden embarked on a solo career with moderate success.
He has released five studio albums since leaving the band, including Irish son, Set in Stone, Wall of Sound, The Irish Connection and Otis.
McFadden has also embarked on a television and radio career.
He has appeared as a judge on Australian Idol, Australia's Got Talent, Catchphrase and The Jump.
In 2019 he took part in the 11th series of Dancing on Ice coming in fourth place.
After his departure, the Westlife world tour continued without McFadden and Westlife performed as a foursome until they split on October 19, 2011.
The last time Westlife reunited in public as a fivesome was in November 2005 as part of the Irish reality television show Anonymous.
After years of speculation, on October 3, 2018, Westlife announced they were making new music and would be embarking on a world tour as a foursome.
Speaking to Extra.ie about reuniting as a foursome without McFadden, Byrne explained: “Honestly, we harbour no real [bad] feelings about Brian whatsoever, we never have done.
“When we first discussed getting back together, we were always going to take Westlife off again from where we left it in 2012.
“Brian walked away, obviously, in 2004 and that’s what people forget. It hurts us when we see headlines like “Simon Cowell wanted Brian.
“We did nine and a half years without him and sometimes the press and stories can affect the relationship because there is no ill-feeling from either end.
‘We genuinely wish him all the best.“
Strictly Come Dancing airs tonight at 7:15pm on BBC One
