POP star Ronan Keating can be seen performing in Manchester tomorrow night -
even though he'll be singing in Belfast.
The former Boyzone heart-throb is appearing courtesy of a satellite link from
Ireland as part of the BBC's Beautiful Night extravaganza.
The Music Live spectacular, a BBC event which takes place in a different city
every year to celebrate live music, is in partnership with Manchester council.
Music from a variety of stars will be broadcast on a giant screen in
Manchester's Exchange Square from 9pm.
Other artists appearing include Katie Melua, Alanis Morrisette and Gabrielle.
Unique
As part of the celebrations, the council will be hosting The Beautiful Day, when
artists and bands will be playing live in Exchange Square from noon onwards.
International cellists, world class tenors and the cream of the contemporary
Manchester music scene will provide an eclectic mix of music throughout the day,
before Manchester-based Celtic rock band Toss the Feathers bring an Irish party
feel to the evening prior to the live link.
Margaret Nuttall, Manchester council head of events, said: "The Beautiful Day
promises to be a unique, quality event that showcases the strength and diversity
of the musical talent in the city.
"The stage-based performances in Exchange Square are all by Manchester-based
artists, or in association with Manchester organisations that promote and
deliver music that maintains the city's reputation as a hot bed of talent and
creativity.
"The live link-up with Belfast through the BBC for the Beautiful Night concert
shows once again that Manchester is at the forefront of creating special events
with a twist."
Following his departure from Westlife Bryan McFadden is to join-up with the
former members of Boyzone Ronan Keating and Shane Lynch on The Late Late Show
tonight...
Don't let the headline fool you (sick joke), Bryan McFadden is not joining
Boyzone (at least we think he's not?) in the literal sense but if the rumours
are true he is to appear on The Late Late Show with Ronan Keating and Shane
Lynch tonight.
According to our snoops (and they have been fairly accurate of late) Bryan is to
give his first live interview to Pat Kenny after his shocking departure from
Westlife... And if the prerecorded interview he gave MTV's Tim Cash is anything
to go by it will be No Holds Barred!!
Apparently Ronan will also appear on the show to sing his latest single Last
Thing On My Mind with country sensation and total babe LeAnn Rimes.
And, if our moles are correct, Shane Lynch will be sitting opposite Mr. Kenny
talking about his experiences on celebrity reality TV show The Games.
All-in-all it should be an interesting show so watch it! And don't be surprised
if a few other familiar faces show up...
What
a historical day it was yesterday when the original Irish boyband got back
together after nearly half a decade of squabbles and all in the name of
charity...
There has been constant
speculation in the media over the past four and something years as to whether
Mikey, Ronan, Stephen, Shane and Keith would ever reunite and say a proper
good-bye to their legions of loyal fans.
The five Dublin lads which formed Boyzone under Louis Walsh have all gone in
separate directions since their glory days... Ronan has continued with his Pop
career, Keith went into acting, Shane drove off in a Rally car, Stephen walks
the boards in musicals, and Mikey has gone behind the scenes in production.
But it has always felt like unfinished business in the back of their minds no
matter what they told the media - an underlying friendship has always remained
even if it took this many years to realise it.
And it all came to a head last week when the four other ex-zoners came from the
four corners of the globe to support Shane as he competed on the reality TV show
The Games in Sheffield.
So it was no surprise yesterday when helicopters started landing at Citywest and
some very familiar faces began congregating in the lounge of the plush hotel.
The Boyz were back together again and NOT, as the media has speculated, for the
announcement of a big payday farewell tour - but rather to announce they will
get together one last time for charity.
At a press conference in The
Palmerstown Stud Golf Club they announced that they will reform for the 3rd
annual celebrity golf classic in aid of the Irish Autism Alliance and donate a
percentage of the money raised to The Marie Keating Foundation.
The former members of Boyzone attend the Boyzone Reunion at Palmerstown stud
golf club April 20, 2004 in Dublin Ireland. The boys met up at Citywest Hotel to
officially launch the 3rd annual celebrity golf classic in aid of the Irish
Autism Alliance. (Photo by ShowBizIreland/Getty Images. To see the photos
below in more detail, visit Getty Images
Dormant Irish chart-toppers Boyzone yesterday hinted a farewell tour might be on
the cards as early as next Christmas, all things going well.
The band, which has matured along with their fanbase since the curtain fell on
their last gig in the Point Depot more than four years ago, are
confident that there is still demand for one final tour.
Speaking at the launch of the third annual Celebrity Golf Classic in aid of the
Irish Autism Alliance in Palmerstown House, Keith Duffy revealed that they will
meet next week to discuss the plan in greater detail.
However the Coronation Street actor has said he will only consider a return to
the popscene if it doesn't jeopardise his soap career, as annoying bar-manager
at the Rovers.
"It's not something we planned but if you get enough of us in the same place you
don't know what will happen.
"Four-and-a-half years ago we played the Point Depot and said we were going to
take some time off.
"Now we're back together for the first time in a longtime and we're reminiscing
about the old times.
"It wouldn't be a reunion it would be closure," he said.
"We're going to hook up again next week and thrash out who wants to do what.
"We'll see how it goes. But we're open-minded. We know there are as many people
who don't want to see us as those who do want to."
Boyzone appeared to have buried the hatchet when they reunited to cheer Lynch to
victory in the celebrity Olympics-style reality television show The Games last
week.
Ronan Keating said he will be giving the prospect of a reunion tour some
"serious thought".
"It's something we'd need to think about. It's a big step for us to get back
together after four years."
Bandmate Stephen Gately, who admitted he had been "very upset" when the band
stepped out of the limelight four years ago, was confident Boyzone fans would
support a comeback tour.
"We got a lot of hits on our website so I think we'd do well," he said.
However, Mikey Graham, who has been working behind the scenes as a producer
since the band's hiatus, was rather more reticent.
"There's an awful lot to be considered. We have to test the waters to see what's
still out there," he said.
The
Former members of Boyzone have joined forces for the first time in five years to
raise funds for two leading Irish charities.
The Irish Autism Alliance and the Marie Keating Foundation will benefit from a
Celebrity Golf event, which is taking place in September.
Addressing a packed media conference earlier today it appeared that the five had
put their differences aside as they hinted at a 'Boyzone' reunion tour.
It was announced this morning that
Ronan has been added to the bill at Invicta's Party In The Park on
Sunday May 23rd, click on the logo below to find out more...
Former Boyzone member Ronan Keating has said that he would like the band to
reunite and do one more tour.
Keating, together with Keith Duffy, Stephen Gately and Mikey Graham appeared in
the audience of reality TV show 'The Games' last week to cheer on former band
mate Shane Lynch.
The men have now buried their differences and are talking again, four years
after falling out with each other.
Speaking to RTÉ, Keating said the band never formally split up.
The Daily Star has a story, apparently sourced from ex-Boyzone hunk Shane
Lynch, that the band is planning an imminent reunion. The tab claims that the
members of the band - Lynch, Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham, Stephen Gately and
Keith Duffy - got together for dinner last week. As a result they will be
attending a charity function on Tuesday, as Boyzone. And Shane says that they'll
be discussing a tour, and maybe even new recordings, at the event.
Shane says the dinner was: "one of the most memorable occasions I have had for a
long time. I am blown away by it, absolutely blown away. It was about
understanding where we have come now as individuals compared with where we were
four years ago, and the reasons why we split up and why we never got back
together."
So what are the chances of a reunion actually happening... will this be like the
Spice Girls reformation, endlessly rumoured, never occuring? "You have to take
each step little by little," says Shane, "but I think we made the biggest step
on Thursday, so anything is possible."
Shane
spoke to Linda about his shock and surprise at seeing the Boyzone gang, the
first time they have been together in five years. Last night, he burst into
tears as the lads cheered him on in the vaulting final.
"As a man, it's been a while since I've shed a tear," he told the ex-Page 3
girl. "I just couldn't believe it. When I saw lads together I thought 'Oh, my
God!'"
After the show, they all enjoyed a few beers together. "It was a beautiful
thing," said Shane.
The 27-year-old, who is now a racing driver, told Linda how the band had
fallen out with each other at the end of their pop career. Shane admitted:
"When it just came to an end, I was very ignorant back then.
"I was angry, just a lot aggression inside me. I apologised for it all about a
year ago. It was mainly to do with me and Ronan Keating. I said sorry and he
forgave me."
Shane then went to say there had been a lot of misunderstanding at the time of
their break-up and it was good to have a break from each other.
"It was a confusing time for all," he recalled. "I don't think any of us knew
who the hell we were." But Shane says all the lads were very grounded and
didn't let all the publicity go to their heads.
The Irishman is keen to get on with the future. "Life's far from over. That
was a great period in my life."
Maybe if Shane wins The Games, the lads might serenade him with We Are The
Champions. But now the lads are getting on so well, is a Boyzone reunion on
the cards?
RONAN KEATING gets cosy with singer LEANN RIMES.
But the star’s model missus YVONNE has nothing to worry about – the pair were
filming for their duet The Last Thing On My Mind.
He and BOYZONE met up for the
first time in four years yesterday – to cheer SHANE LYNCH in C4’s The Games.
SHEFFIELD hosted a surprise pop reunion last night as Boyzone got together for
the first time in almost five years.
The Games contestant Shane Lynch was moved to tears when he spotted his four
former bandmates in the crowd at the English Institute of Sport.
The Irish boyband split up in 1999 and rumours of in-fighting have plagued them
ever since, but the lads proved their problems are firmly in the past as Ronan
Keating, Keith Duffy, Stephen Gately and Mikey Graham joined forces to support
Shane.
After the men's vaulting competition Shane said: "I couldn't believe it when I
saw the lads. I did cry a moment ago. I thought I was going to lose it there and
then but I'm glad I held it together.
"It's amazing just to see them here. I got very emotional, I was blown away. I
am so happy. It's a proud moment for me."
Solo star Ronan said: "We're just here to support him. He's done such a great
job all week. We all knew he could do it."
Keith Duffy, who now stars in Coronation Street, said: "It's four and a half
years since we all stood together. I can't think of a better reason to be here
than to support this young man.
"I will never deny the fact that I miss the boys. It's great to be with them all
here tonight, it's very emotional. We are here for a very special reason and
that's because this man has done very well for himself and we want him to know
we are behind him 100 per cent."
Shane ensured the boys' journeys – from New York, Germany, Ireland and
Manchester – were not wasted when he won the vault, his third win in a row.
Mr Gay UK Jarrod Batchelor was second, Romeo third, and Pat Sharp – who
performed a professional leapfrog – fourth with all achieving personal bests.
Moaning Major Charles Ingram was last for the second night in a row.
Tonight, as the women take part in a curling contest, the men will speed skate
at iceSheffield, but Shane's bandmates are convinced he will be going home with
the gold medal.
Stephen said: "He's going to win it," while Keith joked: "We didn't make a lot
of money on Boyzone but the little bit that we did, it's all going on Shane."
Asked if there was any chance of a Boyzone reunion, Keith said: "This is a
reunion! We've got five empty glasses and a bottle of Jack Daniels and believe
me, we're going to sing tonight."
Ronan added, more sombrely: "We will tell you in the morning."
The celebrations went on well into the night as birthday girl Katy Hill was
given a surprise party on her return to the athlete's village after the women's
floor gymnastics.
The former Blue Peter presenter, who turned 33 yesterday, made her hat-trick by
winning the event, with Charlie Dimmock taking a surprise second place.
Former poledancer Jodie Marsh and 'It girl' Lady Isabella Hervey were joint
third with a disappointed Linda Lusardi coming fifth.
Tonight's show is on Channel 4 at 9.35pm.
SINGERS Ronan Keating, Gabrielle and Brian Kennedy have added their
names to a galaxy of stars set to stage a 'Beautiful Night' in Belfast next
month.
The trio will join artists such as Alanis Morissette, Bob Geldof, Dolores
O'Riordan, Katie Melua and the Divine Comedy at the free open air gig in Belfast
on May 1.
The show will include pre-recorded performances by Westlife and
Ash.
It will be broadcast on BBC on May 1 and will be the grand finale of the
BBC's Music Live Festival.
Up to 60 shows will be staged in Northern
Ireland throughout the week-long festival, with Belfast being the 'central hub'
of the musical extravaganza, which runs form April 23 to May 3.
Ronan took part in the BUPA Fun Run in his home town - Dublin last weekend, he
completed the 10k run in 50 minutes and 27 seconds - Well done Ro! - Click
here for more information about the run
DUBLIN-born singer Ronan earned a
fortune as frontman with Boyzone. Since leaving the boy band in 1999, he
has had a string of hits and set up his own studio and record label.
Ronan, 27, has a £2.5million mansion in Co Dublin and a £1.2million penthouse in
London.
Ronan's next single 'Last Thing
On My Mind' featuring
Leann Rimes, has now been added to The Box - Selection number 127
- visit our
Support Ronan page for
details of how to request it.
What
a historical day it was yesterday when the original Irish boyband got back
together after nearly half a decade of squabbles and all in the name of
charity...
The
Former members of Boyzone have joined forces for the first time in five years to
raise funds for two leading Irish charities. 
'The
Games'' Shane Lynch has told Radio 1 that his best experience of the show so far
was the rest of Boyzone turning up to support him.
Shane
spoke to Linda about his shock and surprise at seeing the Boyzone gang, the
first time they have been together in five years. Last night, he burst into
tears as the lads cheered him on in the vaulting final.
