Articles

Page 1

Back to Articles

HOME

Shap - happy!

When you’re this gorgeous and this famous you’re bound to have had your picture taken a ga-zillion times! But do Westlife enjoy it?

Well hot! Found out...

Do you like having your picture taken?

I do yeah - I’m so used to it now. It’s just like getting up in the morning now. ‘You want moody? You want happy? No problem!’ I love it!

What’s the best thing about photo shoot?

It’s when you see a good result - a good set of snaps of yourself always makes you feel good.

Who’s the vainest member of WL?

Well, it’s either Bryan or Kian - they’re always in the front of the mirror.

Who’s the longest to get ready?

I’d have to say the same two again, they have the longest hair so they take forever.

Who pulls the cheesiest poses?

I think we all have our fair share of cheesiness! We can all do it when called upon!

Who’s the goon who’s always blinkin or looking the wrong way in shoots?

Bryan, he’s definetely the blinker of the band. Oh, and Mark too

he just completely forgets he’s having his picture taken and just keeps chatting away!

What would happen on your ideal photo?

I’d be riding my horse, driving my car and hanging out at home. They’re my favourite three things in the world. We went riding for a TV show and it was brilliant. Weel it was great for me but Kian and Nicky had never done it before and they were so sore!

What’s your most embarrassing photo shoot story?

Whenever you’re having a shot taken of yourself and the rest of the guys are staring at you - well at least that's ’ow it feels - that can be so embarrassing. It’s getting easier now though.

Who complains the most about how they look in pics?

Bryan. He’s always going on about how terrible he looks and we’re always saying ‘Oh shut up, you look fine!’ He never listens!

Do you ever play practical jokes on one another?

Oh, we’re always messing about. You have to do it to keep it interesting.

What would you do to get someone to laugh in a picture?

I just start laughing with a really false laugh, that usually does the trick!

And finally, who’s photo shoot would you most like to be a fly on the wall at?

Any men’s magazine cover shoot. If you know what I mean!?

Back to Articles, page 1

Back to Articles

Laid-back and laid bare with Westlife

Posing naked, being in love and having his body waxed! Shane gets it off his chest...

Have you ever had any body parts waxed?

I had my chest waxed just the once about eight months ago. It was before we started the band, but never, ever again! It was the most painful thing I’ve ever had done. I had it done ‘cause I didn’t really like my hairy chest and I was curious what it would look like. But now I love my hairy chest.

How many times have you been in love?

Never properly. It was probably more puppy love than real love. When I was 14 I went out with a girl for a year. I told her I loved her and I was crazy about her. I thought I loved her at the time though.

Would you ever posed naked?

I would take my top off. I wouldn’t do it regularly, but maybe just once - not tomorrow or the next day but some day. I’d have to tone up first though! The whole hog? Definetely not! I think that’s just lowering yourself, don’t you think?

When was your first proper snog?

My first snog was when I was about 10 or eleven. It was a French kiss and it wasn’t very memorable. It was like a washing machine. My first memorable one was with a girl from my home town and she was a really good kisser - she was two years older than me as well!

How attractive are you? (A LOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!! By Marty!)

Ha ha! I don’t know! I’m all right I suppose. I guess a safe bet would be about five out of ten. Some days I think I look OK, on others I think I look awful! Sometimes I have a bad week and I wonder why fans fancy me. But you don’t have to be a model or stunning for people to like you. Today I looked in the mirror and I looked tired, but after a shower I looked a bit better!

Which bodily bit would you change?

Erm... that’s difficult. I love my hands - they’re the best part of my body! I don’t like my big bellybutton much - it’s an ‘inny’! You could fit a 5p in it, in fact the coin would disappear!

Apart from Shane, what other names do you like?

I like Stephen and Jack. My grandfather was called Jack and that’s a nice solid name. Stephen’s my middle name so I do like that, too.

Back to Articles, page 1

Back to Articles

More revelations from the Westlife clan!

Introducing... the Filan Family

After meeting Shane’s brothers Liam and Finbar and his godson Killian (Finbar’s kid) up at the stables on the edge of town, we’re famished! Heading for the Filan’s famous Sligo restaurant seems like a good bet and as we plonk ourselves down at the best table in the hose, Shane’s lovely mum and dad join us for a chinwag about their youngest son.

How long have you run the restaurant?

Shane’s mum, Mae: About 32 years now.

Shane’s dad, Peter: We came here straight after the honeymoon!

Mae: we’ve raised seven children here. Four boys and three girls and all the children have worked in the restaurant, Shane included. They all went to school of course and then on to college but when they came home in the holidays they’d do their bit to help out.

How young was Shane when he first helped out here?

Peter: Shane’s worked here with us since he was about five up until just two years ago. When he was really young he’d run messages but when he was older he’d be here virtually every summer. He worked every night often until two in the morning. Even now that he’s in Westlife, if he comes home he’s standing here behind the chip counter the same as ever.

Is Shane a good worker?

Mae: Shane’s a good worker at times although when he was younger he’d often prefer to go out and play football. He’d come in for a short while and help us out when we were really busy.

Peter: He’d clear tables and take the money mostly. I think he’s a better waiter than he is a cook. He’s fabulous on the tables. Fabulous!

Mae: Oh, Shane’s a good cook! His best dish is spaghetti bolognaise but his favourite thing to eat is a big fry-up for his breakfast.

You have shelves full of trophies upstairs. Do they all belong to Shane?

Mae: Well, they’re mostly from the showjumping contests which the four boys won, including Shane. The boys were very much into the showjumping while Shane’s sister all did Irish dancing. They used to travel all over the country for competitions.

What else was Shane interested in as a child?

Mae: He was into football and rugby, he’d play all the different sports but he was into kick boxing in a big way and when he was eight he won a kick boxing contest.

Peter: We had plenty of Bruce Lee videos on the go!

Has Shane always shown a love for singing?

Peter: When he started to talk he was singing. He was always singing! Sometimes he was supposed to be studying but you’d hear him singing away!

Mae: When he was four he made himself a little mike. Here it is! (Holds up a six-inch-long, mike.shaped object covered in black sticky tape!) His first ever mike!

You’ve still got it?!

Mae: We’ve kept it all this time. I’m not sure why but there’s something special about it. He used to sing Billy Joel songs into it and later on when he was seven he graduated to singing Michael Jackson song and we bought him a proper mike.

Did you know he was going to be a star one day?

Mae: I always knew he’d do something, whether it was acting or singing, but I never dreamt it would all happen so quickly for him.

Peter: He always took part in a lot of shows when he was at school and we’d go along and watch him every time. We always sat near enough in the front row. That’s when Shane got to know Kian.

Mae: They did a production of Grease together in the secondary school. Shane played Danny, the lead part. John Travolta took that part in the film.

And Shane and Kian became life-long friends from then on...

Mae: Yes. They started to meet up after school and became great friends. I remember they used to sing Boyzone and Backstreet Boys songs together. It was funny, because they decided to sing two Backstreet Boys songs during the interim of the Grease production at school. It’s from there that they started off with the band.

Shane wants to say a huge thanks to his parents...

“My mum is the whole reason I’m doing this job. She’s supported me throughout my life and guided me like a mum should. My dad’s the same and we sometimes have private man to man chats. I’d like to say thank you to my parents for bringing me up the right way. They’re the best.”

Back to Articles, page 1

Back to Articles