BRIAN McFadden has claimed he was ‘horrendously’ fat shamed by Westlife boss Louis Walsh and forced to skip family funerals for the band.
Singer Brian, 44, who rose to fame when Louis, 72, formed the group in 1998, speaks out about in a new documentary revealing the dark side of 90s boybands.
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In the upcoming BBC series, Boybands Forever, Brian recalls: “I hated Louis. Louis would walk into a room and go, ‘Hey everyone,’ and then he’d look at me and go, ‘Brian…’”
He imitates Louis blowing his cheeks out: “Basically saying that I’m fat.”
Despite the tough treatment, Brian acknowledges Louis’ success in managing them, adding, “He was just horrendous. But very few things that he touched didn’t turn to gold.”
Westlife, which includes Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne, went on to become one of Ireland’s most successful boybands, selling over 55 million records.
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However, the pressures of fame took a toll.
Brian left the band in 2004, struggling to balance his role in Westlife with raising his children with then-wife Kerry Katona.
In the documentary, Brian describes how management prioritized the band above all else.
He says: “It was made very clear to us by the powers that be that our personal lives 100 percent came second to Westlife.
“We had times where we had relatives die, and we couldn’t go to the funeral because there was a gig or an interview that day.”
Other members also voice frustrations with the former X Factor judge’s management style.
Nicky recalls Louis’ criticism, saying, “The first thing he’d say when I walked in the room was, ‘Your teeth are fecking terrible.’
“I remember saying, ‘Your teeth are fecking horrible, too,’ and he replied, ‘I know, but I’m not on TV.’ I went and got a brace.”
Kian adds, “We lived in fear of Louis. He was like, ‘You’re done. I’m going to kick you out of the band.’”
Shane shares similar sentiments, recalling how Louis would comment on their appearances, saying, “‘Shane, you don’t look great. Your hair’s terrible. You look fat. Watch yourself; there are only three Bee Gees.’
“We were definitely scared of him.”
“He was very powerful – only a tenth as powerful as he is now – but the best manager in the world for us.”
Louis’ representative has been contacted for comment.
Directed by Louis Theroux, Boybands Forever delves into the experiences of stars from groups like Take That, Blue, and Westlife.
The series will explore fame, personal struggles, and the challenges of being managed in the high-stakes world of pop.
Louis described the project as “a gripping fable about getting everything you dreamed of and it not being what you imagined,” showcasing boyband members reflecting on their experiences.
It comes after The Sun told how the broadcaster has already begun work on a follow-up, which will focus on some of the UK’s most successful girl groups.
A TV insider said: “Louis pitched the concept to the BBC and they loved it — so now he’s going after some of our biggest female stars.
“The Nineties and Noughties were huge for girl power, thanks to groups such as Spice Girls, Atomic Kitten, Girls Aloud and All Saints.
Incredible stories
“Like Take That and Blue, the female singers had very similar pressures and in some cases had a harder time than the men.
“Louis’ team has started reaching out to former members and current singers in those female groups to see who would be willing to speak out about their experiences.
“Women like Mel B, Kerry Katona and Shaznay Lewis all have incredible stories and a lot of tales to tell.
“The music industry can be an incredibly brutal and tough environment and a lot has changed since these women became famous.
“Hearing their perspectives compared with the members of the male groups will be fascinating.”
Across three episodes of Boybands Forever, Louis has covered the rise and fall of several of Britain’s male pop groups.
Simon Cowell and Louis both feature with the documentary covering the arrival of telly talent show such as Pop Idol and X Factor in the early Noughties and their impact of boybands.
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