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27th May, 2002

KERRY KATONA says things between her and WESTLIFE hubby BRYAN McFADDEN are better than ever – as my snap of them snogging at a charity footie match shows.

And the couple, whose relationship hit the rocks when a lapdancer revealed she bedded Bryan at his stag do, may have a second baby together.

The lovebirds looked the picture of wedded bliss as they kissed at the Music Industry Soccer Six bash at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge ground yesterday.

Kerry told me: “We’re great together and we’re even talking about having another baby. Bryan is my best friend and we tell each other everything. We do everything together.” Hmmm, that’s not what exotic dancer AMY BARKER said.

//Source - TheSun//

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27th May, 2002

Westlife were crowned King of the Football Boy Bands on Sunday when they overcame Ant and Dec's team 3-2 in the final of the Soccer 6 charity match held at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground in front of 15,000 screaming fans. The victory made up for the disappointment of losing out on the No 1 spot to rapper Eminem.

worldpop was present at the annual family day out at The Bridge which raised money for Help A London Child. Once again there was a celeb bill to keep everyone happy - boy bands were in abundance with Westlife, Blue and 5ive all being represented. For the cooler dance dudes, teams assembled by Goldie and Brandon Block were in attendance, whilst the mum's in the crowd were thrilled to see wrinkly Rod Stewart parading his fine pair of legs.

The women's tournament featuring Lisa Rogers, Helen Chamberlain and Kerry Katona proved to be one of the top attractions on the day for the dads in the crowd. 'Big Brother' Brian showed that he was all man by agreeing to play in goal for Kerry Katona's Six Chicks side.

Sunshine and showers throughout the day failed to dampen the enthusiasm both on and off the pitch with Michael 'Bepe' Greco, Hear'Say's Johnny Shentall, Dane Bowers, Ralph Little, Angela Griffin and Tara Palmer Tompkinson all keeping the fans entertained.

The loudest cheer of the morning was reserved for the arrival of Westlife although only Bryan McFadden was brave enough to put on his baggy shorts. Nicky Byrne was suffering from the famous footballer's groin injury and he gave his boy band colleagues plenty of encouragement from the touchline.

worldpop tipped the 'Geordie Mafia' team assembled by Ant and Dec right from the start. Nothing to do with Dec's def touch on the ball, simply that the singers of the official England World Cup song had ex-England fave Peter Beardsley running the show for them in midfield.

We weren't disappointed when the Geordie boys gave an 8-0 opening match footballing lesson to the self-styled Ibiza Six team who had perhaps experienced a little too much of the spirit of Ibiza the night before. Four goals from Jonathan Wilkes proved that the big man upfront doesn't always rely on the help of his pop pal Robbie.

Elsewhere Bryan McFadden was given an early chance to match up against his rival Neutrino with the Westlife singer's  not so tricky ball skills testing out the So Solid star playing in goal for Goldie's team. The pair had previously exchanged a drunken war of words at the Brit awards three months ago when Neutrino offered the Westlife star up for a fight. Football was of course the winner on the day, with Neutrino having to pick the ball out of the back of his net seven times in a 7-1 drubbing from Westlife.

Damon Albarn seemed happy to be strutting his stuff at his beloved Stamford Bridge representing the Blur team, although given his current XL short size, he wouldn't have looked out of place lining up for the Fat Les side. Blur eventually fell 3-1 at the quarter-finals stage to Westlife.

The halftime break for lunch saw Harvey from So Solid and his girlfriend Alesha from Mis-teeq being crowned the 'Fastest Couple in Pop.' Both stars triumphed in their respective men and women's sprint competitions and the celeb couple proudly took a lap of honour together, signing autographs for fans along the way.

Perhaps the most shocking sight of the day was ex-Take That star Mark Owen with his 'Goldilocks' new haircut style - imagine David Seaman ...with plaits in his hair. Thankfully young Mark has ample football skill to distract from his bad hair day, helping out the Westlife boys all the way through to the final.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man with Bryan being the star of the final. No, not Mr McFadden, but another Bryan carrying perhaps a few too many pounds, former Man Utd captain Bryan Robson. worldpop's prediction of Ant and Dec and Beardo hoisting the trophy faded away with the Geordie boys losing out 3-2 in the final to Westlife with Captain Fantastic Robbo Robson dictating the game.

In the women's competition, Pure Six featuring the three Mis-teeq girls celebrated overcoming the Six In The City team 3-0. Despite some 'hands-on' management from Rod Stewart, the team built around the athletic abilities of his girlfriend Penny Lancaster were not able to go the full distance.

//Source - WorldPop//

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23rd May, 2002

Mid-week charts suggest that Westlife's 12th single, Bop Bop Baby, may be beaten to the Number 1 spot in the UK Charts this Sunday by Eminem's new single, Without Me. If Westlife were to make it to the top of the charts, Bop Bop Baby would be their 11th UK number one single.

News also out this week states that Westlife will team up with Vinnie Jones (who plays the bad guy in the Bop Bop Baby video) for a Christmas single at the end of the year. The single in question is said to be a cover of Dance To The Music which was originally recorded by 1970s soul outfit Sly and The Family Stone. The song will be the first single from an album of duets where Vinnie sings with Denise Van Outen and Billie Piper among others.

The duet with Westlife is reported to have come about after Vinnie's appearance in the Bop Bop Baby video. His manager stated: "They got talking about it during the video. Westlife are up for it and Vinnie can't wait. Let's just say he's got a very unique voice." A source close to Westlife said: "The lads had a right laugh with Vinnie and reckon they're on for another Christmas No1."

//Source - Dotmusic//

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23rd May, 2002

WESTLIFE are planning to have another go at cracking America.

Last time there they played in tiny venues. Now they have been promised appearances on the biggest TV shows in the US.

They will also film a new £1million video for a re-release of World Of Our Own.

The group’s KIAN EGAN tells me: “We owe it to ourselves to have one more go. Last time we went it was horrible but now we have been booked on shows like DAVID LETTERMAN and JAY LENO.”

//Source - TheSun//

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20th May, 2002

HERE is the picture that shows BRYAN McFADDEN and his wife KERRY KATONA have put their troubles behind them.

It is the first time the couple have been seen together since revelations about Bryan bedding a lap dancer on his stag night.

The WESTLIFE singer made sure he did a close marking job on Kerry when he took part in a charity football match yesterday.

Kerry said: “It’s great watching the football. Bryan is a pretty good player.”

The charity six-a-side tournament at Liverpool’s Anfield featured oldie footballers and young stars of TV and pop.

ANT & DEC, JONATHAN WILKES, MIS-TEEQ, MARK OWEN, LIBERTY X, KENNY DALGLISH and IAN RUSH took part.

//Source - TheSun//

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16th May

Westlife will be attempting to score their eleventh No 1 single with the release of their new track, Bop Bop Baby on 20 May and you can watch the video right here on worldpop.

To watch the video click HERE

The video is an elaborate, swashbuckling affair which sees the boys re-enact scenes from the Three Musketeers together with ex-footballer turned Hollywood star Vinnie Jones and Leah Wood, daughter of Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood.

The band are currently on tour in the UK. They play Manchester tonight before moving on to Birmingham and Earl's Court, London.

Meanwhile the band look set for another collaboration with Vinnie Jones later in the year. The band are set to duet with Vinnie on a cover of the Sly and the Family Stone song, Dance To The Music, for release at Christmas. The song is part of a bizarre duets project that Jones is working on, which will include duets with such celebs as Denise Van Outen and Billie Piper.

//Source - Worldpop.com//

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5th May, 2002

Westlife star Bryan McFadden has aplogised after his stag night romp with a lapdancer. Speaking to the News of the World McFadden said: 'I'm really sorry for what happened. I was such an idiot. Kerry and I sat down together and talked about everything. She went mad and I don't blame her but we've promised to put it behind us and get on with our lives.'

'I'm so lucky having Kerry and our daughter Molly,' continued McFadden. 'Kerry has been very undersanding and I'm so lucky to have a wife like that. I'll never put anyone through this hurt ever again. We will get through this and carry on being a happy family.'

Earlier this week, Kerry dashed back to the UK from the set of her new TV show to demand the truth from Bryan after reports surfaced that he'd bedded lap dancer Amy Barker on his stag night. The dancer told how she'd been offered £15,000 by the Westlife star to keep it zipped about their sexual shenanigans.

//Source - Worldpop.com//

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3rd May, 2002

Ex-Atomic Kitten star Kerry Katona has let the world know just how much husband Bryan McFadden from Westlife has hurt her with his cheating - and why she's chosen to forgive him.

Earlier this week, Kerry dashed back to the UK from the set of her new TV show to demand the truth from Bryan after reports surfaced that he'd bedded lap dancer Amy Barker on his stag night. The dancer told how she'd been offered £15,000 by the Westlife star to keep it zipped about their sexual shenanigans.

'This is just about the worst experience I've been through,' said Kerry. 'Bryan knows he's done wrong but we're going to try to put it all behind us.'

The couple, who tied the knot only four months ago, have a baby daughter called Molly. Its thought they've decided to try and patch up their marriage for her sake, as Kerry explained today's Daily Mirror.

'We're not the first couple to have problems and we won't be the last. But this situation is more than just Bryan and me. There's a baby involved who we love very much.'
 
Kerry also hit out at lap dancer Amy Barker's decision to sell her kiss and tell story to the tabloids.

'That woman is just a cheap horrible gold-digger,' ranted Kerry. 'I hope she can sleep at night because she's caused a lot of pain in our lives.

The ex-Kitten has now returned to the set of her new TV dating show in Las Vegas. The star has won praise from ITV bosses for her professionalism and proudly describes herself as 'the new Cilla.'

Bryan is currently touring the UK with Westlife. Their new single Bop Bop Baby is released on 13 May.

//Source - Worldpop.com//

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3rd May, 2002

Westlife have announced that they will be speaking at Oxford University's famed Debating Society next month.

A report on their official site www.westlife.com states 'the fivesome will be quizzed by university members on what it's like being in the greatest pop group ever.'

Bryan, Kian, Mark, Shane and Nicky are said to be looking forward to speaking about what it's really like in Westlife before having their brains picked by the nation's student elite.

It is the first time a boy band have been bestowed such an honour. Previous music stars who have addressed the Union include Michael Jackson, Phil Collins and Jon Bon Jovi.

//Source - Worldpop.com//

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29th March 2002

FEAR not, damsels in distress - the five musketeers of pop have arrived to save the day. Westlife swap their usual blackpolo-necked sweaters for frilly cuffed shirts and black leather trousers in their swashbuckling latest video.

The video for their next single, Bop Bop Baby, sees Nicky Byrne, Bryan McFadden, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan and Shane Filan as 17th century-style swordsmen. In the story they battle the villain, played by Vinnie Jones, to save the girl, Leah Wood. The video sees them leaping into action, fighting the bad guys and even taking to horseback.

Mark, 21, who grew a goatee for the video, said: "It's a real swashbuckling adventure. We all wanted to be heroes but we didn't want just one guy to get the girl in the end so we all go after her. We love the dressing up but to be honest we just wanted to get swords to play with."

Shane, 22, sported Dick Whittington-style boots as he strode about the set and Bryan and Kian, both 21, looked like they could give famous movie swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks Jr a run for his money in their impressive outfits.

Tough nut Vinnie, defying anyone to poke fun at his wig with ringlets, joked on set: "I'm having a laugh but as usual I get to play the baddie - what a surprise."

Leah, 23, daughter of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, turned out to be the true heroine of the piece. She stepped in to save the day after Naomi Campbell pulled out of the role of the damsel in distress at the last minute.

The boys are hoping the single, out on May 20, will give them their 11th No1 hit.

Much of the lavish video, which cost £500,000 to make, was filmed in the chapel on the campus of the US International University in Bushey, Herts. The gothic building at the former college - which is now used mainly for TV filming - had just the olde worlde look the boys wanted for the video.

//source - thesun.co.uk//

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21st March 2002

After a couple of weeks of winning awards and having fun at the ceremonies (see latest pics of Westlife from the Meteor Ireland music awards here), you may think Westlife would be having a well-deserved break - but they're not! With less than a month to the first date in Sheffield, the guys are currently back in rehearsals in preparation for their forthcoming tour. Shane says the last thing they want to do is disappoint their fans:

"The show is really starting to come together. We're going to be performing all the favourite Westlife songs and throw in a few unexpected tracks too. As long Bryan manages to get hold of the dance steps, everything will be fine!"

//Source - Westlife.com//

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25th February 2002

Westlife are top of the charts again with an amazing 10th UK No 1 single this week with World Of Our Own. The band have beaten Kylie in the much publicised chart battle, with Enrique Iglesias has dropping to No 2 with the Irish lads outselling the Latin star by 2:1.Westlife are now in exalted chart company and are third in the table for a group with most No 1 hits. The Beatles top the table with 17, in second place comes Cliff Richard & The Shadows with 12, Westlife are third with 10, Abba are fourth with nine while the Rolling Stones are fifth with eight. Westlife also hold the chart record for most consecutive No 1 hits from their debut with seven.

//Source- Worldpop.com//