Brian McFadden says Louis Walsh came across ‘a bit bad’ in Boyzone documentary

By Hannah Roberts, PA Entertainment Reporter

Singer Brian McFadden has said music manager Louis Walsh came across “a bit bad” in the new Boyzone documentary.

Dublin-born McFadden, 45, rose to fame in boyband Westlife, which former X Factor judge Walsh managed, alongside pop group Boyzone.

McFadden, who left the group in 2004 and is now a part of supergroup Boyzlife – comprised of himself and Boyzone’s Keith Duffy – expressed his admiration for Walsh.

“I’ve got nothing but good things to say for Louis,” he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain (GMB).

“Louis gave me my career, it’s the same with Boyzone. Everything he did was to try and make both bands successful.

“And I think he was, he came across, unfortunately, in the documentary, I think it was edited that he came across a bit bad. But listen, I’ve nothing but love for Louis.”

Asked if he had spoken to him recently, he said: “Yeah, Louis’ always good. You’ll always make a laugh with him.”

Docuseries Boyzone: No Matter What, which charted the meteoric rise of the band and the challenges faced by its members, premiered on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW in February.

Duffy, Ronan Keating, Shane Lynch, Michael “Mikey” Graham and Stephen Gately rose to fame in the Irish boyband in the 1990s selling millions of albums and releasing hit singles including Words, A Different Beat and No Matter What.

In the 2000s Walsh helped to launch Westlife to fame, comprised of McFadden, Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan and Kian Egan.

Members from both bands have spoken about their relationship to Walsh, with Lynch saying their estranged manager subjected them to a gruelling touring schedule.

Keating told the PA news agency at the documentary’s premiere that “some of the things he did were wrong”.

“The choices he made weren’t right, and he’s apologised somewhat, but you know. It is what it is. It’s grand. It’s OK. You know, I’m still here,” he said.

Walsh gave his side of the story for the documentary and says in the trailer that the members “believed their own publicity” and “forgot I wrote it”.

McFadden appeared on GMB to discuss the new Boyzlife song, Save The Day, about “the everyday heroes all around us”.