Boyzone singer Ronan Keating has confirmed that the band are considering performing a tribute to the late Stephen Gately on an upcoming X Factor show.
Responding to rumours that the four remaining Boyzone singers would appear on the show, the Irish singer said that they were considering it but it would have to be “done right”.
Boyzone singer Mikey Graham has told The People that he’s going to see through his commitment to star in Dancing On Ice, and has told his friends and the show’s bosses that, “I’ll do it for Stephen.”
Stephen Gately – who of course died in Majorca last month – had himself been a contestant on the show, and Mikey told the paper, “I want to do this for Steo and make him proud.
“I know he would have been there supporting me all the way.”
Mikey had already signed up to the show before Stephen died, and it seems the show’s bosses were concerned that following Stephen’s death, Mikey may pull out of the show. Read more & comment »
Westlife singer Mark Feehily has said that the late Stephen Gately was incredibly brave and admitted that his coming out. helped other gay men come to terms with their own sexuality.
Feehily told The Daily Mail: “He was extremely brave. He was the first member of a boyband to come out and in hindsight it helped me and probably lots of other gay lads understand their sexuality and come out.
“There is a cliché about gays and every time a celebrity who is admired by millions of people comes out it is one more blow to the negative cliché, and people understand there is not a whole lot of difference between gay people and themselves.”
Daily Mail journalist, Jan Moir has written a follow up article, this time apologising for her comments on the death of Stephen Gately last week.
Many of Moir’s comments on Gately’s death enraged fans. Lines that stood out were that his death “strikes another blow to the happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships”. She also insisted that his passing was “not, by any yardstick, a natural one”.
In her new article Moir said: “Obviously, a great deal of offence has been taken and I regret any affront caused. This was never my intention.
Eoghan Quigg - X Factor 2008
After the untimely and devastating death of Stephen Gately, it seems that fans are eager to get Boyzone back out on the road again. Radio station U105 today suggested, that many are already suggesting possible replacements.
Though I find the whole thing a little distasteful, front runners for the role on a few Boyzone fansites, are said to be former X Factor stars Eoghan Quigg and Shayne Ward.
Simon Cowell has admitted that he was shocked by the sudden death of Stephen Gately.
Gately was found dead in Majorca last week and was buried on Saturday.
Cowell told the Daily Star: “I was shocked about Stephen. He was a charming, polite young man not affected by fame.”
X Factor judge Louis Walsh has admitted that he won’t be on this week’s Saturday night show as he will be attending the funeral of Stephen Gately that day. Louis, 57, also revealed that although he was asked, he doesn’t intend to speak at the service.
Louis told The Sun:
“They asked me to get involved but I couldn’t stand up. I’d break down.
“The emotions and nerves would be worse than any X Factor show. I don’t like real life – that’s why I love the pop business, it’s not real. The funeral will hit me hard because it still hasn’t sunk in that he’s gone. I’m dazed.
X Factor judge Louis Walsh, has spoken to press for the first time about the death of Stephen Gately. Despite rumours that Stephen died after an eight hour booze bender, which led to him choking on his own vomit, Spanish officials insist that he died from wholly natural causes.
Talking about his last meeting with Stephen, which was just last week, Louis told The Sun:
“Stephen was never happier when I met him last Monday.
Stephen Gately was reportedly lined up to guest mentor the X Factor acts within the next few weeks.
The Sun reports that Gately was “really excited” about appearing on the show.
A source said: “Stephen was really excited about coming down to the live show. He had been asking Ronan about the groups. Stephen loved the show and wanted to come on as well.”
Stephen Gately’s death was a “tragic accident”, it has been claimed.
Gately died last night, whilst on holiday with his long term partner.
Irish solicitor Gerald Kean, a spokesman for Gately’s family, told BBC News: “There’s no foul play involved and it’s not suicide. It’s just a tragic accident is what we’ve been told and we’re happy that that is correct information.
As they made their way to Spain, where Stephen Gately died, the remaining members of Boyzone have paid tribute to their ‘brother.’
Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch said: “We are completely devastated by the loss of our friend and brother, Stephen.
“We have shared such wonderful times together over the years and were all looking forward to sharing many more.
The competition is opened each week with world famous Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean giving us a sensational routine followed by manoeuvres expected that night from the competitors.
Tonight the required element was the ‘assisted jump’ with both feet raised from the ground
The performances have become very daring and exciting with each couple introducing more courageous manoeuvres each week and the gap between professional and celebrity becoming less noticeable.
Kyran Bracken and Melanie Lambert with the thousand ruby stoned dress, stole the show and took first place. They kept us on the edge of our seats and holding our breaths as they flawlessly went through their very dangerous routine earning 26 out of 30 points. Read more & comment »
Dancing On Ice skater Kristina Lenko is terrified that her partner Stephen Gately won’t be able to manage his daring moves tonight according to The Sun.
A show insider said: “He is only 5ft 4in, the same height as her. This is their most difficult routine. She is understandably nervous.
“She does not feel safe dancing with him.�
Kristina admitted: “We will never do really big lifts, so we will focus on Stephen’s strengths.�
Gately, 30, said: “My dancing skills come into play now. What I lack in lifts we are trying to make up in routine.�
Kristina and Stephen’s routine tonight will include a complicated triple cartwheel and one-footed spin.
Stephen Gately has admitted in an exclusive interview with The Sun that he was so nervous last week before skating that he downed half a bottle of whiskey in a bid to calm himself.
He stated: “Before I went on I had half a bottle of whiskey and eight calming tablets.
“If anybody had had half a Valium I’d have had that too!
“I was so nervous. I’m used to crowds and that’s second nature, but that’s because I know how to sing. I don’t know how to skate.
“It kind of took me by surprise how frightened I was and I can’t say I actually enjoyed the performance, I looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights!
“But hopefully I won’t be as bad this week. I really enjoy rehearsals so I just need to conquer my fear of the audience.�
Maybe that explains how he ended up in the bottom three.
Stephen Patrick David Gately (born St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1976 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish pop singer who was in the boy band Boyzone until 2000, and subsequently pursued a solo career and acting roles.
After success with Boyzone, the band decided in 2000 to move on to solo projects. Stephen was the first with his debut solo single titled New Beginning and later a debut solo album of the same name.
The album New Beginning included 12 brand new tracks including a version of the classic Bright Eyes which he recorded for the soundtrack to the new TV version of Watership Down. He also became the voice of one of the characters (’Blackavar’) which was created to look like him.
On 29 May 2000, the single New Beginning was released and reached number #3 in the UK charts. Two weeks later the album was released and also entered the charts.
The second single taken from the album was I Believe. Released on 2 October 2001 this song also featured on the soundtrack to the film Billy Elliot and just missed the UK top ten peaking at #11. Gately inspired to record this track after he had seen the film. He attended the premieres of the film both at the Edinburgh Film Festival and at the Empire Theatre in Leicester Square, along with the actors from the film including Julie Walters and Jamie Bell. In April 2001, Stephen’s third single entitled Stay was released and reached #13 in the UK chart. In May 2001 it was announced he had parted company with his record company, Polydor.
Coming out as gay
On 16 June 1999 The Sun newspaper covered its front page with what it described as a “World Exclusive” and the headline, “Boyzone Stephen: I’m gay and I’m in love”. At the age of 23, Stephen Gately had given the story to the newspaper because he feared that a former member of Boyzone’s security was about to sell the story. The Sun had two further pages on the story as well as an editorial.
Stephen Gately also revealed that in 1998 he had started a relationship with the then 25 years-old Eloy de Jong, who had been in the Dutch boy band Caught in the Act. They had first met in 1995 at a show business event (see [1]).
On 19 March 2006 Stephen married his long term partner Andrew Cowles, in a civil ceremony in London.
Stage career
In December 2002 Gately took the lead role in Bill Kenwright’s new production of the Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which previewed in Oxford in December 2002 before moving to Liverpool over Christmas 2002 and finally to London’s West End and the New London Theatre in Drury Lane in February 2003. Stephen received praise for his portrayal of Joseph, and stayed in the role until September 2003.
In September 2004 Gately took on a different role: the evil Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, at the London Palladium until March 2005.
Stephen made his pantomime debut at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley in December 2005 starring as Dandini in Cinderella. He also showcased another of his talents by writing a song, A Brighter Day, especially for the show.
In April 2006 Gately took on the role of “The Scarecrow” in The Wizard of Oz at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury.
In January 2007, Gately will be heard in Horror of Glam Rock, a Doctor Who audio drama produced by Big Finish Productions for BBC7. For this audio play, Gately has recorded an original song, “Children of Tomorrow”, with music by Tim Sutton and lyrics by Barnaby Edwards; this is his first solo track since 2001’s “Stay”.
He also took part in Channel Five’s All Star Talent Show in October 2006, performing the slice and dice magic trick which he only had a week to learn, coming second to Toby Ansis, and on the reality TV theme will be taking part in the second series of ITV’s Dancing on Ice with his partner Kristina they have been practiacing since November and the show starts on 13th January 2007
“The bottom line is I want to be on the stage and singing – that is what my whole life is about. It is in my blood, I could never give it up.” – Gately
Philanthropy
Stephen has recently become a vice patron of the National Missing Persons Helpline and is supporting the Runaway Helpline.
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