Westlife: 'We're closer than ever'

Westlife have announced that they have established a stronger bond as a group following recent personal tragedies.

Band members Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne have both lost their fathers this year, while the group were also close friends with Boyzone's Stephen Gately, who passed away at the age of 33 in October.

Singer Shane Filan told Sky News: "As a band we've got closer in the last three or four months. We're closer than we've ever been.

"When something is taken away from you, or someone like Stephen that was looking forward to his next album, and you know he can't do that now, it kind of puts things into perspective a lot."

Meanwhile, Byrne commented: "It's been a crap year. I think we're all looking forward to the next year, to be honest.

"There are times when you look back at it and think, 'Should I be enjoying myself?'. That's part and parcel of it. Its certainly better than sitting at home and doing nothing but crying, because I've done all my crying, I just can't cry anymore."

Westlife released their new album Where We Are yesterday.