Nicky to become a daddy
EXCLUSIVE Nicky Byrne Talks To Daily Mirror ON BECOMING A DAD: 'I know the
time is right .. I've seen the joy it brought Shane and I know my Georgina will
make a great mum, ON BRIAN'S RETURN: 'I don't think he would ask to get back
into Westlife, if he did we wouldn't take him back anyway,
By Paul Martin
WESTLIFE star Nicky Byrne has revealed his joy as he prepares to become a pop
papa.
The singer's wife Georgina - daughter of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern - announced at
the weekend she is expecting a baby in the summer.
Thrilled Nicky said: "I know the time is right for this and it's something that
Georgina and I had been talking about for some time.
"It's a whole different level of responsibility bringing a child into the world.
"But I've seen what joy it brought Brian McFadden when he was in the group and
more recently Shane Filan with his daughter Nicole. I want to experience that
too and I know Georgina will make a great mum."
Nicky met the Daily Mirror in a plush suite in Dublin's Four Seasons hotel.
Despite having staged a day of interviews and promotions the 28-year-old is
energetic and bright, wearing a pair of designer jeans and a smart jumper.
He's been working frantically since dawn but even at 6pm he still has plenty of
his charm in reserve, flashing his trademark boy band smile as he leaps up and
offers to make tea.
The singer's soon reflecting on Westlife's amazing resurrection since Brian's
dramatic exit from the group three years ago.
He explains: "I don't think that Brian would ever ask to come back to the band.
But the honest answer would be that we wouldn't have him back in the group
anyway.
"We all get on great with Brian but we couldn't go back to having five in the
group because it was such an upheaval when he left.
"We had to re-build and start from scratch and we're a different group now.
We've moved on and Brian knows that as much as we do.
"If you are asking me if we would let him re-join the group then the answer is
no."
He concedes: "At the time I suppose we did all feel a bit hurt and abandoned by
the whole Brian thing because we were emotional about what was happening.
"We were taking a huge step into the unknown when Brian left. I think we all
felt a bit vulnerable and scared. That was probably the toughest thing we ever
went through as a band but it brought us closer together.
"I think a lot of people wrote us off and thought we would be finished - like
when Robbie Williams left Take That."
Far from folding, the stars bounced back within six months with a No1 album and
sell-out world tour.
Yet Nicky knows how unpredictable the **xxx****xxx****xxx****xxx**le world of
showbiz can be. He cautiously accepts: "We have to be strong now because another
member leaving the group would be the end. We know that, yet we also know it
won't happen.
YES of course sometimes we'll have a really heated discussion, debate or even
row about what song to release or where we want to tour.
"These things are important to us and we all have different ideas on what is
right.
"But we argue it out and then reach a decision. It's a democracy and it works
well for us."
He adds with a grin: "And none of us have ever hit each other - that's not bad
for a group of lads who have been on the road together for eight years."
Meanwhile, all bets are on when it comes to what Nicky and Georgina, 27, will
name their baby.
Boylesports were offering odds yesterday on what Bertie's first grandchild will
be called.
Nicky is the favourite choice for a boy at 16/1 followed closely by Bertie,
after his famous grandfather at 20/1.
If it's a girl, Cecelia at 25/1, the name of Georgina's younger sister, is joint
favourite with Mary, the first name of the Republic's Minister for Health.
As a tribute to the Taoiseach's other colleagues, Justice Minister Michael
McDowell and Finance Minister Brian Cowen, Michael is at 25/1 and Brian is 33/1.
If it's a bouncing little girl, Georgina may wish to give a special nod to her
mother by calling the new arrival Miriam.
Nicky may look to some of his own songs for inspiration when naming his first
born.
The band had a hit with Mandy and Boylesports are offering odds of 66/1 that it
comes out tops for the new parents.
At 150/1, Gertie is the rank outsider for Westlife's new arrival followed by
odds of 40/1 that it will be twins and 300/1 that Georgina will have triplets.