Westlife has officially stated that Mark Feehily remains an integral member of the group despite withdrawing from their 25th-anniversary tour. The band recently announced that Mark would be absent from the forthcoming performances at the Royal Albert Hall to commemorate their milestone occasion.
Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne, and Kian Egan will exclusively take the stage for the shows and their upcoming global tour following Mark’s health challenges over the past few years. Mark, aged 45, battled sepsis in 2020 and was later diagnosed with pneumonia in the subsequent year.
During an appearance on The One Show, the trio hinted at Westlife’s upcoming performances. The topic of Mark’s absence from the tour was raised by host JB Gill.
“Mark is not present today, and he won’t be part of the tour either. Is he still a key member of the band?” inquired JB Gill. Shane responded, “Absolutely, Mark remains an integral part of the band. Unfortunately, he won’t join us for the tour, but we hold Mark in high regard.”
“We eagerly anticipate his return. While this tour will feature the three of us, we are genuinely excited about it,” Shane added.
Kian chimed in, “Mark has contributed to the new music as well. The vocals are exceptional, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience it.”
Earlier this month, Westlife announced that Mark would be absent from the anniversary shows. In a statement, they expressed, “Regrettably, Mark will not be part of the celebrations. We look forward to his return to the stage when he is ready. He sends his love and positivity to all of you, as always.”
“The four of us are astonished that it’s been 25 years. We are grateful for the enduring love and support you have continually shown us worldwide. We are privileged to have all of you with us and are excited to celebrate together! Happy 25th Anniversary to Us All! Love, Kian, Mark, Nicky & Shane x.”
Previously, Mark opened up about his health issues when he announced a temporary departure from the band before their inaugural American tour. In a post on Instagram, he shared, “Hello and sending love to all of you! It’s Mark here.”
“Most of you are aware that I have faced health challenges recently.”
“It all began 3.5 years ago in August 2020 with a surgery. Shortly after the surgery, I experienced severe pain and was rushed to A&E.”
“That day ended in the ICU, where I was informed that due to a complication from the surgery, I had developed severe sepsis, a life-threatening infection that required immediate emergency surgery to save my life.”
He also revealed being diagnosed with pneumonia a year later and later undergoing another surgery for an incisional hernia.