Westlife singer Shane Filan forgot the words to his own song during a live television appearance on Friday night but managed to cover it up by simply making up new lyrics
16:52, 25 Oct 2025Updated 16:57, 25 Oct 2025
Westlife singer Shane Filan forgot the words to his own song during a live television appearance on Friday night(Image: Andres Poveda)
Westlife singer Shane Filan dramatically forgot the lyrics to a song on live TV. The pop star, 46, found fame as part of the Irish boyband in the late 1990s alongside Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne, Brian McFadden, who left permanently in 2004, and Mark Feehily, who is currently on hiatus whilst he deals with various health issues. The trio have now launched a comeback with their single Chariot.
The track will form part of their upcoming greatest hits album 25, which will include signature songs like You Raise Me Up and Uptown Girl, with the new addition acting as a bonus. Mark’s vocals do appear on the album, but with him missing from the lineup, Shane was left to fill in for him during their performance on The Late Late Show in Ireland, but he couldn’t quite remember the right lyrics.
Opting to simply make the words up instead, Shane seemed to have got away with it until host Patrick Kielty pointed it out at the end of the performance. He quipped: “You also surprised the two boys tonight with your new single!” In response, Shane said: “My new rendition.”
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The pop star, 46, found fame as part of the Irish boyband alongside Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne, Brian McFadden, who left permanently 2004, and Mark Feehily, who is currently on hiatus whilst he deals with various health issues, in the early late 1990s and now the trio are launching a comeback with their single Chariot(Image: Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)
The Bop Bop Baby singer then explained the blunder, jokingly blaming it on his absent bandmate. He said: “So it was the world premiere of Chariot, but the second verse I actually sang the wrong line. I actually made up a line tonight. I’m going to blame Mark on it cuz it’s Mark’s verse, but yeah.
“So I’m reading through it and I’m going, ‘What’s the line?’, and then it didn’t come to me at all. Sometimes you just got to improvise. And I knew it was coming, but it was fun.”
At the end of the show, Patrick honoured the boys with a Late Late Show award, thanking them for all they had done for their home country. He said: “We just wanted to say a big thank you you guys just for all the joy that you’ve brought everybody for 25 years here in this show, on stages around the globe. Wherever you guys go you have represented Ireland to the tenth degree. We genuinely couldn’t be prouder.
Westlife singer Shane Filan forgot the words to his own song during a live television appearance on Friday night(Image: Andres Poveda)
“Well for flying the flag at home and abroad on behalf of everybody here all your fans and everyone at the Late Late Show We would like you to accept this, we don’t get many of these out, his is our Late Late Show Legend award.”
Mark won’t be joining the band’s 25th anniversary celebrations. Mark announced his shock exit from the Irish group last year, amid some serious health battles, but many had been hopeful he would return to the stage soon. “It is with the utmost level of regret that I must now temporarily stand down from all Westlife touring until a time that I have had the chance to fully recover from the turbulent journey I have been through as an individual,” Mark emotionally revealed in February 2024.
Sadly, Mark will be unable to join the celebrations. We hope he can join us back on stage when he is ready and able. He sends his love and positivity to you all as always,” Westlife wrote in a statement shared with fans at the time.
Westlife announced in June that they would be performing as a trio to mark their 25th year in the music business as they said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of our 25th Anniversary celebrations… On the 9th February 2001 we kicked off our first ever world tour at the Newcastle Arena. Who would have thought we would still be here 25 years later?
“We have so many exciting plans to share with you very soon which will include new music, an album, special shows and many, many more surprises along the way. Sadly, Mark will be unable to join the celebrations. We hope he can join us back on stage when he is ready and able. He sends his love and positivity to you all as always.”
They added: “The four of us can’t quite believe its been 25 years. We could only have dreamt of the continued love and loyalty you have consistently shown us around the world. We are so lucky to have all of you with us and we can’t wait to celebrate together! Happy 25th To Us All! Love, Kian, Mark, Nicky & Shane x.”
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