Westlife Pause 25th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Show For Emotional Mark Feehily Tribute Amid Health Absence

Westlife, celebrating their 25th anniversary, kicked off their milestone shows at London's Royal Albert Hall with an emotional tribute to bandmate Mark Feehily, who is absent due to ongoing health challenges. Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne, and Kian Egan, performing with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, dedicated their performance of "Flying Without Wings"—Mark's favorite and a career-defining song—to him, inviting Clean Bandit's Kirsten Joy to sing his iconic lines. Despite Mark's absence from the tour, his vocals feature on their new music, including the Ed Sheeran-penned track "Chariot," and on the upcoming album set for release in February. The band expressed their love and longing for Mark on stage, emphasizing his integral role and their hopes for his return to live performances when he is ready. Mark's health issues began with pneumonia in 2022 and have included severe sepsis and hernia surgery, leading to multiple withdrawals from tours in recent years. The anniversary celebrations also include plans for a 2025 world tour, with a residency scheduled at Dublin's 3Arena.