9 hours Ago By Mike Taylor,Gemma Jones
Boyzone's former manager, Louis Walsh , played a pivotal role in their massive success in the 1990s, propelling the Irish pop band to sell millions of records worldwide. Nevertheless, in a newly released documentary, the band members have come forward to critique Walsh's management style. The documentary series, Boyzone: No Matter What , offers a deep dive into the band's most successful years, featuring never-before-seen archival footage and exclusive interviews with the band members, including Keith Duffy, the late Stephen Gately, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating , Shane Lynch, and their former manager, Louis Walsh.
At the height of their fame, Boyzone dominated the UK music scene, securing 21 top 40 singles and 22 hits on the Irish charts, with six of their songs reaching the top spot in the UK and nine achieving the same feat in Ireland. The three-part documentary, set to premiere on Sky Documentaries and NOW on February 2, delves into pivotal moments in the band's history, including the late Stephen Gately's highly publicized outing by the media, the band's eventual breakup, and their complex relationship with Louis Walsh. Louis Walsh formed Boyzone in 1993, aiming to rival the popularity of Take That and establish them as one of the world's leading music acts, reports the Mirror .
However, the documentary sheds light on Walsh's contentious management methods and their profound impact on the band members. Walsh's tenure as Boyzone's manager was marked by controversy, with Shane Lynch recalling that the former X Factor judge had "promised us the sun, moon, and stars." Louis Walsh divulged in the Sky documentary that he orchestrated media stories to maintain Boyzone's prominence and boost their record sales, even spinning a false narrative about a plane crash which in reality was just a minor technical glitch.
Walsh kept a working rapport with Rav Singh of The Sun, who would eventually disclose Stephen Gately's sexuality. Irish Mirror journalist Paul Martin spoke about the race between his publication and The Sun to scoop exclusive Boyzone news. Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating reflected on the 90s media frenzy with distress, saying: "He (Louis Walsh) believed any story was a good story.
He would makeup stories constantly about the band, about relationships with girlfriends that didn't exist." The press coverage left indelible marks on him as he added: "It scarred us. It was hugely scarring what the media did to us all.
" Nevertheless, Walsh showed no remorse for his actions in manipulating media narratives. The band members conceded that they faced some bitter times under Walsh's guidance. After parting ways with Boyzone amid their break, Walsh became the manager for Ronan Keating's successful solo venture.
Keating topped the charts with hits like Life Is A Rollercoaster and When You Say Nothing At All. Despite their collaborative successes, Walsh and Keating parted ways in 2009, leading to a later public confrontation where Walsh disparaged Keating in 2012, calling him "talentless and spoiled". Ronan Keating reminisced to Magic Radio about his tense relationship with their ex-manager but acknowledged the influence he had, stating: "He was very important to me as a mentor and I'm grateful for the opportunities he gave me, because I wouldn't be here without them.
" Yet, Ronan hinted at a lack of recognition, articulating, "But there's only so much you can give back and be so grateful, and for that not to be appreciated or respected." In a moment of drama on Celebrity Big Brother, as conversation turned to Ronan's success after Boyzone, the former manager interjected with an abrupt, "Then? Nothing." Detailing an encounter at the Four Seasons, Ronan impersonated the manager's attitude shift: "I met him in the Four Seasons.
He said 'maaaaan' - he had done all American by that point, I think he met George Michael or something. He said 'maaaan, I don't want to be a karaoke artist anymore. I said 'that was you f****n ar*e! '".
Reflecting on his investment, the manager exclaimed, "Do you realise how much time I put into them? ". Louis Walsh also lashed out at Ronan, calling him "such a pr***" and quipped derisively, "Everybody thinks he's a lovely guy, do you know what I mean? ," before claiming, "He hasn't had a hit record since I left. He sacked me.
" Keith Duffy opened up about how Louiss harsh words chipped away at his self-esteem, leaving him feeling diminished within the ensemble. Furthermore, Keith disclosed feeling oppressed by his old boss, experiencing feelings of being stifled when it came to revealing his own vocal talents within Boyzone..
