What would you most like people to know about you?
"Well, sometimes I come across as being very quiet and shy, but i'm not
really like that at all. It's just that I need to feel completely relaxed with
someone before i'll let them see my wilder side. I need them to be know i'm a
nice guy before I let go and be myself. I suppose that's a bit daft and
paranoid of me really."
How would your mum
and dad describe you?
"They'd probably say I'm a
lovely young guy who's always homesick! They'd also say that sometimes I annoy
them because I'm always singing aroud the house."
What's your earliest
childhood memory?
"I was three and on holiday in Wales with my family. They left me sleeping
in their room and went down to the hotel restuarant to eat. I remember waking
up in my cot, going into the bathroom, emptying the bin and then using it to
stand on so that I could reach the door handle. I left the room, wearing just
my nappy, and somehow found my parents in the restaurant. They could'nt beleive
it! I can clearly remember it because I panicked when I woke up and no one was
there."
Are you a good judge
of character?
"I think I'm very open-minded
and I never judge people straight away, although I would say that first
impressions do count. I like to give people the chance to get to know them,
before making my mind up about them. I've never been totally wrong about
someone, which is lucky."
Are you romantic?
"If I try to be romantic and
it doesn't work, I end up making a complete klutz of myself. So I just try to
be natural. But once I was going out with this girl when I was about 16. It was
her birthday and I didn't get to see her that day, so I arranged for two boxes
of chocs to be delivered to her school as a surprise. She was so chuffed!"
What do you look for
in a girlfriend?
"I like very feminine girls, but I also like them to have a bit of a
mischievous, tomboy side to them. I don't go for girls who always wear high
heels. I like girls that take care of themselves, but can also slob out and
just be themselves."
Is it weird that so
many girls fancy you 'cause your in the 'Life?
"It's a bit of a shock to the
system. I had my fair share of girlfriends when I was younger, but I was never
the town stud. I wasn't one of those lads who always ended up snogging someone
at school disco's. Now when I go out to a nightclub it's weird to be surrounded
by girls just because that never used to happen to me. But I'm good at knowing
who likes me for my personality and who likes me just 'casuse I'm in
Westlife."
How good-looking do
you think you are?
I don't think i'm ugly or anything
- I'm just grateful for what I have. I'mm also so lucky to be 100 per cent
healthy and think it's really selfish for people who have 100 per cent use of
their body to complain about how they look. I'm not just saying this so that I
come across as a nice guy, but I don't see myself as a very good-looking
personal at all."
Who was the last
person you hugged?
"It was a lovely girl I met
the other night in Sugar Reef (hip London eaterie). We just found ourselves in
a hugging situation. She isn't my girlfriend, but it was kind of a date -
nothing serious."
What makes you smile?
"Getting to No 1 made me smile and you can't beat a good joke. My friends
always make me laugh without fail."
When did you last
bawl your eyes out?
"I wasn't far from tears a
month ago when we were on Surprise, Surprise. These girls wanted to surprise
their mum and sang the Spice Girls song "Mama" to her. I just welled
up! I really, really love my mum and my dad, so i'm a big softie about things
like that."
When did you learn
about the birds and the bees?
I think I just picked bits up from TV, bits from people talking about sex at
school, things like that. I remember being at a friends birthday party and I
found this book in their house and it was all about sex education and it gave
me such a fright! I read the first page and it freaked me out! My parents did
actually give me "the talk" about sex, but I kind of already knew
where babies came from by then."
Describe your
bedroom...
"It's pretty big with two wardrobes and I just went out and treated myself
to the biggest, fattest, softest most unbelievable double bed you'll ever see.
I'm so proud of it, it's just brilliant! When I lie on it, it feels like i'm
floating in the sky. It's a complete dream bed."
Whats your most
treasured posession?
"Well, my bed's definately in
the Top 10, but i'd have to say probably my mobile phone because without that
I'd be lost."
What do you worry
about the most?
"I'm a big worrier, I think I got it from my mum. The thing that would
make me happy in life would be if my family and friends had their happiness and
health. What worries me most is if anything should happen to any of them. It
would break my heart!"
When did you last
totally lose your temper?
"It was probably with one of the band. We spend so much time together,
that sometimes I just snap and freak out. Of course, 10 minutes laster
everything's fine and I'll apologise. I usually keep all my anger inside, but
when I get frustrated, I just flip."
How tough are you?
"I don't see myself as a tough guy at all. I can stand up for myself, but
i'm not "Mr Tough Guy" or anything like that. I hold my own in most
situations though."
Is your success ever
a burden?
"I come from a really small
town, so i'm used to very simple things, and sometimes I'd just like to be able
to sit down on a park bench and eat an ice-cream or listen to my walkman. Thank
God for all the success we've had, but it's kind of hard to do normal things
like that now. I like my privacy and would hate to think that everyone knows
everything about me. For instance, if I went out with my mates and we had a bit
of a wild night, I could end up in the papers the next day, so I always have to
be on guard. I can never let go 100 per cent, which is tough. Also and you're
gonna laugh at this, I hate having to shave every single morning. I do the wet
shave thing and find it really painful. But thats not really a burden of being
in the public eye!"
Have you ever been
mistaken for another celebrity?
"Not really. I don't think i've got a very noticeable face. Sometimes
people don't even recognise me as me!"
What do you most
admire and dislike about Nicky?
"I think he's a very
independant person who always speaks his mind. The thing I like least about him
is that if we ever have an argument, he'll never admit to being wrong. I
genuinely think he's a lovely, lovely guy though - even if he can be a bit
stubborn."
This interview has been..."Over too Quickly!"
L&K
Magazine