andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Stephen Gately of the Irish boy band Boyzone died suddenly Saturday while on vacation in Spain with his partner Andrew Cowles, reports CBC. He was 33.

“At present we don’t have too many details,” said a statement on the band’s web site.

Gately’s band mates – Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch – said they were completely devastated by the loss of their friend and brother, Stephen. “We have shared such wonderful times together over the years and were all looking forward to sharing many more. Stephen was a beautiful person in both body and spirit. He lit up our lives and those of the many friends he had all over the world.”

Boyzone originally formed in 1993 and reunited in 2008. Gately also had a solo career and appeared in a number of stage musicals including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

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Former BOYZONE star RONAN KEATING has dismissed reports the Irish pop group are on the verge of reforming, after speculation of a TAKE THAT-style reunion tour surfaced last month.

It was reported Keating had agreed to join up with former band members STEPHEN GATELY, KEITH DUFFY, MIKEY GRAHAM and SHANE LYNCH in a bid to match the success of recently reformed boy band Take That.

Keating insists the reports are false because he is currently focusing on his solo career, but he could be persuaded to do a short tour with his former band in the future.

He says, “All that speculation in the papers that we’ve done a deal for millions is absolute rubbish.

“I’m making a new record and I can’t let anything get in the way of that, but if we got the right deal over a short period and if it fits in between now and my next album coming out, I’d love to do it.

“I’d love to do it for the other (Boyzone) guys as well because I know that I’ve been the one holding it up.”

(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.

Irish boy band BOYZONE are set to reform after meeting with Universal record executives last week.

The LOVE ME FOR A NO REASON hitmakers split in 1999, while the group’s manager LOUIS WALSH blasted frontman RONAN KEATING as having everything but “no talent.”

However, Keating has reportedly agreed to join up with former band members STEPHEN GATELY, KEITH DUFFY, MIKEY GRAHAM and SHANE LYNCH in a bid to match the success of fellow reformed boy band TAKE THAT.

A new album, a greatest hits CD and European tour are planned.

(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.