During a press conference today, it became public that Bryan McFadden leaves the boyband Westlife after 5 years to make more time free for his wife and two children. The other four band members want to focuss more on their individual careers, but meanwhile they reported that “it's not the end of Westlife”.

According to the McFaddens' publicist, Max Clifford, the singer told the other band members about his plans to leave last weekend. McFadden will not join the band on its world tour but he may team up with his wife for television projects. He is also considering solo work. Earlier rumours that Westlife would split up appeared not to be true.

Bryan McFadden is co-writer of the Irish entry for the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, If the world stops turning. According to the latest information his decision to quit with the band is not a directly related to his You're a star victory and Eurovision Song Contest participation as songwriter.