Life As I know It - November 2006

 

Nicky Byrne

 

Westlife singer, 28, is married to Georgina Ahern, daughter of the Irish PM. They live in Dublin and are expecting their first child next year.

 

If I could change anything about myself I’d… be taller. I’m 5ft 10insbut I’d love to be over 6ft.

 

The most romantic thing anyone’s ever done for me is… I’ve been with Georgina for 12 years now and she’s always been very romantic. She arranged a surprise party for my birthday one year when my granddad wasn’t well. She said we were going for a quiet drink, but when we got to the bar it was packed with my friend and family. Everyone made such a big fuss of me.

 

Not a lot of people know this but I’m very good at… well, where do I start? I’m a good listener and I’ll always try to sort out my friends’ problems. I’m also a pretty decent cook. Last Valentine’s Day I cooked Georgina smoked haddock with onion on a bed of lettuce. I got the recipe out of a book, and she said it was fantastic.

 

To wake myself up I… always try to get out of bed with a positive attitude.

 

Last thing at night I always… call Georgina if I’m away, or if I’m at home we’ll usually sit and talk and have a kiss and a cuddle.

 

When I have time to myself I… go home to see my nana and grandpa. I spend a lot of time at the graveyard, too, where my other granddad is buried.

 

When I’m feeling down I… put on a good DVD. If I’m on my own I like watching comedies like Friends. Chandler’s my favourite.

 

My best friend is… my beautiful wife Georgina.

 

My “happy place” is… home, when I know things are OK with the band.

 

The best thing my parents taught me is… “remember you’re no better than anyone else and nobody’s better than you.”

 

If I can I always try to avoid… spending too long in one place. When I’m out shopping for instance, I like to get in and out as fast as I can, otherwise I usually end up doing a signing session.

 

It’s not good for my image but I like… eating, I’m addicted to chips.

 

My greatest weakness is… tea. I’m a tea perfectionist, so I usually like to make my own.

 

If I could pass any law it would be… that the weekend started on Thursday and finished on Tuesday.

 

The song I can never get out of my head is… last year it was James Blunt’s You’re Beautiful, The Black Eyed Peas have done some great songs and at the moment I keep humming James Morrison’s You Give Me Something.

 

I drive… a Range Rover, an Audi A4, a Cadilac Escalade that’s proving impossible to sell, and a Ferrari. The Ferrari’s my baby – it doesn’t get out that much but when it does it’s an absolute pleasure.

 

If I could be anyone else I’d be… Frank Sinatra. He had a great saying: “You only live once and if you live like me you only need to live once.”

 

My favourite song is… Celine Dion’s Because You Love Me. Georgina and I had it at our wedding and it’s definitely one I’d play on a romantic evening, and of course, The Rose by Westlife is a great love song.

 

When I was a child I wanted to be… a footballer or a police officer, but mostly a singer.

 

My biggest regret is… that when Brian left the band we weren’t more supportive. We tried to help, but we didn’t fully realise the problem he was experiencing in his marriage. I just hate to think that he was keeping his worries to himself.

 

My proudest moment… was getting married to Georgina, in a French chateau with a huge moat. It was so romantic.

 

The shop I can’t walk past without buying something is… any good show or trainer shop. I love to see what new lines have come in.

 

I always laugh at… Georgina when she puts on funny accents.

 

The most expensive thing I’ve splashed out on is… our house.

 

I know I’m having a bad hair day when… I start to freak out about it. Sometimes I just want to shave it all off, but I resist the urge because I’ve done that, and it didn’t look hot.

 

I love the smell of… Georgina’s cocoa butter body cream. It smells so delicious I could eat it.

 

The best day of my life was… my wedding day.

 

My favourite restaurant… is Nobu in London.

 

My last meal would be… chips, or chicken, cabbage, and potatoes cooked by my mum or nana.

 

Westlife’s The Love Album is out now. The band will play 11 UK dates next March and April.

 

Credit/Source: Sunday Express Magazine / Thanx Jan for the scan