You most likely noticed something strange about Westlife’s slot if you watched the Royal Variety Performance over Christmas. Instead of four, there were only three. The harmonies of *World of Our Own*, which they have performed a thousand times in arenas from Manila to Madrid, still hit. Mark Feehily was absent for fans who grew up with that voice playing the high notes on *Flying Without Wings*. His absence is beginning to feel less like a pause and more like a reality.
He hasn’t been there for almost two years. There isn’t a dramatic diagnosis or a tabloid headline at the beginning of Mark’s illness story. Strangely enough, it all began in August 2020 with a standard surgery that thousands of people undergo without a second thought every week.
He returned to A&E in excruciating pain a few days later. He had developed severe sepsis, a bloodstream infection that kills about one in five patients, by the time medical professionals realized what was going on. He spent months in the intensive care unit after being hurried there.
| Key Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Markus Michael Patrick Feehily |
| Date of Birth | 28 May 1980 |
| Age | 45 |
| Birthplace | Sligo, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Profession | Singer, songwriter |
| Known For | Lead vocalist of Westlife |
| Band Formed | 1998 |
| Notable Songs | “Flying Without Wings”, “World of Our Own”, “Swear It Again” |
| Health Issues (since 2020) | Severe sepsis, pneumonia, incisional hernia, four major surgeries |
| Current Status | Stepped back from touring; appearing on RTÉ Radio 1 |
| Reference | BBC News profile on Westlife |
It was the height of the pandemic. No guests, no fiancé, and no glimpse of his daughter, who is ten months old. Only the slow grind of trying to survive and monitors. It’s difficult to ignore the effects of such seclusion, particularly for someone who has spent their entire adult life in front of large crowds. The timing is almost cruel in some way. A comeback tour was recently announced by Westlife.
Sales of the new album were good. And the man whose voice served as the foundation for the majority of those ballads was lying alone in an Irish hospital bed with tubes all over the place. Attempting to recall the physical appearance of his own child.
He managed to survive of course; otherwise, we wouldn’t be reading about him. For a brief while, it appeared that the worst was behind him when he returned to performing with the *Wild Dreams Tour* in late 2021. He was diagnosed with pneumonia after collapsing prior to a performance and returning to A&E. He was sent home right away by the doctors. The dates for December were canceled and another surgery was performed in May 2022. He was absent from more of the tour.
When he returned in 2023, he performed wherever he could before his body broke down once more, which is what happens to bodies when you push them beyond their breaking point. At the location of his previous surgeries, a sizable incisional hernia formed. His fourth major surgery in about three and a half years came next.
He or rather, his body had had enough by February 2024. He posted on Instagram and completely stopped touring just weeks before Westlife were scheduled to perform in Indonesia, China, and Vietnam. In contrast to these celebrity announcements, the post was unvarnished.
He discussed the trauma experienced in the intensive care unit. He mentioned not spending time with his family. You can tell that he truly didn’t have a timeline for his return, which is why he didn’t provide one. The band’s response to it is both intriguing and somewhat depressing. Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne, and Shane Filan have always exercised caution. Shane didn’t sugarcoat the announcement of the 25th anniversary tour during their press conference.
He stated that they adore Mark and are eager for him to return when he is ready. He also made sure to mention that Mark’s voice can be heard on the new music, which includes a single called *Chariot* that Ed Sheeran co-wrote. That has a subtle loyalty that doesn’t always endure in pop groups when one member falls behind.
The majority of boybands would have moved on. Westlife is adamant about not doing so. Mark has been making subtle reappearances healthier than he had in years when he was photographed in June 2024 at an event with former Miss World Rosanna Davison. He recently revealed a three-part series on RTÉ Radio 1 that will take listeners through the music that influenced him. His fans received a remarkably candid message from him. He acknowledged that it was difficult to watch the World Tour launch from the sidelines.
He expressed gratitude to strangers for their generosity. He also made it clear why he is doing radio instead of joining the band: discussing songs in a chair is one thing, but performing in eighty stadiums is quite another. Reading all of this gives me the impression that Mark is developing a new version of his career in real time.
Not quite back, not retired, but somewhere in the middle. At 45, he is old enough to understand that persevering the way he did in 2023 almost cost him everything. The medical reality is that four major surgeries alter a person’s body. It’s really unclear if he will ever sing in a stadium again. He hasn’t stated anything the band has not responded. Presumably, not even his physicians can tell.
One thing that is certain, though, is that Westlife at 25 is not exactly the same band as they were at 20. His voice can still be heard in the harmonies of the new songs. He still owns the empty space on stage. Additionally, it appears from the comments left beneath each of his posts that his followers are prepared to wait as long as necessary.
i) https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/875632/mark-feehily-westlife-breaks-silence-health-battle/
ii) https://www.thesun.ie/tvandshowbiz/15978135/mark-feehily-health-battle-westlife-announce-tour-dates/
iii) https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/westlifes-mark-feehilyhealth-misses-25th-36137973
iv) https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/celebs/westlifes-mark-feehily-gives-rare-33145826