FINANCIAL MATTERS

McFadden Regrets Diva Demands By WENN 30/3/08
Former Westlife star Brian McFadden regrets acting like a diva at the start of his solo career - realising his behaviour was "arrogant". The Irish singer left the boyband in 2004 to pursue a solo career, and was delighted when his first single Real To Me topped charts around the world. But McFadden admits he allowed success to "go to (his) head" and take advantage of the things he missed out on while he was in the band. He says, "I was very arrogant. I had to have first-class flights for me and my team that I didn't need, but I wanted to take advantage for the things they'd done in the past. I even had a hairdresser on a retainer of GBP100,000 a year. It was ridiculous."

 

BRYAN
"Money is there to be enjoyed, so that's what I do with it. I've spent more than I care to remember - the bad thing is I don't have anything to show for it."

On a visit to posh Dublin store Brown Thomas, the `life went on a mega spending spree. Shane spent more than £20,000 on Gucci goods for his girlie, Gillian; Bryan brought more than £5000 of baby clothes for Molly, and Kian blew £20,000-plus on togs-plus £10,000 on shoes! And Mark wouldn't even say how much he spent!    3/5/02

  ARTICLES
  • Showbiz Ireland 27th March 2007 'Brian Payed More Than Westlife'
  • MTV Asia 12th July 2000  'Westlife Go On Shopping Sprees'
  • Dotmusic   September 2000   'Bryan Has The Worst Life'

Watch Out For Westlife!! 2000
'Seems the Westlife posse have certainly got time on their hands (or rather, their wrists) at the mo. Why? Cos they all splashed out on swank designer wrist watches while they were in the States. Popboys hears the fellas are now proudly sporting glitzy, Rolex watches, except for Bryan, that is. He decided not to get one while they were on the road in the US, as he always loses them - even a fancy one that his last girlf bought for him! Mind you, he couldn't resist treating himself to a trendy new time-piece when the band officially opened the Harrods sale last week - and he even got the boss of Harrods to give him a whopping-great £2,000 discount!


QUOTES
I spend every penny I make and, if I end up with nothing when Westlife finish, then so be it. But Mark likes to save his money. All the band are pretty tight with their money compare to me but Mark is probably the worst.

What does he worry about?
Shane: "Probably about spending all his money - he doesn't think about how much he's got until it's too late."

How much money did you last spend when you last went shopping? - L+K magazine - January 2000
BRYAN: I think it was £100 for four pairs of Calvin Klein boxer shorts. Phew, that's a bit of a rip off really, isn't it?

Do you have a pension?
Bryan: Let's face it, we're not really gonna need pensions, are we? I think we've made enough money to cover our pensions already.
Kian: I have life insurance though and I'm investing in property. My sister and I are buying an apartment in Spain. It's really cheap out there and the market's gonna boom in the next five year. I'm also buying a place in Ireland that I'll rent out to pay the mortgage.
Bryan: I'm buying a new apartment in London. It's a big modern loft apartment with one huge, open-planned room.

What have the rest of you splashed out on?
Shane: I bought a beautiful BMW. When I first got it, the lads pilled in with me and we rolled the windows down and went cruising.
Bryan: Shane's having a love affair with that car! The other day, he phoned home and made his dad start the engine, so he could hear it purr!
Nicky: I bought a car, but I sold it again. I'm never at home to use it.
Bryan: I got a motorised skateboard, and crashed it the next day! What a waste!

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