THE MIRROR - 1st June 2003

THE Westlife boys raked in nearly pounds 1million each last year, the pop stars' accounts have revealed. And their manager Louis Walsh banked EUR2million.

There was EUR1,100,543 at the end of last year in the accounts for pop company Bluenet, which gets its turnover from Westlife's touring, merchandising and royalties. This was more than a quarter of a million up on the previous year.

Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Bryan McFadden and Kian Egan, were paid EUR863,456 each as directors, compared to EUR370,250 in 2000. No doubt Shane and Nicky's fiancees Gillian Walsh and Georgina Ahern will be wearing huge rings to show off their recent engagements to the two stars.

But it doesn't end there as Westlife got another EUR88,882 each as directors of Blacknight, a subsidiary firm compared to EUR5,079 the year before. Sources believe next year's ledger will be bulging even more thanks to a British tour and a greatest hits CD which is rocketing up the album charts.

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