Westlife star Bryan McFadden confirmed today he is leaving the band to spend more time with his family.
McFadden:
The 24-year-old singer told a press conference in Dublin that the other members of the band were his four best friends and his departure was nothing to do with them.
"I just feel it's the right time to concentrate on my family and being at home as much as I can," he added.
Although the band said they were "devastated" by the news of McFadden's departure, they called it an amicable split and urged fans to support them now more than ever.
Bryan's wife, Kerry McFadden, and bandmate Nicky Byrne's wife Georgina, the Taoiseach's daughter, stood together as Bryan announced his departure.
McFadden has recently enjoyed success outside Westlife as co-writer of Ireland's Eurovision entry for 2004, If the World Stopped Turning. The song is to be sung by this year's You're A Star winner, Chris Doran, who won the contest on Sunday.
Since emerging into the pop world five years ago, the band have had a record-breaking 11 number one singles and sold 30 million records. A world tour is being planned by the group for later this year, and they are also scheduled to record an album.