Ronan Keating has revealed how he broke down in tears upon hearing a tribute song written by Robbie Williams for his late Boyzone bandmate Stephen Gately. The track, titled 'The Big Goodbye', appears on Keating's new album 'Twenty Twenty' as a duet with Williams.
Stephen Gately died in 2009 at the age of 33 from an undiagnosed heart condition known as atheromatosis, a thickening of the arteries that caused his lungs to fill with fluid. He passed away in his sleep while on holiday in Mallorca with his husband Andrew Cowles.
Speaking on 'Sunday Brunch', Keating recalled receiving an email from Williams on the 10th anniversary of Gately's death. 'I got home that night and there was an email from Rob saying, "I've seen you boys on the telly and I forgot that I wrote this song 10 years ago about Steo and I put it away."' Keating added: 'I'm standing in the kitchen with tears coming down my face listening to this song.'
Keating described the song as 'very special' and admitted he finds it difficult to listen to. Williams wrote the track shortly after Gately's death but had set it aside until he sent it to Keating last year. The duo then decided to record it together.
In other news, Keating and his wife Storm welcomed a daughter, Coco Knox Keating, in March. He revealed that the four-month-old sleeps for 13 hours a night, calling the family 'blessed'. However, due to coronavirus travel restrictions, Coco has yet to meet her paternal grandparents and other relatives in Ireland.
