| Gillian Gives Her First Married Interview |
20 April 2004: Westlife wife Gillian Filan, wife of singer Shane has given her first interview. Her wedding to the Westlife star hit the headlines on Christmas last but the couple denied all offers of interviews with magazines.
But now Gillian Filan tells how she first met her now husband, how life has been since they got married and how she is looking forward to having children. Here we exclusively reveal extracts from her interview to be carried in the new issue of VIP magazine.
How did you meet your husband?
Gillian: Shane and I met when we were about 10. We started going out when we were 12, for about six weeks. Then about seven years ago, we were both performing in the musical Grease and we started going out shortly after. I remember Bryan kept telling us about Kerry when they first met. He said, you have to see her, she’s gorgeous!
What were your first impression of your husband, in three words? Gillian: Really cute, caring, and considerate.
Gillian, you knew Shane before Westlife. Were you surprised when your then boyfriend formed a boyband? Gillian: It was kind of blurry in the start. I never remember thinking this is really big. It’s hard to see it from the inside.
How did you deal with Westlife being away for long periods? Gillian: The longest was about five weeks when they toured Asia. I was doing exams, so I couldn’t go.
As a boyband, Westlife have attracted a lot of young female fans. Have any of them been jealous or nasty to you? Gillian: Most of the fans are really good. I still have yet to come across a bad fan.
If you read a story in the press that you know isn’t true, how do you deal with it? Gillian: Once they tell you it’s not true and that they love you, that’s the bottom line. There’s no reason to get upset, because they will tell you the truth and that’s the most important thing.
You are very young and have done so much in your 20s - will your 30s be an anti-climax? Gillian: The way I look on it is, I want to travel in my 20s and then in my 30s, I want to settle down and have a family. After I finished my business management degree, I spent a year travelling with Shane. Then I was planning my wedding. After that I got down to working full-time. I have a Morgan shop in Sligo and one in Galway. I love clothes and I travel with Shane’s sister Mairead, who runs it, to do all the buys. So now is really about focusing on all that.
So what’s your favourite Westlife song?
Gillian: If I Let You Go - and also Written In The Stars.
What about other interests?
Gillian: I like shopping, more shopping, partying and dancing! I do like exercise too, but I don’t do it that often!
Gillian, you got married in the last year, what was the moment you remember most about your wedding day? Gillian: For me it was just after we got married and the priest said, “I now pronounce you man and wife” and we kissed. Then Shane started to cry and that got me crying! Then everyone started crying.
What’s the best aspect of marriage?
Gillian: I think it brings you an awful lot closer. I definitely feel a lot closer to Shane than I have in the last few years. I didn’t think I’d feel like this, but we’ve been inseparable since we got married. We weren’t really like that before; we could do our own things and that would be fine. It’s great.
Would you like to start a family immediately or wait a while? Gillian: I’d like to put it off for a few years. I’m 24, so I’m definitely not ready.
These extracts are taken from an interview Westlife wives, Gillian, Georgina Byrne and Queen of the Jungle Kerry McFadden have given to VIP magazine. The full interview can be read in the May edition of the magazine.
| Source: Sligo Weekender
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