Ronan Keating's two-word verdict on being a grandad at 47 after quitting show to be with his wife
It’s been a year of highs and lows for Ronan Keating, who has been juggling a solo career and a radio presenting gig with a busy family life – not to mention the constant whispers of a reunion with his Boyzone bandmates. During our catch-up with the Dublin-born singer at the recent Spring Ball in London, Ronan admits to OK! that he is feeling the toll.
Particularly as he’s fresh off a flight from Japan, where he was enjoying a golfing trip. “I’m delighted to be here, but I am feeling a little underwater since I’ve just landed from Tokyo!,” Ronan says, as he jokes that a glass of red wine would do the trick to “wake him up”.
Despite his tiredness, Ronan certainly had us fooled when he later took to the stage to put on a sensational performance as the event’s main entertainment. Belting out hits such as When You Say Nothing At All and If Tomorrow Never Comes, it was clear to see why Ronan is still gracing stages after 30 years in the spotlight.
But will we see him back with Boyzone bandmates Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch soon? It appears to be a hard “no” from Ronan on that front, but the band do have something coming up, he admits.
“There are no plans to perform with the band, but we do have something on the cards that is very exciting. I can’t say too much, though, it’s exciting,” he teases.
Ronan rose to fame back in 1994 with Boyzone, before the group split six years later. They made a comeback in 2007 but were hit by tragedy when band member Stephen Gately tragically passed away just two years after that in 2009. In 2018, Ronan, Keith, Mikey and Shane reunited for the first time as a quartet to mark 25 years since the beginning of Boyzone.
Suggesting that the band may be putting together a biopic, Ronan adds that he’s on the hunt for old video clips, sharing, “We’re compiling some old content from old performances and have asked fans to send us their old footage.”
Ronan is set to perform solo across the UK and Germany this summer, and announced last week that he will be stepping down from hosting Magic FM’s Breakfast show alongside Harriet Scott at the end of July. He has co-presented with Harriet for seven years, and said live on air that he wanted to get back to “doing school runs and those things that I’ve missed out on”.
Ronan, who is married to presenter Storm Keating, added, “Waking up with my wife in the morning, you know? I know it sounds ridiculous but it’s really important and I’ve missed that.”
The doting dad-of-five shares children Jack, 25, Missy, 23, and Ali, 18, with his first wife Yvonne Connolly, and has kids Cooper, seven, and Coco, four, with Storm, whom he married in 2015.
The singer also became a grandfather for the first time as his eldest son, former Love Island star Jack, welcomed a baby girl named Maya last February. As we probe how grand-fatherhood is treating him at the tender age of 47, proud Ronan shares, “It’s all wonderful, it’s lovely. Maya is a beautiful baby girl and Jack is doing great. Jack’s a great dad, and he’s doing really well.”
While the Keating clan have welcomed new life recently, it’s also been a very tough time for the family, with Ronan losing his brother, Ciaran, last July. Ciaran died at the age of 57 following a car crash in County Mayo, Republic Of Ireland, while travelling to watch his son, Ruairí, play football.
As it nears a year since the tragedy, Ronan reveals softly that the family are “doing alright” while dealing with their grief, something which he previously admitted was the “hardest time” of his life.
Ciaran was the eldest of Ronan’s siblings. The singer also has two older brothers, Gary and Gerard, and an older sister, Linda. The family lost their mother, Marie, to breast cancer back in 1998 and have since set up The Marie Keating Foundation, a charity that provides cancer support.
Alongside his own family’s charity, Ronan has worked with numerous good causes over the years, and has been an avid and very active fundraiser. With The Spring Ball raising money for stroke awareness and charities The Melissa Bell Foundation and Style For Stroke Foundation, it is no surprise that the performer was keen to help out.
Sharing that he always likes to return the favour, Ronan says, “I’m delighted to be here, when I was asked to come along and perform I was happy to help. I’m always leaning on people for my charity events and asking for favours.”
The Spring Ball was put together by X Factor winner and West End star Alexandra Burke and PR expert Nick Ede, both of whom Ronan tells us he has close ties with. “I think it’s really, really important to help our friends. And Alexandra and Nick are very good friends of mine, so it’s nice to see what they have done here and raise money for a good cause.”
