Keith Duffy has claimed Ronan Keating rejected plans for a major Boyzone reunion tour, despite promoters reportedly offering the group a huge 40-date run.
Speaking ahead of Boyzone’s upcoming reunion shows at London’s Emirates Stadium on 5 and 6 June, Duffy said he was fully prepared to commit to an extended tour but insisted the final decision rested with all members of the band.
The concerts will mark Boyzone’s first live performances since their five-night residency at the London Palladium in 2019.
Keith Duffy says Ronan Keating rejected extended tour plans
In an interview with The Sun, Duffy explained that large-scale touring plans had been discussed behind the scenes.
“Our historical promoters and agents offered us big 40-date tours, which I was more than happy to step up and do, but it wasn’t me, I wasn’t in control, I wasn’t the decision maker.”
“Everybody has to agree to doing a tour like that, it takes a lot of time and effort and everybody needs to be dedicated to it and I was 100 per cent prepared to do a Boyzone tour.”
“I thought that’s what the right thing was to do but Ronan didn’t want to do it, Ronan wanted to just do a couple of stadium shows and leave it there.”
Duffy added that he understood Keating’s position given the singer’s workload and international commitments.
“So, listen, I understand he’s got his own career, we’re not together, he’s got an awful lot going on, he’s doing The Voice Australia, The Voice Germany, he’s living between Dubai and Australia, so it’s just not right for him at this time in his life.”
Boyzone reunion comes after years away from the stage
Boyzone originally formed in 1993 and became one of the UK and Ireland’s biggest pop acts of the 1990s, selling millions of records worldwide with hits including No Matter What, Picture Of You and Love Me For A Reason.
The group’s current line-up reunites Duffy, Keating, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch. The band lost founding member Stephen Gately in 2009 following his death at the age of 33.
Keith Duffy opens up about frustrations within Boyzone
Away from Boyzone, Duffy has continued performing with Boyzlife alongside former Westlife singer Brian McFadden.
He admitted the project has given him creative control he never felt he had during his years in Boyzone.
“I’m a co-manager of the brand and we decide what we do, where we go, how long we go for, what we record, we write together, we record together and I just have a great understanding of what we’re trying to achieve.”
“With Boyzone, I never had any control at all, I never had any control of us breaking up, staying together, taking a break, going into the studio, I wasn’t in control of anything in Boyzone and that really upset me and frustrated me at the end.”
Duffy also reflected on how vocal responsibilities within Boyzone were historically centred around Keating and Gately.
“Boyzone, historically, were always known as the voice of Ronan Keating and Stephen Gately.”
“I think maybe at the time possibly, you know, somebody else should have maybe kind of lifted the load a little bit with Ronan, but we’d never been encouraged, we’d never been backed, we’d never been pushed to the front, you know, if anything we were put down and insulted.”
Keith Duffy says he is ready to step forward on stage
Despite the tensions he described, Duffy said he is looking forward to returning to the stage with Boyzone and feels more confident now than ever before.
“So, now it’s time for me to step up, you know, stand centre stage to take some of the pressure off Ronan and get up and do what I’m now confident to do.”
