Brian McFadden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brian McFadden
McFadden in 2012
Born	Brian Nicholas McFadden (1980-04-12) 12 April 1980 (age 45) Dublin, Ireland
Other names	Bryan McFadden
Occupation	Singer television presenter songwriter
Years active	1998–present
Spouse(s)	Kerry Katona ​ ​ (m. 2002; div. 2004)​ Vogue Williams ​ ​ (m. 2012; div. 2017)​ Danielle Parkinson ​ (m. 2025)​
Children	3
Relatives	Susan McFadden (sister)
Musical career
Genres	Pop soft rock
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Sony BMG BMF Universal

Brian Nicholas McFadden (born 12 April 1980) is an Irish pop singer and television presenter. He became famous in 1998 as a member of the Irish boy band Westlife. After leaving the group in 2004, McFadden released his first solo album, Irish Son. He has since released four more studio albums. Brian has also released two albums with Keith Duffy from Boyzone. They perform together as a duo called Boyzlife.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Brian McFadden was born in Dublin, Ireland. He grew up in a Catholic family. From a young age, he loved singing, dancing, and playing football. Brian and his sister Susan McFadden went to the Billie Barry Stage School in Dublin. This led him to act in stage shows and on TV. He even had a role in an Irish TV show called Finbar's Class.

In early 1998, Brian formed a pop group called Cartel with his friends. They performed live in pubs in Dublin. Later, Brian was asked to audition for a new band. This band would soon become Westlife.

Music Career Highlights

Joining Westlife (1998–2004)

In June 1998, Brian auditioned for the Irish boy band Westlife. He joined the group along with Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, and Shane Filan. After joining, he changed the spelling of his first name to Bryan. This was to make it easier to sign autographs for fans.

With Brian as a member, Westlife worked with music producer Simon Cowell. They released their first single, Swear It Again. This song was their only single to chart in the US. Westlife also released four No. 1 studio albums in Ireland. They had a No. 1 greatest hits album too. They released many popular singles, including "Uptown Girl." This song was a top 10 hit in many countries.

In March 2004, Brian decided to leave Westlife. He wanted to spend more time with his family. He also wanted to work on his own music. After leaving, he changed the spelling of his name back to Brian. Before starting his solo career, he helped write the song "If My World Stopped Turning." This song was sung by Ireland's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004.

Solo Career and First Album (2004–2006)

Brian McFadden started his solo music career after leaving Westlife.

After leaving Westlife, Brian McFadden signed with a big record label, Sony BMG. In September 2004, he released his first solo song, "Real to Me." This song became a No. 1 hit in Britain, Ireland, Denmark, and Norway. His second song, "Irish Son," also did very well.

In November 2004, Brian released his first solo album, Irish Son. It was a top 10 album in Ireland. Brian helped write most of the songs on the album. He worked with Guy Chambers, who is known for working with Robbie Williams.

His third single, "Almost Here," was a duet with Australian singer Delta Goodrem. It became Brian's second No. 1 song in Ireland. It was also his first No. 1 in Australia. The fourth song, "Demons," was also popular. Brian continued to write songs for other artists. He wrote for groups like Il Divo and Girls Aloud. He also co-wrote the theme song for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

New Music and Albums (2007–2010)

Brian McFadden later started his own record label called BMF Records. In 2007, he released a new song called "Like Only a Woman Can" in Ireland. This song became his third No. 1 hit as a solo artist in Ireland.

In early 2008, Brian signed with Universal Music Australia. He released "Like Only a Woman Can" there, and it was a top 15 hit. After this, he released his second studio album, Set in Stone. This album reached No. 5 in Australia. Other songs from the album included "Twisted."

In April 2010, Brian released "Just Say So," which featured American rapper Kevin Rudolf. This song was a No. 1 hit in Australia for three weeks. It stayed in the top 10 for seven weeks. After this success, Brian released his third solo album, Wall of Soundz, in Australia. The album reached No. 27 on the charts. Brian also recorded a duet with Ronan Keating. They covered the Bee Gees' song "To Love Somebody."

Later Solo Work (2011–2015)

In 2011, Brian released a new single. He also appeared on Australian radio shows to promote his music. He was a judge on Australia's Got Talent, which helped him stay in the public eye.

In January 2012, Brian released the song "Wrap My Arms" in Australia. This song was used in a TV show promotion.

In September 2012, Brian announced his fourth studio album, The Irish Connection. This album featured covers of his favorite Irish songs. It also included duets with Ronan Keating and Sinéad O'Connor.

Boyzlife (2016–Present)

Boyzlife is a music duo made up of Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden. Keith was a member of the band Boyzone, and Brian was in Westlife. Their name, Boyzlife, comes from their past bands.

In 2020, they released their first album together, Strings Attached. In February 2020, Keith Duffy invited John Junior, a mental health activist, to join them on stage during their tour. John shared his story about mental health with their fans. Keith supports John's efforts to raise awareness for mental health.

On 19 January 2022, Boyzlife announced their second album, Old School.

Television and Radio Career

Brian McFadden has also had a successful career as a television presenter and radio host.

In 2008, he became a co-host for the TV show Football Superstar in Australia. He returned for a second season in 2009. In August 2009, Brian was a guest judge on Australian Idol.

In 2010, Brian became one of the new judges on Australia's Got Talent. He was a judge for three years.

Brian also worked in radio. In late 2008, he co-hosted the Summer Breakfast Show on 2Day FM. In September 2009, he returned to co-host the breakfast show on 2dayFM for a short time.

In 2013, Brian and his wife at the time, Vogue Williams, came in second place on the ITV dancing show Stepping Out.

In 2014, Brian co-hosted the Channel 5 dating game show Stand By Your Man. From 2014 to 2016, he hosted the ITV series Who's Doing the Dishes?. This show had over 90 episodes. Brian also took part in other TV shows like Get Your Act Together and Catchphrase.

In 2016, Brian participated in The Jump on Channel 4. This show involved celebrities learning winter sports.

In 2019, Brian took part in Dancing on Ice. He competed with professional skater Alex Murphy. He finished in fourth place in the competition.

Filmography

Television

• Australia's Got Talent (2010–2012) – Judge
• Football Superstar (2008) – Presenter
• Summer Breakfast Show (2008) – Co-presenter
• Australian Idol (2009) – Guest judge
• Stepping Out (2013) – Contestant
• Stand By Your Man (2014) – Co-presenter
• Who's Doing the Dishes? (2014–2016) – Presenter
• Get Your Act Together (2015) – Contestant
• The Jump (2016) – Contestant
• Dancing on Ice (2019) – Contestant

Guest appearances

• The Chase: Celebrity Special (27 September 2014) – Contestant
• Catchphrase: Celebrity Couples Special (5 December 2015) – Contestant
• The Chase: Text Santa Special (18 December 2015) – Contestant

Personal Life

Brian McFadden married Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona in 2002. They had two daughters together. They later divorced in 2006.

In 2004, Brian started dating Australian singer Delta Goodrem. They even sang a duet together called "Almost Here." They were engaged but ended their relationship in 2011.

He married Irish model Vogue Williams in 2012. They separated in 2015 and divorced in 2017.

In December 2019, Brian announced he was engaged to physical education teacher Danielle Parkinson. They had been dating for three years. In November 2020, they shared that they were expecting their first child. Their daughter was born on 16 May 2021. Brian and Danielle Parkinson were married on 5 July 2025 in a small ceremony.

Discography

Solo Albums

• Irish Son (2004)
• Set in Stone (2008)
• Wall of Soundz (2010)
• The Irish Connection (2013)
• Otis (2019)

Boyzlife Albums

• Strings Attached (2020)
• Old School (2022)

Awards and Nominations

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards celebrate composers and songwriters in Australia.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are annual awards in Australia that recognize great achievements in music.

See also

In Spanish: Brian McFadden para niños