Shane Filan has said becoming bankrupt was the most “horrendous time” of his life.
The Sligo singer was declared bankrupt in 2012, just as Westlife finished their Farewell tour.
“In reality I was worse than destitute – heading for skid row,” Shane said.
“For the previous five years I’d been leading a double life. I’d started a property company with my brother Finbarr when Ireland was booming.
Despair: Shane went through a tough time | VIPIRELAND.COM
“But we’d got in way over our heads just as the global economy was crashing,” he explained.
Shane remembers counting change in his house, trying to add up enough to give money to the bank.
“We owed €29million and that day the banks had demanded all the money back. So there I was counting out the loose change that I jokingly called the ‘rainy day’ pot.”
“Well, it was raining very hard in Sligo that night, I can tell you.”
Just days after saying goodbye to thousands of fans in Croke park, Shane was declared bankrupt officially.
Tough: Shane said it was the worst time in his life | VIPIRELAND.COM
“I just broke down and sobbed when I heard,” he told the Irish Mirror.
“My world was crumbling around me. My three small children – Nicole, Patrick and Shane Jnr – were upstairs in bed thinking everything was grand because Daddy was a pop star.”
“It was the most horrendous time of my life,” he admitted.
But Shane has thanked his wife Gillian for saving him from complete despair.
“I was wallowing in despair and could have gone under if not for Gillian. She saved my sanity and she saved us.”
Saved: Shane thanked his wife Gillian | VIPIRELAND.COM
“Every day she’d say ‘You’ve still got me, we’ve got the kids. We’ll be fine. You can still sing
and you’ll have a career. It will be enough’.”
Meanwhile Shane is set to unveil his autobiography this week. The singer will officially launch My Side of Life, which follows his journey into Westlife as well as his financial struggles.
“I wanted to be completely honest. But I find it very hard to see in black and white and I was choking up,” he revealed.
“But I needed to say my piece then move on… tell the fans what really happened.”
