Boyzone have told how the turned to alcohol to “numb the pain” after the shock death of Stephen Gately.
The Dubliners were stunned and devastated when Steo died in 2009, aged just 33, from an undiagnosed heart condition in Majorca.
Contracts forced the band to continue with a planned tour, but booze crept up on all of them.
Hard to deal: Boyzone turned to booze after his death | VIPIRELAND.COM
Frontman Ronan Keating said it was “the worst tour we’ve ever done”, added: “Alcohol stayed with us for quite some time even after the tour. It became a habit.”
And Mikey Graham said: “When he died we were contractually obliged to go on tour.
“We were grieving hugely and unfortunately the therapy we turned to on that tour was alcohol, which was the totally wrong thing to do.”
Still hurts: Boyzone admit they aren’t over death yet
Devastated Keith Duffy added: “We were using alcohol to help numb the pain. I was drinking way too much, upsetting the people I love most and having awful nightmares, so I went for bereavement counselling.”
Speaking to OK!, Mikey added that the band still miss Stephen “hugely”.
He said: “You become used to the dynamics of four, but we see things that remind us of Stephen all the time and laugh together.”
