Westlife are on the brink of a comeback, according to songwriter Albert Hammond.
Westlife
The 72-year-old Gibraltarian musician has penned tracks for some of the biggest names in pop including Whitney Houston, Tina Turner and Diana Ross' 'When you Tell Me That You Love Me,' which the soul legend rerecorded as a duet with Westlife in 2005.
Hammond has now leaked that the band's manager Louis Walsh has approached him to write songs for the band because he's going to "bring back Westlife".
Speaking to the Daily Star newspaper, he revealed: "I was with Louis just now in Ireland, and he asked me for some songs because he says, I'm going to bring back Westlife so can you write some songs for me.'"
The band - comprised of Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and Shane Filan and previously Brian McFadden - disbanded in 2012 having achieved a total of 26 UK top 10 singles over their 14-year career, and Louis is obviously keen to tap into some of that past success.
Nicky has spoken recently about the prospect of the 'Safe' hitmakers reforming, and confirmed that it was a possibility with their forthcoming 20th anniversary in 2018 being the catalyst.
The 37-year-old singer said: "I don't think it would take much to get us back together. In a couple of years' time it will be the 20th anniversary and you could probably use that and maybe people will be interested.
"It's about wanting to do it at the right time."
That right time could be sooner than the crooner thinks, as a chance meeting between Louis and Albert at a Lionel Richie gig, where Westlifer Shane was the support act, seems to have got the ball rolling.
Albert explained: "I haven't seen Louis for years. Suddenly, he walks into my dressing room, 'Albert it's Louis.' "
Tagged in Kian Egan Mark Feehily Nicky Byrne