Westlife's Shane: I was a Jacko nut

Westlife's Shane Filan reckons his obsession with Michael Jackson as a child was the reason he got into pop music.

Shane, 30, is the lead singer for one of the world's most successful boy bands and he puts his glittering career down to a childhood of singing along to Jackson's Bad album.

He said: "I was a freak Michael Jackson fan when I was younger - I had his hat and I got my mum to stitch things on to a white glove I bought, I was like a proper Michael Jackson nut."

He added: "Michael was probably one of the main reasons I was in Westlife. I used to try to copy him and try to sing like him and maybe he made me a good singer."

The Irish pop star was at the premiere for the new Jackson documentary film This Is It and he reckons the tour could have been the King of Pop's best ever.

He said: "He could really nail the vocals at 50 years old. He was literally note perfect and he's just an incredible dancer and if something wasn't done right he would just question somebody and say make sure you get it right next time.

"I would say it would have been one of the best shows I've ever seen in my life and it's a pity we're not going to get to see it."

Credits: virgin media