Keith Duffy feels haunted by Gately's death

Keith Duffy feels haunted by Gately's death
Keith Duffy feels haunted by Gately's death (Image credit: PA Wire/Press Association Images)

Keith Duffy has revealed he is haunted by the death of his Boyzone bandmate Stephen Gately. The singer and Coronation Street star told Closer magazine he still has panic attacks over the death of Stephen, aged 33, last October. Keith said: "I was distraught - I felt anger, disbelief, I cried a lot and had terrible nightmares. I have waves of emotion that can hit me at any time. "In the first few weeks they were terrifying. I couldn't breathe, I'd go light-headed and it was incredibly frightening. They still come, but I can handle them better now. Keith revealed his Catholic faith has been a huge comfort to him saying: "I believe Stephen's in a better place now, he's looking over us and he's happy." The 35-year-old singer and actor is now able to look back at happy memories he and the band have of Stephen. "Stephen brought out our nurturing sides - we'd think nothing of hugging and kissing each other," he said. "And he got us into pampering! We were into our flash cars, but Stephen would just spend thousands on beauty products! "On tour I'd get a bit worse for wear and Stephen would say 'come on Duster' - his nickname for me - 'I'll give you a facial'. Then I'd lie there and he'd make me feel like a million dollars! He got us into expensive face creams - we were the gayest straight band in the world and we loved him for it."

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.