thanks to Jacqueline - pumbaa@enterprise.net - for this article!
What would you most like people to know about you? "Well, sometimes I come across as being very quiet and shy, but i'm not really like that at all. It's just that I need to feel completely relaxed with someone before i'll let them see my wilder side. I need them to be know i'm a nice guy before I let go and be myself. I suppose that's a bit daft and paranoid of me really."
How would your mum and dad describe you? "They'd probably say I'm a lovely young guy who's always homesick! They'd also say that sometimes I annoy them because I'm always singing aroud the house."
What's your earliest childhood memory? "I was three and on holiday in Wales with my family. They left me sleeping in their room and went down to the hotel restuarant to eat. I remember waking up in my cot, going into the bathroom, emptying the bin and then using it to stand on so that I could reach the door handle. I left the room, wearing just my nappy, and somehow found my parents in the restaurant. They could'nt beleive it! I can clearly remember it because I panicked when I woke up and no one was there."
Are you a good judge of character? "I think I'm very open-minded and I never judge people straight away, although I would say that first impressions do count. I like to give people the chance to get to know them, before making my mind up about them. I've never been totally wrong about someone, which is lucky."
Are you romantic? "If I try to be romantic and it doesn't work, I end up making a complete klutz of myself. So I just try to be natural. But once I was going out with this girl when I was about 16. It was her birthday and I didn't get to see her that day, so I arranged for two boxes of chocs to be delivered to her school as a surprise. She was so chuffed!"
What do you look for in a girlfriend? "I like very feminine girls, but I also like them to have a bit of a mischievous, tomboy side to them. I don't go for girls who always wear high heels. I like girls that take care of themselves, but can also slob out and just be themselves."
Is it weird that so many girls fancy you 'cause your in the 'Life? "It's a bit of a shock to the system. I had my fair share of girlfriends when I was younger, but I was never the town stud. I wasn't one of those lads who always ended up snogging someone at school disco's. Now when I go out to a nightclub it's weird to be surrounded by girls just because that never used to happen to me. But I'm good at knowing who likes me for my personality and who likes me just 'casuse I'm in Westlife."
How good-looking do you think you are? I don't think i'm ugly or anything - I'm just grateful for what I have. I'm also so lucky to be 100 per cent healthy and think it's really selfish for people who have 100 per cent use of their body to complain about how they look. I'm not just saying this so that I come across as a nice guy, but I don't see myself as a very good-looking personal at all."
Who was the last person you hugged? "It was a lovely girl I met the other night in Sugar Reef (hip London eaterie). We just found ourselves in a hugging situation. She isn't my girlfriend, but it was kind of a date - nothing serious."
What makes you smile? "Getting to No 1 made me smile and you can't beat a good joke. My friends always make me laugh without fail."
When did you last bawl your eyes out? "I wasn't far from tears a month ago when we were on Surprise, Surprise. These girls wanted to surprise their mum and sang the Spice Girls song "Mama" to her. I just welled up! I really, really love my mum and my dad, so i'm a big softie about things like that."
When did you learn about the birds and the bees? I think I just picked bits up from TV, bits from people talking about sex at school, things like that. I remember being at a friends birthday party and I found this book in their house and it was all about sex education and it gave me such a fright! I read the first page and it freaked me out! My parents did actually give me "the talk" about sex, but I kind of already knew where babies came from by then."
Describe your bedroom... "It's pretty big with two wardrobes and I just went out and treated myself to the biggest, fattest, softest most unbelievable double bed you'll ever see. I'm so proud of it, it's just brilliant! When I lie on it, it feels like i'm floating in the sky. It's a complete dream bed."
Whats your most treasured posession? "Well, my bed's definately in the Top 10, but i'd have to say probably my mobile phone because without that I'd be lost."
What do you worry about the most? "I'm a big worrier, I think I got it from my mum. The thing that would make me happy in life would be if my family and friends had their happiness and health. What worries me most is if anything should happen to any of them. It would break my heart!"
When did you last totally lose your temper? "It was probably with one of the band. We spend so much time together, that sometimes I just snap and freak out. Of course, 10 minutes laster everything's fine and I'll apologise. I usually keep all my anger inside, but when I get frustrated, I just flip."
How tough are you? "I don't see myself as a tough guy at all. I can stand up for myself, but i'm not "Mr Tough Guy" or anything like that. I hold my own in most situations though."
Is your success ever a burden? "I come from a really small town, so i'm used to very simple things, and sometimes I'd just like to be able to sit down on a park bench and eat an ice-cream or listen to my walkman. Thank God for all the success we've had, but it's kind of hard to do normal things like that now. I like my privacy and would hate to think that everyone knows everything about me. For instance, if I went out with my mates and we had a bit of a wild night, I could end up in the papers the next day, so I always have to be on guard. I can never let go 100 per cent, which is tough. Also and you're gonna laugh at this, I hate having to shave every single morning. I do the wet shave thing and find it really painful. But thats not really a burden of being in the public eye!"
Have you ever been mistaken for another celebrity? "Not really. I don't think i've got a very noticeable face. Sometimes people don't even recognise me as me!"
What do you most admire and dislike about Nicky? "I think he's a very independant person who always speaks his mind. The thing I like least about him is that if we ever have an argument, he'll never admit to being wrong. I genuinely think he's a lovely, lovely guy though - even if he can be a bit stubborn."