WESTLIFE - WESTLIFE'S GET RICHIE QUICK PLAN

Irish pop band WESTLIFE wasted no time in asking LIONEL RICHIE to perform with them on their new duets album.

The boys got chatting to the talented soul singer, famous for hits such as HELLO and DANCING ON THE CEILING, at the IRISH METEOR AWARDS last week (begs01MAR04) where the MY LOVE fivesome picked up Best Irish Pop Act.

Their manager LOUIS WALSH says, "The guys saw him backstage and talked him into recording a track. They can't wait to get into the studio together"

Richie probably cannot wait either - the veteran singer is desperate to make more money after last week his wife DIANE claimed a massive $310,000 (GBP172,000)-a-month maintenance pay-offs ahead of their divorce.