LOUIS WALSH - WALSH LOST 'BEST FRIEND' IN GATELY

WALSH LOST 'BEST FRIEND' IN GATELY

Music mogul LOUIS WALSH is shocked after losing his "very best friend" STEPHEN GATELY - because the BOYZONE star was looking healthier than ever just days before his death.
Walsh, who guided the singer to fame as Boyzone's manager, pulled out of his judging duties on Simon Cowell's U.K. TV talent show the X Factor at the weekend (10-11Oct09) to comfort Gately's grieving partner Andrew Cowles in Majorca, Spain where the pop star was found dead on Saturday.
And the 57 year old still can't accept that Gately's gone - because he was having fun with him less than a week before at the Pride of Britain Awards in London.
Walsh says, "Stephen was never happier than when I met him last Monday. I never saw him in better health or better form. We had a laugh as usual, things were going so well - I still can't believe he's gone.
"We're all in shock. Nobody can believe it - Boyzone, me, nobody. I have lost my best friend. He didn't change (after finding fame). They all changed a bit but not Stephen. He would do anything for his fans.
"He's the only person who I've ever managed who has absolutely said thank you. He thanked me all the time. He was the only one who thanked me properly. He was just amazing fun, honest, relaxing, so good-natured."
Walsh has confirmed there will be a private family wake for Gately on Friday (16Oct09) and a funeral in Dublin, Ireland the following morning (17Oct09), which Sir Elton John has asked to attend: "Elton John called me. He was on the phone for ages. He loved Stephen. He gave him so much time - the most important thing. He wants to come to the funeral."
Post-mortem results released on Tuesday (13Oct09) showed the star died from pulmonary oedema - a build-up of fluid in the lungs - after a night's drinking in Palma, Majorca.