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Ronan Keating - Biography

The former Boyzone lead singer was born in Dublin, Ireland

Ronan Keating smiling for a photo backstage at The Olivier Awards 2023
Hannah Watkin
Content Writer
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Ronan Patrick John Keating was born 3 March 1977 in Dublin, Ireland. The future popstar is the youngest of five children born to lorry driver Gerry Keating and mobile hairdresser Marie.

Early success

Originally a talented athlete at school, Ronan's big break in music came when aged just 16, when he was talent spotted by Louis Walsh to become the fifth member of brand new band Boyzone. 'The boyz' found their zone early: their first release, a cover of the Four Seasons' Working My Way Back To You, peaked at number three on the Irish charts. Their follow-up, a re-make of the Johnny Bristol song Love Me For A Reason, topped out at number two. 

Fast-forward five years and the band's track record remained golden. Their first 14 singles broke the top three in the United Kingdom, propelling album sales in excess of 12 million. The band split, however, in 1999. They made a comeback in 2007, however after the death of Stephen Gately and the remaining members having got back together for a 25th anniversary celebration, they announced they'd be splitting for good in April 2018.

Solo career

Ronan tested the solo waters in 1999 (just before the split of Boyzone) with 'When You Say Nothing At All', the soundtrack of Notting Hill. And when the song hit number one in the UK, Ronan set about recording his self-titled debut album. The first single, 'Life Is A Rollercoaster', broke sales records and propelled the album to a number one debut in July 2000. His second offering, Destination, went double platinum and hit the number one spot too. 

Ronan has gone on to release over ten more albums, but has also branched out into other areas of the entertainment industry. The singer starred as the singing voice of Postman Pat in the 2014 movie, then later took more serious onscreen acting roles, including in Another Mother's Son (2017). 

The former Boyzone singer is now a frequent face on television, as he had hosted several TV shows and been the judge on others such as the Australian edition of The X Factor from 2010 to 2015. He became a main presenter of The One Show on the BBC in May 2021 after working as a guest anchor for the programme since 2017.

Personal life

At the age of 21, Ronan married Irish model Yvonne Connelly in April of 1998. A son, Jack, was born on March 15, 1999, and a daughter, named Marie in memory of the singer's late mother, who died of breast cancer, followed two years later. Their second daughter, Ali, was born in September 2005. 

In May 2010, Ronan announced that he and Yvonne were splitting after 12 years of marriage. "The separation is amicable and they will continue to work together in order to provide the best for their children," a spokesperson for the couple said at the time.

In 2015, Ronan married Australian brand ambassador and TV producer Storm Uechtritz, who he met in August 2010. They welcomed a son, Cooper, in 2017, and a daughter, Coco, in March 2020. Ronan became a grandfather in March 2023 after his oldest child Jack, now 23, had a baby girl with his ex-girlfriend Keely Iqbal.

For more news on Ronan Keating and his family, see here.

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