Mark Feehily, a member of the Irish boyband, Westlife has announced his temporary departure from the group after he was diagnosed with sepsis.

The 43-year-old singer took to his social media to share the sudden news on Wednesday evening. Westlife is made up of Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Nicky Bryne, and Mark Feehily, and they were set to embark on their first US tour in a matter of days.

Taking to the band’s official account on Instagram, Mark shared a lengthy message.

He said: “Hello and much love to you all! It’s Mark here.. Most of you are aware that I have had some health challenges over the past while. It actually all started 3.5 years ago in August 2020 when I had surgery. Within a few days of this surgery I was in severe pain and was rushed into A&E”.

It “I eventually ended that awful day in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) where I was informed that due to a complication with the surgery, I had developed severe “Sepsis”, a life-threatening infection that would require immediate emergency surgery to rectify the problem and basically save my life. I spent the next few months in hospital. It was during lockdown. For months, due to strict Covid restrictions, I was not allowed any visitors including my fiance and my then 10-month-old daughter. It was physically and mentally a very difficult time, not to mention traumatic having to spend so long in ICU.”

Mark shared he was discharged from hospital in December 2020 but has had ongoing medical problems ever since. He continued: “In late 2021, I became very ill in Newcastle before a concert and ended up back in A&E, this time being told I had pneumonia. I was told I had to go straight home to recover and regrettably miss the rest of the concerts that December. I was referred to a consultant who told me I needed more surgery which I went ahead with in May 2022 meaning I was forced to miss more of The Wild Dreams tour.

“Three months after that surgery, I tried my best to soldier on for you guys and to go back on tour but unfortunately the physical demands of the concerts and extensive travel were proving too much for me. I developed a very large ‘incisional hernia’ and I was told that I needed further surgery to fix it. This would be my fourth major surgery since the start of it all, but I had no option.”

Thankfully, the surgery went according to plan but Mark said he needs to now focus on his recovery. “It is with the upmost level of regret that I must now temporarily stand down from all Westlife touring until a time that I have had the chance to fully recover from the turbulent journey I have been through as an individual,” he shared. “Believe me, I wish things could be different! I would like to thank you so very much for your support and understanding of me and my health over the past few years.”

He went on to thank his loved ones and the medical team who had supported him. Mark added: “To Shane, Kian and Nicky, I love you three and I know you’ll knock it out of the park. I’ll be there with you in spirit for each and every show whilst you continue to fly the Westlife flag around the world.”

He admitted: “But for now, I have to make the right decision for my health and wellbeing, for my family, and for myself as a person. Please don’t worry. Sending the most positive vibes in your direction, I will see you very soon beautiful people! WESTLIFE FOREVER! Love, Mark Feehily xx.”

Feehily enjoyed enormous commercial success across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and mainland Europe with bandmates Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Brian McFadden, and Nicky Byrne following their formation in 1998.