Presumably worried by that decline in Irish music sales, former Westlife boy Bryan McFadden has confirmed he had just signed a solo record deal. He has signed to a new label headed up by music veteran Richard Griffiths - the marketing and distribution of which will be handled by Sony. Word is McFadden is now working hard with a fellow former boy-bander, one Gary Barlow, on some new material.

A source close the to deal told The Mirror this weekend: "Bryan has thought long and hard about signing the deal. He knows that people will wonder why he's so keen to get back into the gruelling life of a pop star after saying he wanted to take a step back and spend time with his wife Kerry and daughters Molly and Lily-Sue. But Kerry's had so much success in her own right after winning I'm A Celebrity... that he's felt a little bit in the shade. He's realised how much music means to him."

This boy-band news found via CMU