UNDER THE GRILL

We gave Stephen Gately a shedload of your questions. He filtered through them and picked out the best ones. Here's what he said:

Q. Barbara Bucher asks: What does MTBT mean? It's on the credits of every Boyzone album, but not in the credits for New Beginning.

MTBT means Many Thanks for Being There. I didn't put it in the credits on 'New Beginning' or on the album, because I've sort of said it in the songs. Because this album is my first solo album I wanted to say that in the very first song, in fact the whole album is dedicated to the fans.

Q. AM asks: Who's that boy in your latest video? He really looks like you.

It's actually the guy in the movie, Billy Elliot, Jamie Bell. This kid is just incredible, he's an incredible actor. I went to see a screening of it ages ago and that's when I decided I wanted to do a song for it and so I wrote 'I Believe'. I've got a similar background to the hero in the movie, we both wanted to do something in life and we're told we couldn't do it.

Q. Donna asks: Is it true you're going to be in the Harry Potter movie as a baddy?

The Harry Potter film is something that I would love to do. Somebody's on the case at the moment, I'd love to do a little bit in it. I've only read the first one, but I've got all four books. I've got to get on and read the rest - the first one's brilliant though, really well written - I love magic things, from reading Lord of the Rings as a kid, so I love it.

Stephen Gately spills the beans on weird presents, relaxation and travel. . .

Q. Anne asks: What's the strangest present you've ever been given?

I've been given some pretty strange things over the years. I was once sent a box of fruit once from someone in Ireland. It wasn't tropical fruit or anything, just normal fruit - an apple and some bananas and an orange. It was a nice gesture though.

Q. Keith Peel: What do you do to relax?

In my spare time I just walk my dogs [Joey and Woody], go out on the boat, watch movies at home. I don't really go out to clubs or parties, it's such a hectic lifestyle I do like to take time off to relax rather than party.

Q. Jo Fergus: Are there any countries where Boyzone are really successful that you'd like to go to?

One place I really would like to go is New Zealand. We've been really successful in New Zealand. Hopefully I'll be able to go over there on my solo promotional tour, if my album does well enough. I got this big book of faxes and emails from there once, with people asking us to come to New Zealand so, yeah I'd love to go.

Stephen speaks his mind on Westlife and Boyzone. . .

Q. Kirsty: Do you ever feel that Westlife are trying to take Boyzone's place?

Westlife are just out there doing their own thing, we're not in competition with anyone. Originally I wrote two songs for them and one of them was going to be for their album. But at the end of the day they had so many tracks to choose from, that I ended up keeping it for myself and putting it on my album.

Q. Bridget asks: Is it better being single or being in Boyzone?

I miss the gang, I miss the laughs, I miss the jokes. I can't fall asleep in interviews anymore! All the attention is on me, every interview is for me - when there were 5 of us we could spread the work out between us. But it is fresh, it's new and the important thing is that I'm enjoying it. I'm very proud of the Boyzone stuff, but I'm also really proud of my solo album. I can't believe I've actually got a solo album out.

Q. Kirsty asks: Is it true that you and Ronan are always in competition?

I'm not in any competition with anybody. If Ronan does better than me then fine, I'm not going to be in competition with someone I've hung around with for 7 years. One thing we've always said when we've been doing solo stuff is that nothing's going to happen to Boyzone or do do any damage to the band.

So now you know. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions.