The emotional duet between Ronan Keating and Robbie Williams was a poignant and moving tribute to a dear friend they both lost. The reason they and the audience were unable to hold back their tears was that the song they were singing was a tribute to the late Stephen Gately, Ronan’s bandmate from Boyzone who tragically passed away in 2009.

Robbie Williams, who was once a part of Take That, a band that Boyzone was often compared to and shared a rivalry with, reached out to Ronan out of the blue. He revealed that he had written a song called “The Big Goodbye” the week Stephen died, but had put it away for years.

When Robbie sent the song to Ronan on the 10th anniversary of Stephen’s passing, Ronan was immediately overcome with emotion. He described standing in his kitchen with “tears streaming down my face” as he listened to the track. Realizing the song’s importance, he knew they had to do something with it.

The duet on stage wasn’t just two pop stars singing a song; it was a deeply personal tribute from two men who understood the unique bond of being in a boy band and the profound grief of losing a bandmate. As they sang and their voices blended, they were not just performing but honoring Stephen’s memory. The powerful lyrics, combined with the raw emotion of the moment, made it impossible for them to hold back their tears. Their hug was a moment of shared grief and mutual respect, a testament to a friendship forged in shared loss. The audience, knowing the story behind the song, was swept up in the emotion, creating a truly unforgettable and heartbreaking moment.