The group announced a break in 2000 after forming in 1993.

Boyzone star Ronan Keating revealed in an interview with radio station Magic Radio that the band made a decision to take a break after a meeting in the toilets.

The group – consisting of Ronan, Keith Duffy, Stephen Gately, Shane Lynch and Mikey Graham – announced a break in 2000 after forming in 1993. Boyzone did reunite in 2007 but disbanded again in 2019.

Ronan revealed the decision for the band to take a break was made in a bathroom where only the five singers were present.

He said: “We all decided we wanted a break from it. The pressure cooker was so intense that after six years of being on everyone else’s schedule, on being on that conveyor that we all wanted a break.

“I remember being in Holland. We were in Amsterdam doing a big press launch. We all took a break away from it all. Again, we were back in the toilets, it was the only place we had space. Away from everybody.

“We had the meeting in the toilet that we were going to take a break and we all agreed. The five of us agreed to it.”

He continued: “Like we were excited. Everyone was buzzing because we were making a decision ourselves for the first time in six years, the five of us were making a decision.

“We walked out of there and told our team and management.”

Boyzone then went on tour and performed their very last show in Dublin.

“I remember the afterparty and we were all smiling. This is amazing, there is light. Tomorrow, we get our lives back.

“I went off with this single, ‘When You Say Nothing At All’ and then made an album. I had seven incredible years as a solo artist.”

The band took a break in 2000 but Ronan said their break lasted longer than it should’ve because of a rift with band members.

He said: “It was an interesting time because we had made a plan to take a break but the break led to a seven year break because of my choices.

“I was writing away. It was an incredible time for me and to all of a sudden to just stop that and go back to the band didn’t seem fair to me.

“And then 2007 – you know I really did miss the lads; I missed the camaraderie; I missed the friendship – there was things said by some members of the band towards me that made the break last longer than it should have because I thought ‘why am I going back there if there’s the disrespect’.”

Ronan said he reached out at times asking the unnamed band members why they publicly spoke a certain way about him.

“There were denials and what not… but eventually we all sat in a room in Dublin in 2007 and said let bygones be bygones. Water under the bridge, let’s do this again.

“I missed them. I missed the guys. I missed my brothers, my friendship,” he told Magic Radio as he reflected back on 30 years of Boyzone.

Ronan also revealed that Stephen Gately – who died suddenly in 2009 – was terrified to open up about his sexuality for fear he would lose the band’s fans.

He said: “Steo came out in 1996/1997. That was an incredibly difficult time for him. We were just there for him. He was so scared.

“He was outed by a newspaper… it was disgusting, it was horrible.

“Steo was worried that our fans, predominantly female, were going to turn away from him and they didn’t. It was the opposite. There was an incredible atmosphere. It was just beautiful, and his star shone even brighter.

“He became so comfortable in his own skin,” he added.