Georgi Dochev, 25, said the singer was "very cold and white". "I almost have not slept since this happened," he said. "I found Stephen dead and I woke his husband. I am still nervous and really upset." Bulgarian Mr Dochev is believed to have accompanied Gately, 33, and his partner, Andrew Cowles, back to the apartment in the resort of Port Andratx in the early hours of Saturday after a night out. Mr Dochev told the Daily Mail he had spoken to police who are investigating the death. Gately's devastated bandmates, who flew out to the Spanish island on Sunday, returned home on Monday. A spokesman for the band said: "All the boys are home now. They went there to pay their respects and start dealing with the fall-out of the situation. However, it's clear that them being there at the moment is bringing a lot more attention to the situation." The band comforted a grieving Mr Cowles before they left the island. Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch met him on Monday afternoon at the Mon Port Hotel in Port Andratx where the band stayed. Gately's family remains in Ireland and earlier rejected claims that he died after a marathon drinking session. A family spokesman said reports of "an eight-hour drinking session" were not true. A post-mortem examination to establish the cause of Gately's sudden death is due to take place on Tuesday.
Stephen Gately 'not on eight hour binge' : ITN
Relatives of Stephen Gately have strongly denied the Boyzone star died after a long drinking session.
Speaking for the Lawyer Gerald Kean says it is wrong to suggest the star died after eight hours boozing on the Spanish holiday island of Majorca. He said: "We are not saying he was not drinking but eight hours is not something we accept, he was a very sensible man. He enjoyed himself, he loved life. I was with him many a night and, if anything, late into nights he would look as though he had just arrived." There are reports the star may have choked to death on his vomit while asleep. Relatives of the 33-year-old pop singer insist his death was a "tragic accident" and that no foul play was involved. A post-mortem examination will take place either today or tomorrow. Last night fellow Boyzone members Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch arrived in Majorca and spent an hour at Gately's apartment before staying up till late talking in a restaurant at the Mon Port Hotel. The bandmates said they were left "completely devastated by the loss of our friend and brother, Stephen". Tributes have flooded in from the music world, with Boyzone manager Louis Walsh pulling out of the X Factor live finals show, saying he was "very shocked and exceptionally upset". Gately had been in his holiday apartment with his husband, Andrew Cowles, until after midnight on Friday when he travelled to the town of Palma, about an hour's drive away. Police refused to be drawn on whether officers were trying to trace a potential witness, a Bulgarian man who was reportedly in Gately's apartment that night, along with Gately's partner. Mr Kean said the family have been told police are not looking to speak to anyone else in connection with the death. Gately sent ripples through the pop music world 10 years ago when he announced that he was gay. He was introduced to Mr Cowles by Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish and the pair married in a civil union in 2006.
He joined Boyzone in 1993 after answering an advert in Dublin to audition for Ireland's first boyband.
Louis Walsh: I can't believe Stephen Gately is gone Belfast Telegraph
Monday, 12 October 2009
Boyzone manager Louis Walsh puts it quite simply. He describes Stephen Gately as "one of the nicest people you could ever meet".
The pop mogul pulled out of the X Factor last night as he attempted to come to terms with the shocking news of Stephen's untimely passing at the age of 33.
Louis was informed of the tragedy after X Factor was screened on Saturday night -- he pulled out of the results show which was broadcast on ITV last night.
"I'm in total shock -- I didn't sleep all night," said Louis, who first met Stephen in 1993 when he was putting Boyzone together.
Louis told of how he had been out with Stephen just days before he died.
"He was never happier when I met him last Monday at the Pride of Britain Awards.
"We had a laugh as usual, things were going so well. I still can't believe he's gone.
"He was one of the nicest people you could meet.
"Everyone loved Stephen. He never made a single enemy in the business and never let me down," Louis revealed.
Stephen was found dead in the Majorca apartment he shared with husband Andrew Cowles at 1.45pm on Saturday. Louis was told the news after the X Factor had aired later that night at approximately 9pm.
Last night, Simon Cowell told the audience that Louis wasn't going to be on the show and paid tribute to Stephen before sending his sympathies to his family and friends.
Louis told of how much Stephen had in his life to look forward to and how he had been hoping to land a role in a new West End show, Jersey Boys.
"He'd gone for an audition and didn't get it, but went to another and felt he was about to get it.
"He was writing a book, Boyzone was back together -- everything was going great," Louis said.
The future of Boyzone following Stephen's death is now unclear.
"I don't know what will happen. We'd picked 30 songs to work on for the next album -- but not one has come to terms yet with the fact that Stephen's gone."
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/louis-walsh-i-cant-believe-stephen-gately-is-gone-14528881.html?r=RSS#ixzz0TlP6P0QZ
As Stephen's solicitor and friend of many years, his family rang me straight away on Saturday night from Majorca to tell me the awful news.
I've handled the band's affairs since they first started. I told all the band members immediately and naturally they were all devastated.
No official cause of death has yet been confirmed. I don't want to go into that too much, but what I can say is that it definitely was not suicide.
It's a terrible, terrible tragedy. An autopsy report is expected to be carried out in the next few days and then we'll be able to give a definitive answer.
Obviously as his solicitor, I can't divulge too much personal information about Stephen's situation but he was mainly based in London recently.
He was a great family man and visited his parents and the rest of his family in Dublin regularly.
He first applied for the Boyzone auditions in 1994 and I've been a friend of his since then. He's one of the most popular men I've ever met in my life.
I asked him on many occasions how he did it. His music accomplishments were unprecedented. He enjoyed huge success with Boyzone and when he took to the West End during their break he was equally popular there.
Not many bands, including the Beatles, could boast that their first 10 singles went straight into the top 30 charts.
He had praise from some of the best singers and musicians in the world, including Andrew Lloyd Webber and Elton John, and I know the tributes will be flowing in for him.
I've tons of memories of him. I have so many that I couldn't pick out one specific example. Every time I asked him to help at a charity event or to lend his name to something he was more than happy to oblige.
He was just a soft mannered, gifted singer. My opinion wouldn't carry the weight of some of the people who have paid tribute to him in the past. I don't know anyone who has a bad word to say about him.
I remember one time we were asked to do a charity benefit together and even though he had just come back from a tour and was extremely jet-lagged and exhausted, he dropped everything and came straight over.
I know there will be a lot of people in the music industry and every other area of life who are devastated.
I've met his husband Andrew Cowles.
I'm still in complete shock myself, right now I'm just keeping myself busy on the phone and trying to work things out and dealing with the undertakers in trying to arrange for his body to be flown home as quickly as possible.
At this point it's looking like it's certainly going to be a couple of days before the family can even think about planning a funeral.
He was a wonderful young man and they are all devastated naturally, as are his bandmates.
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/gerald-kean-i-had-to-break-news-of-stephen-gatelys-death-to-the-band-14528880.html#ixzz0TlPYLfRe
Boyzone's Stephen Gately didn't die from drugs, says grieving family :
Belfast Telegraph
Monday, 12 October 2009
Boyzone star Stephen Gately is believed to have died after falling ill in his sleep following a night out.
Spanish police were last night following a line of inquiry that the 33-year-old died of natural causes, and believe he may have choked after getting sick.
However, a post-mortem examination on the singer will not take place until tomorrow because it is a bank holiday in Spain today.
The popular Dubliner, originally from Sherriff Street in the north-inner city, was in Majorca with his husband Andrew Cowles when the tragedy happened.
Mr Cowles told friends that he put Stephen down on a sofa in their apartment in Port Andratx at around 6am on Saturday.
They had been out drinking on Friday night with another friend, who police are keen to talk to, and were also seen in a local nightclub.
But Mr Cowles found Stephen dead on the sofa at around 1.45pm on Saturday and immediately dialled 999.
Police quickly established that the death was not suspicious and also say that there was no evidence of drug taking.
Stephen and his partner owned the luxury apartment, worth over €1m, in the south west of Majorca.
The Boyzone star is understood to have been spending time there working on his children's novel 'The Tree of Seasons', which he hoped to release in time for Christmas.
Last Tuesday, he posted on his Twitter website: "Still busy -- lots going on. Focussing (sic) on finishing my book next so may be quiet here."
Solicitor Gerald Kean -- a long-term personal friend of the singer -- is acting as the Gately family adviser. They were too upset to talk to the media last night.
They have yet to decide if they will travel to Majorca but the four other members of Boyzone flew out last night, including Ronan Keating, who was supposed to be running a marathon in Chicago for the Marie Keating Foundation.
Band manager Louis Walsh also pulled out of hit show 'The X Factor' last night.
It is expected that Stephen's body will not be returned to Ireland until the end of this week at the earliest.
Band members Keith Duffy, Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch released a statement yesterday in which they said they were "devastated by the loss of our friend and brother".
"We have shared such wonderful times together over the years and we were looking forward to sharing so many more. Stephen was a beautiful person in both body and spirit."
Stephen had only travelled back to Majorca in the last few days.
He was at an awards ceremony in London on Monday and also attended former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's book launch in Dublin last week.
The death is expected to be dealt with by an investigating judge in Spain.
He will be tasked with reviewing the results of the post mortem and a report from investigators who arrived on the scene.
A friend of Stephen and Andrew, Stephen Purdew, who owns the Champneys chain of health spas in the UK, said: "I got a text from Andrew this morning to say he's absolutely devastated.
"He'd put Stephen on the settee at six o'clock, thought he was going to sleep and found him dead when he woke up. It appears he died as people do when they've drunk too much."
Stephen Gately is survived by his older brothers Mark and Alan, his younger brother Tony and his sister Michelle, as well as his mother Margaret and father Martin.
Mr Kean also ruled out suicide as a cause of the star's death.
"There's no foul play involved and it's not suicide. It's just a tragic accident is what we've been told and we're happy that that is correct information," Mr Kean said.
"There is nothing untoward, it's not drugs, we don't believe, it's not suicide, it's not murder, it's not a fight. That's what we've been told."
Mr Kean said the family was shattered by the news, which they heard late on Saturday.
"They're devastated and they asked me to take calls for the moment," he said.
Mr Kean attributed the death to natural causes.
The family hope to have the remains returned to Ireland by the end of the week, for the funeral in Dublin.
Mr Kean said the family had not yet decided to travel to Majorca.
Boyzone stars Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Shane Lynch and Mikey Graham were last night dressed in dark clothes and wore sunglasses as they arrived at the apartment where Gately died.
They were driven into an underground car park underneath the flat around 8.30pm local time in a silver-coloured Mercedes people carrier.
They entered the apartment block through a side entrance without saying anything.
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/boyzones-stephen-gately-didnt-die-f
rom-drugs-says-grieving-family-14528421.html#ixzz0TlQgpeSU
Stephen Gately: Pop world stunned by death of Boyzone star :
Belfast Telegraph
Monday, 12 October 2009
Boyzone star Stephen Gately is believed to have died after falling ill in his sleep following a night out.
Spanish police were last night following a line of inquiry that the 33-year-old died of natural causes, and believe he may have choked after getting sick.
However, a post mortem examination on the singer will not take place until tomorrow because it is a bank holiday in Spain today.
The Dubliner was in Majorca with his partner Andrew Cowles.
Mr Cowles told friends that he put Stephen down on a sofa in their apartment in Port Andratx at around six o'clock on Saturday morning.
They had been out drinking on Friday night with another friend, who police are keen to talk to, and were also seen in a nightclub.
But Mr Cowles found Stephen dead on the sofa at around 1.45 on Saturday afternoon and immediately dialled 999.
Police quickly established that the death was not suspicious and also say that there was no evidence of drug taking.
Stephen and his partner owned the luxury apartment, worth over €1m, in the south west of Majorca. The Boyzone star is understood to have been spending time there working on his children's novel, ‘The Tree of Seasons', which he hoped to release in time for Christmas.
Last Tuesday, he posted on his Twitter website: “Still busy — lots going on. Focussing on finishing my book next so may be quiet here.”
Solicitor Gerald Kean — a long-term personal friend of the singer — is acting as the Gately family advisor. They were too upset to talk to the media last night
They are yet to decide if they will travel to Majorca but the four other members of Boyzone flew out yesterday, including Ronan Keating, who was supposed to be running a marathon in Chicago for the Marie Keating Foundation.
Band manager Louis Walsh also pulled out of presenting hit show 'The X Factor' last night.
It is expected that Stephen's body will not be returned to Ireland until the end of this week. Band members Keith Duffy, Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch released a statement yesterday in which they said they were “devastated by the loss of our friend and brother”.
“We have shared such wonderful times together over the years and were looking forward to sharing so many more. Stephen was a beautiful person in both body and spirit.”
Mr Kean yesterday said that the family was shocked and devastated but he praised Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Martin who he said was providing the Gatelys with excellent help.
Stephen had only travelled back to Majorca in the last few days. He was at an awards ceremony in London on Monday and also attended former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's book launch in Dublin last week.
The death is expected to be dealt with by an investigating judge in Spain.
Stephen Gately is survived by his older brothers Mark and Alan, his younger brother Tony and his sister Michelle, as well as his mother, Margaret, and father, Martin.
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/stephen-gately-pop-world-stunned
-by-death-of-boyzone-star-14528336.html#ixzz0TlREwsSU
Stephen Gately: Tributes to ‘an extremely talented artist’ :
Belfast Telegraph
By Eddie McIlwaine, Maureen Coleman and Anne Palmer
Monday, 12 October 2009
Stephen Gately had visited Northern Ireland on several occasions during his performances with Boyzone.
His sudden death has left the local showbusiness community stunned and led to an outpouring of tributes from those who had met and worked with the popular singer during his time in the province.
Belfast singer Brian Kennedy, said the music industry had lost a “colourful” entertainer.
“I saw Stephen just recently, because he uses the same gym as me when he’s back in Dublin. To be honest, I thought he seemed to be in the best form I’d seen him,” said Brian.
“He was very happy, madly in love with his partner and delighted that Boyzone were back together again.“
Television and radio presenter Gerry Kelly is currently on holidays in Majorca where Stephen died.
He said: “I’ve known Boyzone since they formed in the 1990s. I switched on the BBC World News and I just could not believe it, it was such a huge shock.
“I’ve always liked Stephen, he was quiet and he was a real gentleman. I’ll certainly contact Boyzone members. Certainly whatever service there is, I’ll be there. I’m in a total state of shock.”
Promoter Peter Aiken was responsible for bringing Stephen and Boyzone to the Odyssey in Belfast on numerous occasions.
He said: “Stephen was one of the good guys in the business.I worked with him for around 20 years and he was always helpful and likeable.”
Broadcaster Ivan Martin of U105 said: “He was an extremely talented artist and one of the nicest people in showbusiness. Always ready to help people. He had a traumatic time over his sexuality and he was told that if he talked openly about it, his fans would turn against him.
“However, he came out and told the world he was gay and the predictions were proved to be wrong. His fans adored him all the more and gave him their full support.”
Belfast comedian Frank Carson told how he once took his granddaughters Saiorse and Ashling backstage at a concert in Manchester to meet Stephen.
He said: “The girls were struck dumb at the face to face, but Stephen made them feel at home and then made their evening by inviting them to stay for the concert which hadn’t really been my intention.”
Barry O’Kane, editor of Big Buzz magazine, described Gately as a “warm, funny, honest guy”.
“I interviewed him several times and always found him to be a bubbly, lovely bloke,” he said. “Stephen lived for music, he really did, and I can’t believe that he has died. It’s such a shame.”
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/stephen-gately-tributes-to-lsquoan
-extremely-talented-artistrsquo-14528333.html#ixzz0TlRdtLXd
Stephen Gately: Gentle person who had a wicked sense of humour
Showbiz Correspondent Maureen Coleman recalls her memories of the late Irish pop star Stephen Gately Monday, 12 October 2009
Along with Ronan Keating, Stephen Gately was one of two main singers in the pop band Boyzone.
But despite his high profile position within the group, Gately came across as a fairly quiet, unassuming kind of guy, happier to stay out of the spotlight.
I interviewed Stephen a couple of times; once when he was with Ronan at a concert in Omagh, and again when Boyzone had reformed and were coming back to Belfast.
On several other occasions I met him socially and was always struck by what a gentle person he was.
The first time I interviewed Boyzone, the band had just played a special gig in Omagh leisure centre for 1,000 excited young fans, just months after the August 15 bomb had exploded in the town, claiming 29 lives.
On that occasion, Keating and Gately were put forward as the spokesmen for the band, but while Keating did most of the talking, Gately said little, except to express how touched he was by the reaction of the crowd to the band’s kindly gesture. He may have been quite shy, but he was also very funny and his wicked sense of humour kept his bandmates entertained.
He was also a risk-taker — choosing to reveal that he was gay at a time when it wouldn’t have seemed a wise move for a boy band with a large female following.
But Gately was a very honest person and couldn’t live a lie and after speaking out about his sexuality, it was like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
He was also the first of the disbanded five-piece to embark on a solo project and when he was dropped from his record label, he didn’t give up.
Instead, he re-invented himself as a West End star, taking the lead role in Joseph And His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
He was delighted when the band reformed and was in great form the night Boyzone began their comeback tour in Belfast.
With a new album planned for 2010 and a children’s fantasy novel to work on, Gately had plenty to keep him busy.
It’s a tragedy his creativity was cut off at such a young age, when he had so much more to contribute.
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/stephen-gately-gentle
-person-who-had-a-wicked-sense-of-humour-14528334.html#ixzz0TlRzglMc
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/stephen-gately-gentle-person-who-had-a-wicked-sense-of-humour-14528334.html#ixzz0TlRpcsU5
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/stephen-gately-pop-world-stunned-by-death-of-boyzone-star-
14528336.html#ixzz0TlQvCxtd
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/boyzones-stephen-gately-didnt-die-from-drugs-says-grieving-
family-14528421.html#ixzz0TlQUVi9h
