Shane Filan found it very "difficult" when Westlife split up.

The 38-year-old Irish hunk not only had to deal with the end of the boy band - which was also comprised of Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan and Markus Feehily, and previously Brian McFadden until 2004 - in 2012, but he also went bankrupt and was in £18 million of debt.

However, he says he and his wife Gillian, 38, and their children - 12-year-old Nicole, eight-year-old Patrick and seven-year-old Shane - are the happiest they've been since the 'You Raise Me Up' hitmakers parted ways.

Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, Shane said: "I am the happiest I've ever been and so are my family. I think life is full of surprises and ups and downs. You take the bad with the good the best you can. I think getting through the end of Westlife was difficult."

Shane is set to release his third solo album 'Love Always' on Friday (25.08.17), and says he's always felt driven to do well as a solo artist because his family rely on him.

He said: "You kind of go right this is a new start and you just go for it.

"I think it probably drove me more to make sure I was successful.

"It was a very serious thing, I had to make sure it was a success."

The 'Unbreakable' singer says despite the ups and the downs, the last four years have been a positive time in his life and he has no regrets.

He said: "It's great looking back on it. It has been a great four years.

"I was in Westlife for 14 years, so to come out of that and have to start again to a certain degree in every sense of the word it did take a while.

"The first year was definitely very hard, you are finding your way to a certain degree. I love doing what I do now. I don't look back. I just look forward and hope for the best."