Ex-Hollyoaks star in open audition

9:30pm Friday 25th July 2008

Former soap star Jodi Albert will have to audition for a place in her fiance's new girl group alongside thousands of other young hopefuls, Westlife's Kian Egan said.

The pop star denied his wife-to-be had already secured a spot in the act, which he will co-manage with pop impresario Louis Walsh.

But Egan was preparing himself for a sticky situation when the ex-Hollyoaks actress takes to the stage for the open auditions in Dublin.

He politely refused to comment on the quality of his fiancee's singing in the shower. "Jodi is a person who loves to sing," he said. "It's a passion of hers and she's approaching this audition just like anything else."

It's also rumoured Irish model and singer Michelle McGrath has also got her place booked in the pop band. "There's absolutely nobody picked for this band," Walsh said. "Everybody has to audition because that's the way it is."

Walsh, Egan and A&R executive Sheila Burgel said they were looking for young undiscovered talent with a good attitude.

"We are going for great songs, great voices," continued Walsh, who is currently recording a fourth series of The X Factor.

"This is for the world, this is not just for Ireland. We don't want good, we want great. We want a group as good as the Pussycat Dolls, or Spice Girls, or Sugababes or any of those other girl groups."

Walsh, who started in the music business in a showband promoter's office in Dublin, has been instrumental in finding and managing some of the most successful pop bands and groups in the charts including Boyzone and Girls Aloud. He also turn Egan and his Westlife band members from complete unknowns into one of the most successful bands of all time.

Westlife currently hold the record for having the most consecutive number one singles, boasting 13 UK number ones and six number one selling albums.