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The Irish Mirror, 7th August 2007
Rugby legend Shane Byrne has revealed his twin girls are hoping he’ll take SECOND place in Charity You’re A Star.
The mullet-top hooker’s four-year-old daughters Kerry and Alex hope The Roses beat their dad as long as he is runner up.
Shane, 36, said: “The girls have been up in The Helix every night with my wife Caroline.
“They totally get the show and know exactly what is going on. If one gets on camera and the other doesn’t, she sulks.
“But the biggest problem I am having is I have been told in no uncertain terms they want The Roses to win.
“They are cheering for them to win and then daddy can come second, but they don’t really mind as long as the girls win.
“And that’s not too good for me – whenever I come off stage they rush ion behind the scenes, but it’s not to see me.
“All they say is, ‘Where are The Roses’?
Shane revealed tension is mounting backstage as the hopefuls enter the final week of contest.
He added: “Nobody wants to go – including me. And anyone can go – there’s no rhyme or reason to it now.”
Shane is renowned among his fellow contestants for keeping his nerve – even when wardrobe dress him up in Take That-style white top hat and tails or slick back his mullet a la Status Quo’s Francis Rossi.
For Shane, the hardest bit of every performance is remembering all the words in the right order.
He said: “It hasn’t been too nerve-wracking.
“You don’t really get to rehearse the song you are doing until the day you have to go on stage and sing it.
“So I spend all day wandering around like a lunatic, mumbling the words.
“Doing Charity You’re A Star isn’t easier than playing for Ireland. At least on a rugby pitch I know what I’m doing and what is expected of me. But this is totally out of my comfort zone.”
Shane has been ticked off by talent coach Twink for not paying enough attention in rehearsals. But the rugby star says he’s better in front of a crowd.
The Blackrock hooker added: “I find it impossible in rehearsals to pretend there’s a crowd so I just sing my song and then leave the rest until when The Helix is full. Then you can have a bit of fun and live off the atmosphere, that’s easier. I drive Twink crackers as she’s trying to teach me to do this and that and I just think, ‘For God’s sake, no one is here’.
“I learned a long time ago from rugby that whether you get nervous or not, it’s still going to happen.
“There’s no point in getting nervous – you have to get on with it and work on the things you can affect – like getting the words right.
“It’s the only thing I think about, the crowd doesn’t bother me, they’re brilliant.
“When they are leaping around, screaming their heads off it makes it very easy to just sing along.”
Rocker Shane is the bad boy of the show and even judge Brendan O’Connor’s jibes can’t stop his heavy metal thunder.
He said: “I am leaning towards the rocki8er side of things: I’ll continue despite the fact Brendan said it was boring.
“We’re not bothered about what the judges think – we all just want to do our best for our charities.
“Brendan and Sean get on each other’s wick but it is good craic. People want to see a bit of banter between judges and performer.”
But there’s a serious side to Shane’s performing – he wants to raise as much money as he can for his chosen charity GOAL.
He said: “I am making an eejit out of myself every night for GOAL.
“I have been a patron for five years but this is the first time I have had the chance to do anything proper for them.
“It is the 30th anniversary of GOAL this year and I will be going to Calcutta with them in September.
“That is where GOAL began and by now they have taken 70,000 children off the streets there which is an incredible thing.
“GOAL has given these kids the childhood they never would have had otherwise.
“And with two small kids of my own, obviously, it is a subject close to my heart.
“It will be upsetting when I get there but you have got to just think about the good that you can do.
To vote for SHANE BYRNE text VOTE SHANE to 53600 or
call 153 71 71 01
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