Fans to go wild for Westlife's last gig

The farewell concert by boy band Westlife is to be screened live to cinemas in the UK and Ireland, allowing fans to view their final show.

Wolverhampton and Birmingham's Cine-world cinemas will be showing the gig, and the Vue cinema at Star City will broadcast the gig Dublin's Croke Park.

Tickets for the cinema screenings, which will also be seen in other European countries, went on sale at 9am today. The June 23 concert sold out in five minutes, leaving thousands of fans disappointed.

BBC Worldwide, the BBC's commercial arm, and content provider By Experience have agreed a deal with music giant Sony and Westlife to co-produce a live film of the event to be screened in more than 200 cinemas via satellite.

The group said: "It is bound to be a hugely emotional night and we expect to have tears in our eyes for nearly every song. The fact that the show will be beamed to our fans in cinemas around the world only adds to our excitement."

Earlier this month, they performed at Birmingham's LG Arena. They will return for a further two dates in June.

When they announced their split in October, the group said: "Over the years Westlife has become so much more to us than just a band. Westlife are a family." The group – for many years managed by Louis Walsh – survived the departure of one of its founding members Bryan McFadden, and continued seamlessly as a four-piece.

Singer Mark Feehily also won admiration for announcing he was gay when the boy band were at the peak of their success.

Over the years Westlife have amassed a total of 14 number one hits included the singles Swear It Again and Flying Without Wings.

Many of their successful tracks were cover versions and they capitalised on a swing revival by recording a Rat Pack-style album Allow Us To Be Frank.

Details are at www.westlifecinema.com