[INTERVIEW] Kian Egan: 'I'd like to say sorry to my dad'

EX-WESTLIFE star and I'm a Celebrity winner Kian, 33, is a mentor on The Voice of Ireland. He lives in County Sligo with his actress wife, Jodi Albert and son Koa, two

Not a lot of people know this but I’m very good at… Donald Duck impressions. It’s usually good for a laugh, except when I do it for Koa. He looks at me like I’ve gone mad. 

My best friend is… my wife, Jodi, without a doubt. She’s just everything to me.

The bravest thing I’ve ever done is… a bungee jump in Indonesia. I was terrified but managed to conquer my fear and go for it. That was harder than any of the trials I had to do in the I’m a Celebrity jungle. With those I psyched myself to deal with anything that was thrown at me, and the goal of winning meals for the group kept me focussed.

My favourite TV show is… probably Breaking Bad, but my guilty pleasure is Hart of Dixie. It’s light and fluffy, and nothing really bad ever happens.

My perfect evening is… staying in with my wife and my son. I make dinner for Koa, play with him on the rug before bath-time and read him a book before bed. Then Jodi and I have our meal with a glass of wine and perhaps watch a film. That’s it. Simple family pleasures – you can’t beat them. 

I’d like to say sorry to… my dad. He isn’t with us any more and we got along fine but I’d still like to say sorry in case I ever gave him a hard time.

My first kiss was… a cross between a hoover and a washing machine in its technique and I’m not telling you who it was with. I was about 11 and it was so awful that I didn’t attempt another one for at least a year. 

My biggest regret is… I can’t think of any regrets – I’ve been very lucky in life. My mother has a saying, “What’s meant to be  won’t pass you by”. So far I’ve made the right choices.

The one thing I’d change about myself is… I used to think I needed to be more patient with people, but having been on I’m a Celebrity I’ve realised I’m a lot more patient than I gave myself credit for. Or perhaps being in a confined space with a group of people 24/7 has taught me to be more tolerant.

The best thing my parents taught me was… to be grateful for what you have. I come from a large family – I have three brothers and three sisters – my dad worked hard and the primary objective was to put food on the table and heat the house. There wasn’t a lot for extras, like the latest trainers, and we kids didn’t expect them either. It was a lesson that has kept me grounded, even though my life now is very different.

The last time I cried was… when I saw my little boy’s face after I won I’m a Celebrity. I never imagined for a second I’d win, and I’d missed him so much – the emotions were just overwhelming.

The first record I ever bought… this will surprise a lot of people but it was Justice for All by Metallica. I was an eight-year-old heavy metal fan.

It’s not very good for my image but I like… romcoms and chick flicks. All the films Jodi likes, I enjoy too.

My greatest weakness is… pick’n’mix. If I’m in a shop and there’s a counter, I can’t leave without a bag of sweets.

If I could pass any law I would… limit how many vehicles there are on the road. I hate traffic.

I drive… an Audi, but I’m not really into cars. As long as it’s reliable and gets me from A to B, that’s good enough.

The most expensive thing I’ve ever splashed out on is… Jodi’s diamond engagement ring. I bought it from Tiffany and let’s just say it cost the full whack.

The shop I can’t walk past is… any cake shop.

I’m currently reading… The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler. It’s essentially about being happy with what you have rather than always striving for more.

My perfect Sunday is… getting up early and going for a surf. Then I’ll take Jodi and Koa for lunch and a long walk. After that it would be back home for a roast and a few beers.

My favourite place in Britain is… Bath. I first visited the city when I was on tour with Westlife and I just love it there.

My last holiday was… to El Salvador. I went on a surfing trip with three of my friends. Surfing is my passion, but don’t get me going on the subject because once I start I can’t stop.

The best days of my life were… the day I got married and the day my son was born.

If I had half an hour left on earth… I’d spend it cuddling my wife and my little boy. That’s it.

Kian’s new solo album, Home, is out now. From tomorrow he will be hosting Kian’s Magical Musical Tour on This Morning, weekdays, at 10.30am on ITV. Visit www.itv.com/thismorning for more details. 

Source: express.co.uk