When the Herald was given a chance to talk to Irish heart-throbs Westlife in Christchurch yesterday, this journalist stood aside, and long-time fan Kristy Lyttle stepped up.

Westlife, with 40 million albums sold and nearly as many number one hits as the Beatles, started their New Zealand tour with a sold-out show in Christchurch last night and will finish with a concert in Auckland on Monday that has been added because of the huge demand for tickets.