Ronan Keating's former mistress claims he planned to marry her

Ronan and Yvonne at a NBL game

Francine Cornell says the 35-year-old singer - who announced in April he and wife Yvonne, who he has kids Jack, 13, Missy, 11, and seven-year-old Ali with, had split following his affair – wanted to tie the knot with the backing dancer and would often tell the 28-year-old blonde he was "in love" with her.

She said: "Once I asked, ‘Do you think I’ll still see your name on my phone in 20 years?' He said, ‘In 20 years, we will be married’. At the time it was nice and I think it’s what he believed.

“I never asked Ronan to leave Yvonne. He was the one who’d bring it up. He’d say, ‘It’s you I love, you’re the one I want to be with. I love Yvonne as she’s the mother of my kids, yet I’m in love with you. But I can’t do this to my children’."

The Boyzone singer met Francine in 2009 when she was hired as one of the group's eight dancers for their six-week UK and Ireland tour, and when the tour ended he got her number from his late bandmate Stephen Gately, who she used to meet for coffee and chat about Ronan.

And Francine admits the singer's death in October 2009, aged 33, brought her and Ronan closer together.
She explained: "Ronan took the news really badly as he was in a bad place to start with emotionally.

“His life was in tatters. He and Yvonne had grown apart, so he needed me then more than ever.”

Francine insists Ronan's 14-year marriage was already on the rocks when they got together, and admits he used to "constantly worry" about destroying his image.

Speaking in an interview with the Sun on Sunday newspaper, she added: "Ronan was constantly worried about what other people thought of him with his squeaky-clean image.

“As a Catholic, leaving his wife would just be the worst thing and everyone would judge him. Obviously we could never walk down a street hand-in-hand. We went for dinner once and I’d fly out to his solo tour whenever I could.

“I have constantly been painted as the scarlet woman who ruined a perfect marriage. It couldn’t be further from the truth. The marriage was already in trouble before either Ronan or his wife knew who I was."

Ronan Keating won't write songs about his marriage breakdown

Ronan Keating

The 35-year-old singer - who split from wife Yvonne earlier this year after they were unable to get their relationship back on track following his affair with a dancer - admits his actions caused enough "trouble and heartache" so he didn't draw on personal experience when penning new album 'Fires'.

Ronan - who has kids Jack, 13, Marie, 11, and six-year-old Ali with Yvonne - said: “I haven’t written songs about anyone.

“I’ve hurt enough people. I’ve caused enough trouble and heartache.

“I don’t want to do that on this record. I want calm. That’s where I am."

In 2009, Ronan's Boyzone bandmate Stephen Gately died suddenly from a pulmonary oedema and the singer admits his pal's passing made him more determined to live life to the full.

He said: "When Stephen died, everything changed.

"I had never lost anybody that young. It brought the rest of the band together, like brothers, and taught us all that life is so fragile. Perhaps it's a cliche, but it became important to live every day to its best."

Ronan Keating finds being single 'really weird'

Ronan Keating

The Boyzone star and his wife Yvonne, 38, announced their split in April after failing to patch up their marriage following an alleged affair between the singer and tour dancer Francine Cornell and he admitted adjusting to his new status is difficult after being with his spouse for 14 years.

Ronan, 35, told the Irish Independent newspaper: "It's really weird. Really weird. Because it's brand new for me. We had 14 years together. I was very young when we started together. We had this life together. It's not like 'that's done and here I do something else'.

"It's what I am going through right now. I'm just finding my feet again."

Ronan also admitted telling the couple's three kids, Jack, 13, Marie, 11, and Ali, six, about the split was difficult.

He explained: "It was hard but we tried to deal with it with their best interests at heart. Whether we like it or not, this has happened. This is the change and this is what we have to do.

"They are our priority so it's all about making sure they don't get affected too much. Yvonne and myself are very conscious of that. We are doing the best we can do right now."

Ronan has now moved into a bachelor pad near his marital home in Malahide, Co Dublin in order to be near the children and is still a big part of their lives.

He said: "I'm only 200 or 300 yards down the street from the old house, so the kids are around all the time. I am there 100 per cent for them every day. I do the school run in the morning, I am there when they finish school, I am there all evening."

Ronan Keating confirms marriage break-up via Twitter account - Split set to cost singer half his $40million fortune

Ronan Keating and his wife Yvonne

Boyzone star Ronan Keating has confirmed his marriage is over – and his divorce could cost him $20million.

Keating confirmed via Twitter that his 14-year marriage to model Yvonne has ended.

The relationship has been rocky since 2010 revelations of the singer’s affair with a dancer.

The 35-year-old Keating tweeted: “Sadly our news is true. Thank u all for your support. Yvonne and I still love and care for each other and want to protect our kids. X.”

Yvonne had earlier tweeted: “Sadly, our marriage ended late last year. We kept this news private to give everybody involved time to adjust. Thank you for your support x.”

Currently working as a judge on the X Factor in Australia, Keating is expected to move down under permanently.

Divorce experts say the split will cost the singer at least half his $40million fortune.

Friends have spoken in the Irish media of their shock at the news.

Music producer Bill Hughes said: “I met Ronan and Yvonne in La Stampa on Christmas Eve together and they were in the best of form.

“I'm really sad because Ronan and Yvonne were terrific together.”

Friends comfort Boyzone star Ronan Keating in Australia after marriage ends

Ronan and Yvonne Keating

Boyzone singer Ronan Keating has split from model wife Yvonne, almost three years after his fling with a backing dancer was revealed.

The celebrity couple are living separate lives according to various reports in the Irish Sunday newspapers.
Keating, currently working in Australia, had been married to the former model for 14 years and they have three children together.

Friends have spoken of how they battled for the last two and a half years to save the marriage after the revelation of his infidelity.

A friend told the Irish Sun: “Although Ronan and Yvonne couldn’t patch things up, they are both determined to be there for their kids.

“They still love each other and it looked for a long time like things would work out. However they wanted to tell their children and then their friends first, before everyone found out.”

Keating’s world turned upside down in 2010 when details emerged of his affair with blonde dancer Francine Cornell.

He begged for forgiveness from his wife but his recent work commitments in Australia have seen the pair drift apart after Yvonne refused to move Down Under.

“I will never move to Australia because Ireland is home,” she said last year.

Rumours of their split first surfaced at the start of March when Yvonne posed for cameras at a Mother’s Day shoot without her wedding ring.