Boyzone star Ronan Keating has said the group's new three-part documentary series Boyzone: No Matter What gets "justice" for late band member Stephen Gately.
The documentary features candid interviews with singers Keating, Mikey Graham, Keith Duffy, and Shane Lynch.
It explores the highs and lows of the boyband, including the tabloids' treatment of Gately and his untimely death at the age of 33 as a result of an undiagnosed heart condition.
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Speaking on Sunday with Miriam on RTÉ Radio 1, Keating recounted the experience of Gately coming under pressure to come out as gay before the tabloid newspapers outed him.
"I find it very upsetting. I still haven't come to terms with the loss of Steo, none of us have," Keating told presenter Miriam O'Callaghan. "The injustice that happened at that time, it's left me bitter. I miss him still. It's unfair the hurt, the pain that was caused.
"I remember we all flew back to Dublin and we met Stephen's mum and dad at the airport hotel and Stephen went off to a room to tell his mum and dad that he was gay.
"The press had made him, had pressured him to have to do that. The pain that that caused him was so horrific. And the anxiety and the stress - it's just so unjust.
"The fear that he had [was] that the fans were going to turn their back on him and the band, which they didn't; it was the total opposite. I'll never forget it."
Keating, who also served as a producer on the documentary series, continued: "If nothing else, this film is Stephen's legacy, that people get to see the beautiful human being that he was, the talent, the heart, but also how badly he was treated, because he could never talk about it.
"We get to do that for Stephen, to find that justice for Steo... Finally, it's nice to be able to deal with that matter, and it's put to bed now.
"We were scared something bad was going to happen. It scarred him for life. Whoever was involved, God forgive them."
The singer spoke about the devastation of hearing about Gately's death in 2009 and recounted how he had to tell the other Boyzone members the news.
"The hardest part was listening to the boys, because I had to call the boys," he said. "The screams down the phone. It's stayed with me for life. It's horrific. The days that followed... it was an out-of-body experience."
Keating also explained the reasoning behind making the documentary now.
"It's an incredibly honest story," he said. "We didn't have social media in the 90s, so nobody got to see the real band, what we were like, what we were having for breakfast, what airplane we were on, what city we were in.
"It was only the moments we were on Top of the Pops, or Live and Kicking, or The Late Late Show that people actually got to see us and understand what Boyzone was.
"Obviously, there's so much more going on behind the scenes. This was our time, after 30 years, to tell our story, get it out there, for people to see it warts and all.
"It's a hard watch. I watched it many times, it breaks me every time. I've asked myself, at times, 'Why did I do this?' Because there's times I don't think I come out of it very well.
"I apologise in the film for certain things that I did, not everything, because some things that I did were unfair. It's my truth. I've come to terms with it now and I'm excited for people to see it."
The documentary also features contributions from the band's former manager, Louis Walsh, with whom they have had a complicated relationship over the years.
"We couldn't tell this story without Louis," Keating said. "We wouldn't be where we are today if it wasn't for Louis's drive, determination, and all of the things that he did to get Boyzone heard and accepted, especially in Ireland when people were laughing at us.
"Louis was trying everything to make it work, so we owe him that and I'm incredibly grateful. But there were obviously some difficult times, especially between Louis and I, and things that are said.
"I'm glad it's all out in the open, and Louis has apologised. He's very kind in certain ways. I think people are going to be surprised by how honest it is."
There were also tensions between the group, and in particular, Mikey Graham, who felt sidelined by Walsh.
"Obviously, I witnessed that first-hand, so I understand where that resentment comes from. I'm very grateful that I was given the opportunity as the lead singer in the band," Keating said.
"Mikey and I, we talk a bit, so I know where he is in his headspace and I've always known how he's felt about this scenario. But we've never been that honest to talk about the resentment with each other. The documentary was almost a platform for us to get that in the open.
"I love Mick to bits and he's my brother. I'll always be there for him and I'll always back him. But I guess we had to air this, for each other. Between us, it's ok, it's fine. We're grown-ups, we know how it works. But it was hard to hear it for the first time, for sure."
When pressed by O'Callaghan if Boyzone would ever get back together again, Keating was firm.
"We've done the comeback, we've done the shows," he said. "I think this is the final chapter of our story and I think enough is enough. I think we're done."
Boyzone: No Matter What is on 2 February on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW.
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