Gareth Gates

Gareth Gates endeared himself to British television viewers as the boy with the stutter who sang like a dream and was narrowly beaten in the first series of Pop Idol in 2002. It led to a string of hits, followed by a productive career in musical theatre. From Bradford in the north of England, Gates joined the local cathedral choir at the age of nine and was head chorister by 11, singing solo for the Queen in 1997. He also studied piano, classical guitar and singing and won a place at the Royal College of Music in Manchester at the time he entered Pop Idol in 2002. He was the hot favourite to win the final but, although he was narrowly beaten by Will Young in the public vote, was still signed by Simon Cowell to record on his BMG label. His first single Unchained Melody went straight to Number 1 and he followed it with Anyone Of Us (Stupid Mistake) and had his third successive chart-topper teaming up with Will Young on the double A-side Suspicious Minds/The Long And Winding Road. Gates' debut album What My Heart Wants To Say reached Number 2 and he sang Spirit In The Sky with comedy troupe The Kumars as the Comic Relief charity single. Second album Go Your Own Way was released in 2003 by which time he'd sold over three million singles in less than two years in a lightning rise to fame. He also managed to overcome his speech impediment and took a break from music to train and work as a speech coach and therapist. However, he did work on an album and co-wrote with singer songwriter Judie Tzuke and was back in the charts in 2007 with Changes and a new album Pictures Of The Other Side. It was not a success, however and, after winning the role of Marius in Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2009, he subsequently concentrated on musical theatre, going on to appear in Les Miserables, Legally Blonde, Loserville and Boogie Nights. He also teamed up with Adam Rickitt, Kenzie, Dane Bowers and Kavana in the pop "supergroup" 5th Story for a TV show, with a major UK tour in 2014.