Gareth Gates facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gareth Gates
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Gates in 2011
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gareth Paul Gates |
| Born | 12 July 1984 West Bowling, West Yorkshire, England |
| Origin | Bradford, West Yorkshire, England |
| Genres | Pop |
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| Years active | 2002–present |
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Gareth Paul Gates (born 12 July 1984) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. He became well-known as the runner-up in the first season of the TV talent show Pop Idol in 2002. By 2008, Gareth had sold over 3.5 million records in the UK. He is also known for having a stutter, and he has openly shared his experiences with his speech impediment.
In 2009, Gareth started performing in musical theatre. He played the main role in the West End show Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. From 2009 to 2011, he played Marius in Les Misérables, first on tour and then in London's West End. He also took on roles in other musicals like Eddie in Loserville and Warner in Legally Blonde. He was also part of the pop group 5th Story.
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Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Gareth Gates was born in West Bowling, Bradford, England. He grew up with his parents, Paul and Wendy Gates, and his three sisters. His family also fostered other children. Gareth and his sisters went to Dixons City Academy in Bradford, where he studied art and music.
Joining the Choir and Royal Performance
At nine years old, Gareth joined the Bradford Cathedral choir. By age eleven, he was the head chorister. He even sang a solo for Queen Elizabeth II when she visited in 1997. Gareth achieved high grades in piano, classical guitar, and singing. He also played guitar at his church. Before the Pop Idol finals, he earned a reserve spot at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
Music Career and Pop Idol Fame
Gareth Gates became famous after appearing on the first series of the show in February 2002. He finished as the runner-up to Will Young. Even though he didn't win, Simon Cowell quickly signed him to the BMG record label.
First Hit Singles and Debut Album
Gareth's first single was a cover of "Unchained Melody". It went straight to number one in the UK. This song sold so many copies that it became "double-platinum" and was voted 2002's The Record of the Year. His next single, "Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake)", also reached number one. He then had another number-one hit with "Suspicious Minds"/"The Long and Winding Road", which was a duet with Pop Idol winner Will Young. His fourth single, "What My Heart Wants to Say", reached number five.
Gareth's first album, What My Heart Wants to Say, sold 100,000 copies in its first week. It reached number two in the UK Albums Chart and also became double-platinum.
Charity Work and Second Album
In 2003, Gareth sang the Comic Relief charity single, "Spirit in the Sky", with The Kumars. This song was a UK number-one hit for two weeks. He also appeared in Comic Relief's Celebrity Driving School. Through Comic Relief, he became involved with Body and Soul, a charity that helps people affected by HIV and AIDS.
His next single, "Sunshine", reached number three. It was from his second album, Go Your Own Way, released in October 2003. This album was not as successful in the UK as his first. However, it did well in some Asian countries. Gareth won MTV Asia's award for Best International Male in 2003/04. He also received the same award from MTV China and MTV Taiwan.
Break from Music and New Beginnings
Gareth's single "Say it Isn't So" reached number four in late 2003. This was his last single in the UK until April 2007. In early 2004, he went on a UK arena tour. He then promoted his album in Europe and Asia. After this, he took a break and trained as a speech coach with the McGuire Programme.
By this time, Gareth had sold over three million singles in the UK. His songs "Unchained Melody," "Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake)," and "Spirit in the Sky" were among the best-selling singles of the 2000s. In the 2003 film Seeing Double, Gareth played a clone of himself alongside the pop group S Club. He also helped raise awareness for AIDS by performing at a charity concert in Indonesia with MTV.
Later Career and New Ventures
In 2006, Gareth appeared in an ITV1 documentary called Whatever Happened To Gareth Gates?. This show talked about his experiences in the music industry and his life. The documentary confirmed a new record deal with UMTV and a new album. He had been working with famous writers and producers for his new music.
New Music and TV Appearances
The first single from Gareth's third album was "Changes", released in April 2007. It reached number 14. A second single, "Angel on My Shoulder", was released in June 2007, reaching number 22. Both songs were only in the UK Top 40 for one week. Gareth's third album, Pictures of the Other Side, was released in June 2007. It was his lowest-selling album and only stayed on the UK album chart for two weeks.
In 2008, Gareth appeared on ITV1's Dancing on Ice with his skating partner Maria Filippov. They finished in fourth place.
Musical Theatre and Group Reunion
In 2009, Gareth was cast as the lead in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in London. He played Joseph from February to May 2009. In June 2009, it was announced that Gareth would join the cast of the International 25th Anniversary World Tour of Les Misérables as Marius. He chose the tour because it was a new production. A live recording of the cast, Les Misérables Live, was released in September 2010.
After the tour, Gareth joined the West End production of Les Misérables at Queen's Theatre. He continued to play Marius until June 2011. In January 2012, Gareth performed in a charity production of Children of Eden to help raise money for Crohn's disease.
A documentary called Stop My Stutter was shown on BBC Three in February 2012. In the show, Gareth worked with young people who stammer. He hoped the documentary would help people understand what it's like to have a speech difficulty.
Instead of a planned musical tour, Gareth played Eddie in the new musical Loserville at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2012. In July 2012, Gareth took over the role of Warner in the UK tour of Legally Blonde.
The Big Reunion and Recent Work
In early 2013, Gareth toured in the musical Boogie Nights. In December 2013, it was announced that Gareth, along with other singers, would form a "supergroup" called 5th Story for the ITV2 documentary The Big Reunion. The group then toured in October 2014.
In January 2014, Gareth returned to Dancing on Ice for its final series. He finished in 7th place. A collection of his songs, The Very Best of Gareth Gates, was released in March 2014. In 2016, Gareth starred as Willard in a national tour of Footloose.
In June 2022, Gareth hosted a "Big 80s Festival" in Bradford to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. He also headlined Dartford Pride on 2 July 2022. In 2023, Gareth won the British reality TV show Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. He also played Squidward in the UK tour of SpongeBob: The Musical in 2023.
Personal Life
Gareth Gates lived in Chiswick, West London, with his wife Suzanne Gates (née Mole) until they separated in 2012. They met in 2002. They got engaged on New Year's Eve 2007 and married on 18 July 2008. They had a daughter on 6 April 2009.
Gareth met Faye Brookes in 2012 when they were in Legally Blonde: The Musical together. Their relationship ended in 2019. As of 2023, Gareth is in a relationship with stage actress Allana Taylor.
Charitable Work and Advocacy
Gareth has supported many charities. In September 2008, he played football for England in Soccer Aid to help UNICEF.
Gareth became a qualified speech coach and instructor with the McGuire Programme. He helps people with stammers, just like his own. He has led courses to help others improve their speech. He has also spoken to politicians at the Palace of Westminster about communication difficulties. In 2011, he received an award for his work as an ambassador, raising awareness about speech issues.
In 2012, Gareth, along with Jonathan Wilkes and their wives, started the Gates and Wilkes Academy of Performing Arts for young people in Bradford. Gareth now has three performing arts academies in Yorkshire.
Gareth is a patron of the HIV/AIDS charity Body and Soul and The Bobby Moore Fund, which supports research into bowel cancer. In 2020, he presented the BBC Lifeline Appeal for the British Stammering Association.
Discography
Studio Albums
- What My Heart Wants to Say (2002)
- Go Your Own Way (2003)
- Pictures of the Other Side (2007)
Compilation Albums
- The Very Best of Gareth Gates (2014)
Theatre Roles
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Joseph. West End 2009
- Les Misérables international tour. Marius 2009/10
- Les Misérables. Marius. West End 2010/11
- Loserville. Eddie Arch. West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds 2012
- Legally Blonde UK Tour. Warner. 2012
- Sleeping Beauty. The Prince. Marlowe Theatre 2012–2013
- Boogie Nights. Dean. UK tour 2013
- Footloose. Willard. UK tour 2016
- Jack and the Beanstalk. Jack. Hull New Theatre 2022
- SpongeBob: The Musical. Squidward. UK Tour 2023.
Tours
Pop Tours
- Pop Idol Arena Tour (2002)
- Will Young and Gareth Gates Arena Tour (2002)
- Go Your Own Way Arena Tour – UK and Asia (2004)
Awards and Recognition
UK Awards
- The Record of the Year 2002: "Unchained Melody"
- Smash Hits Awards 2002: Best Male, Best Hair, Best Newcomer, Most Fanciable Male
- Smash Hits Awards 2003: Best Male, Best Single ("Sunshine")
- Young Achievers Yorkshire 2002
- Special award for service to Yorkshire 2002
- Giving Voice Celebrity Ambassador award. October 2011
Overseas Awards
- MTV Asia: Best International Male 2003/2004
- MTV China: Best International Male 2003/2004
- MTV Taiwan: Best International Male 2003/2004
- TMF Belgium: Best International Pop
- MTV Taiwan: Inspiration to Youth
- G-Music (Taiwan): Best International Artist 2003
- Hit FM: Best single of 2003 (Anyone of Us)
See also
In Spanish: Gareth Gates para niños
