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 |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, actor |
| Instruments | Vocals, keyboards |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Labels | RCA / BMG (S Records) / 19 Recordings (2002–2006) UMTV /19 Recordings (2006–2007) RCA Records (2009–present) |
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Gareth Paul Gates (born 12 July 1984) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. He became famous as the runner-up in the first series of the TV talent show Pop Idol in 2002. By 2008, Gates had sold over 3.5 million records in the UK. He is also known for having a stutter, and he has openly talked about his speech impediment.
In 2009, Gates began acting in musical theatre. He played the main role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in London's West End. He also played Marius in Les Misérables and other roles in musicals like Loserville and Legally Blonde. He was also part of the pop group 5th Story, which was formed for the TV show The Big Reunion.
Contents
Early Life and Music Training
Gareth Gates was born in West Bowling, Bradford, England. He grew up with his three sisters and a cousin who was fostered by his family. His parents often fostered other children. Gareth and his sisters went to Dixons City Technology College in Bradford, where he studied art and music.
When he was nine, Gareth joined the Bradford Cathedral choir. By age eleven, he was the head chorister and even sang a solo for the Queen in 1997. He achieved high grades in playing the piano, classical guitar, and singing. He also played guitar at his church. Before the finals of Pop Idol, he was offered a place at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
Music Career Highlights
Becoming a Pop Idol Star
Gareth Gates was the runner-up on the first series of Pop Idol in February 2002. Even though he didn't win, he was quickly signed by music boss Simon Cowell to the BMG record label.
His first single, a cover of "Unchained Melody", went straight to number one in the UK. It sold millions of copies and was voted the best record of 2002 by ITV viewers. He then had another number-one hit with "Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake)". His third single, a duet with Pop Idol winner Will Young, also reached number one. His debut album, What My Heart Wants to Say, was very popular and sold over 100,000 copies in its first week.
In 2003, Gareth sang the Comic Relief charity single, "Spirit in the Sky", with The Kumars. This song was also a UK number-one hit for two weeks. He also appeared in a Comic Relief TV show called Celebrity Driving School.
Later Music and Tours
Gareth's 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, but it did well in several Asian countries. Gareth won MTV Asia's award for Best International Male in 2003/04.
His single "Say it Isn't So" reached number four in late 2003. After this, Gareth took a break from releasing music in the UK. He went on an arena tour in the UK and promoted his album in Europe and Asia. He also trained to become a speech coach. By this time, Gareth had sold over three million singles in the UK. He also appeared in the 2003 film, Seeing Double, with the pop group S Club.
In 2006, Gareth appeared in an ITV documentary called Whatever Happened To Gareth Gates?. This show talked about his experiences in the music industry. He then signed a new record deal with UMTV and released his third album, Pictures of the Other Side, in 2007. The singles "Changes" and "Angel on My Shoulder" were released from this album.
Musical Theatre and TV Appearances
From Pop Star to Stage Actor
In 2008, Gareth appeared on ITV's Dancing on Ice with his skating partner Maria Filippov. They finished in fourth place.
In 2009, Gareth was chosen to play the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Adelphi Theatre in London. He performed in this role until May 2009.
Later in 2009, Gareth joined the cast of the International 25th Anniversary World Tour of Les Misérables as Marius. He chose the tour because it was a new production, allowing him to make the role his own. After the tour, he continued to play Marius in the West End production of Les Misérables until June 2011.
New Musicals and TV Shows
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 had stammers, just like him. He hoped the documentary would help people understand what it's like to have a speech difficulty.
Gareth then played Eddie in the new musical Loserville at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2012. He also took on the role of Warner in the UK tour of the musical Legally Blonde in July 2012.
Recent Projects
In early 2013, Gareth toured in the musical Boogie Nights. In December 2013, it was announced that he would form a "supergroup" called 5th Story for the ITV2 documentary The Big Reunion. The group then went on tour in October 2014.
In January 2014, Gareth returned to Dancing on Ice for its final series, partnering with Brianne Delcourt. 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 2017, he appeared in a Robin Hood Easter Panto.
In June 2022, Gareth hosted a "Big 80s Festival" in Bradford to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. He also headlined Dartford Pride in July 2022. In 2023, Gareth won the British reality TV show Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Personal Life and Charity Work
Gareth Gates lived in Chiswick, West London, with his wife Suzanne Gates (née Mole) until they separated in 2012. They met in 2002 and married in 2008. They had a daughter in 2009. Gareth later met Faye Brookes in 2012 when they were in Legally Blonde: The Musical. They ended their relationship in 2019.
Gareth is 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 to raise awareness about speech and language difficulties. In 2011, he received an award for his work as an ambassador, helping people understand speech issues.
In 2012, Gareth, along with Jonathan Wilkes and their wives, started the Gates and Wilkes Academy of Performing Arts for young people aged 5–18 in Bradford. After his separation, Gareth now runs three performing arts academies in Yorkshire.
Gareth is a supporter of the HIV/AIDS charity Body and Soul and The Bobby Moore Fund, which helps research into bowel cancer. In 2008, he played football for England in Soccer Aid to raise money for UNICEF. 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
International 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 (AOU)
See also
In Spanish: Gareth Gates para niños
