0:00:06 > 0:00:08GARY CHUCKLES
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Hey! How are you, boss?
0:00:12 > 0:00:14- How are you?- I'm good. - You all right?- I'm good.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Wait there. I'll just grab my stuff.
0:00:23 > 0:00:24Can you pop the boot?
0:00:24 > 0:00:27What's happening? We're only going for two nights.
0:00:27 > 0:00:28JAMES GRUNTS
0:00:28 > 0:00:31You have seriously over-packed.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34- There's just one more. Hang on. - Oh, you're kidding?
0:00:36 > 0:00:38Here y'are.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40- You'll like this one, though. - Oh, a picnic.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44- So...goji berries.- Amazing.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46- These things. Yeah. - Yeah, OK.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49It's not real chocolate, that. It's chocolate that's good for you.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52- You've thought about this. - Damn straight.- Amazing.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55- I'll put it in the boot. If you get hungry, let me know.- Good man.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01- Hey...- Is that it? - ..I've got something to show you.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04- Not more? - I've packed me pyjamas.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07- GARY LAUGHS - Hey?
0:01:07 > 0:01:09I'm kidding. I don't wear it any more.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11All right.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13- All right, let's go. - Shall we hit the road?- Road trip.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15- Road trip, here we go. - Party on, Wayne.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Is this going to be like a stag weekend, this?
0:01:22 > 0:01:25- Is it all going to kick off? - I hope not.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Are we going to be emptying the minibar and stuff?
0:01:27 > 0:01:29I can't stand stag dos, can you?
0:01:29 > 0:01:31I don't think I've ever been to one.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34- Really?- Yeah. - When I got married, we just had a...
0:01:34 > 0:01:37We played football in the day, and then went out in the evening.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41But now, it's like stag dos last...
0:01:41 > 0:01:44- People go, "I'm going to Poland for a week."- Right.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Why did you agree to do this documentary?
0:01:48 > 0:01:53I think it's a good time to tell this...story of what's happened.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55What's happened in the last sort of few months,
0:01:55 > 0:02:00it's closed the door on a pretty rubbish time for me.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16It's the greatest story of the modern pop music era,
0:02:16 > 0:02:18the Gary Barlow story. Bar none.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22For him to be called a survivor at 40 says quite something.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26He could've gone one way, but he's gone completely the other.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30You can't point to it anywhere in musical history
0:02:30 > 0:02:31that this has happened.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35You know, he's a true renaissance man.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Throughout it all, he realised
0:02:39 > 0:02:41that music was never going to turn its back on him,
0:02:41 > 0:02:44and eventually it's what saved him.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45# Oh-h-h
0:02:45 > 0:02:50# Yeah, you and me We can ride on a star
0:02:50 > 0:02:52# If you stay with me, girl... #
0:02:52 > 0:02:57Last month, Gary Barlow played a sold-out arena tour across the UK.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01Yet only a decade ago, this would never have been thought possible.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04But Gary Barlow has become one of Britain's best-loved pop stars.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06He also happens to be mine.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09For years, I've been watching Gary at gigs, buying his albums,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11and doing his dance routines.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Now I've got the chance to spend a few days with him,
0:03:13 > 0:03:15travelling across the country,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18finding out the truth about his remarkable story.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22# ..For you. #
0:03:27 > 0:03:30It's two months until Gary goes on his arena tour,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34so first stop on our road trip is the studio for band rehearsals.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35Hey, boys.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37- ALL:- Hey.
0:03:37 > 0:03:38Hey.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41- This is James, everyone.- Hi.- Hello.
0:03:41 > 0:03:42What do you want to sing?
0:03:42 > 0:03:45No, I'll just watch. Whatever, you know...
0:03:45 > 0:03:49You know that you really don't just want to watch, though.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52- We all know it.- I do right now. I'll sit over here.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Just checking Shine, just for levels.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Levels, yeah. I've just got no mic.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00If Gary's mic's not up, guys, we can probably just start,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02and you join in, Gaz, when you're ready.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04OK, count me in, Mike.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07I actually thought that was Gary there.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Yeah. I get that a lot.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12SONG: "Shine"
0:04:15 > 0:04:19# You, you're such a big star to me
0:04:19 > 0:04:21# Everything I wanna be
0:04:21 > 0:04:24# But you're stuck in a hole
0:04:24 > 0:04:26# And I want you to get out... #
0:04:26 > 0:04:30- So we've found some clips. - Mm-hmm.- We've done some digging.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Don't have to dig very deep, do you, for good clips of me?
0:04:33 > 0:04:35- Some of these you do.- Really?
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Some of these, you've got to dig deep.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41And I thought it might be fun for us to watch them together
0:04:41 > 0:04:43- and talk about them. - Fun for you, or me?- Both.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46- Here is Gary Barlow. - APPLAUSE
0:04:46 > 0:04:49- He's got a briefcase with him. - Briefcase! What?!
0:04:49 > 0:04:52First question, what's with the briefcase?
0:04:52 > 0:04:54I had some music in it.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58He was always into music. Always into singing.
0:04:58 > 0:04:59Always into playing the piano.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02That seemed to be the environment in which he grew up in.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Anyone who really wanted a career in music,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08you sacrificed what I always refer to
0:05:08 > 0:05:11as the BMX years of your childhood.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Those times when your mates are going out on their bikes,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17or their skateboards... Those years don't exist for a musician,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19because you're in your bedroom learning your instrument.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22And Gary was exactly that same model.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26Well, he had to grow up fast, because he was working in the working men's clubs.
0:05:26 > 0:05:27So, as a 15-year-old man,
0:05:27 > 0:05:30he had to deal with guys who'd had four pints of bitter
0:05:30 > 0:05:32on a Saturday afternoon and were shouting abuse at him.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35You know, what a great education that is for any performer.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40So this is your last performance at the British Legion.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43- I don't think I want to watch this. - You're the headliner.- I don't...
0:05:43 > 0:05:46- You're not going to make me sit through this, are you? - Here he comes. You kill it.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48CROWD CHAT AS MUSIC FADES IN
0:05:48 > 0:05:51- 'Listen though, listen to the tension.'- 'No, I'm dying.'
0:05:51 > 0:05:52MUSIC STARTS, GARY GASPS
0:05:52 > 0:05:54What?
0:05:56 > 0:05:58"Hang on a minute, Sheila, who's coming on?"
0:06:00 > 0:06:04- Oh, James, I can't watch it. - "Brian, sit down. Brian, sit down."
0:06:04 > 0:06:05GARY CHUCKLES
0:06:05 > 0:06:07- "Gary's on."- I can't watch it.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11- 'This is going to be like that Boyzone clip.'- 'Oh, it's dramatic.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13'Oh, it's worse than that, buddy.'
0:06:13 > 0:06:15- GARY SINGS - 'Look at the trousers.'
0:06:15 > 0:06:18- 'Move the stand.'- 'Oh, no.' - 'Move the stand.'
0:06:18 > 0:06:20Look at the trousers!
0:06:20 > 0:06:22# Never ever known
0:06:22 > 0:06:25# You're just a part of my loneliness... #
0:06:25 > 0:06:28- Are you ready?- No, I know what's coming.- Watch. No, watch it.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30- You've got to watch it. - No, I know...
0:06:30 > 0:06:33# The way you make me feel GARY LAUGHS
0:06:33 > 0:06:36James! James, I can't bear it!
0:06:36 > 0:06:39- No, come on.- I can't bear it. - You have to watch it.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42- I can't believe you're making me sit through this.- Come on. Come on.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45- BEAT KICKS IN - Oh, there it is.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49- GARY ON CLIP: Here we go! - "Here we go!"- Oh, God.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53'It was clear that the 600 or so gigs that Gary did
0:06:53 > 0:06:56'at the working men's club had a huge effect on him.'
0:06:56 > 0:06:57APPLAUSE
0:06:57 > 0:07:01Thank you once again, ladies and gentlemen. Mr Gary Barlow!
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Star of the future.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07'So our next stop was up to Runcorn
0:07:07 > 0:07:10'to visit the place where Gary learned so much.'
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Right, here we... Look at the curtain!
0:07:22 > 0:07:25JAMES LAUGHS You can see this is special.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29- Here we go.- Wow.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30- Hiya, Chris.- Gary!
0:07:30 > 0:07:32How are you, mate?
0:07:32 > 0:07:35I know, you've come for that tenner I owe ya!
0:07:35 > 0:07:36THEY LAUGH
0:07:36 > 0:07:39- How are you?- How are you doing? Lovely to see you.- This is James.
0:07:39 > 0:07:40- Hello.- James, I knew you'd be here
0:07:40 > 0:07:43cos I'd seen the road was Corden-ed off. Hey!
0:07:43 > 0:07:45THEY LAUGH
0:07:45 > 0:07:48- Chris was the compere when I was here...- I was the compere. - ..which is how long ago?
0:07:48 > 0:07:51- Well, when I came here you were 15. - Right.- Yeah.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54- And you're still the compere now? - I'm still the compere. Yeah.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57- Look a bit different. - You don't look much different.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Oh, thank you, Gary. The story I like to tell
0:08:00 > 0:08:02is the one about when you come walking out with a piece of paper.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05You said, "Hey, Chris, I've written this song.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07"Any chance of singing it?" So I got on the mic, said,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10"Ladies and gentlemen, Gary has written this song,
0:08:10 > 0:08:11"could you all be quite attentive,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14"and, when he's finished singing it, give him a big clap."
0:08:14 > 0:08:17And I always remember you put it up, like that, you blow on your mic...
0:08:17 > 0:08:19# Put your head against my life
0:08:19 > 0:08:21# What do you hear? #
0:08:21 > 0:08:24And then you got this rapturous applause at the end of it, you know?
0:08:24 > 0:08:28- So, would that be the first time you performed A Million Love Songs... - Definitely...
0:08:28 > 0:08:31- ..would've been here?- ..because I only ever used to sing here.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34He was quiet, shy. He was a good dancer.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36I dunno, somewhere along the line I lost that!
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Probably the way you remember things in here.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40JAMES LAUGHS
0:08:40 > 0:08:41What are we going to go for?
0:08:41 > 0:08:43In honour of Phil Everly, this.
0:08:43 > 0:08:44# Dream
0:08:44 > 0:08:47# Dream, dream, dream
0:08:47 > 0:08:50# Dream
0:08:50 > 0:08:52# Dream, dream, dream
0:08:52 > 0:08:54# When I want you
0:08:54 > 0:08:56# In my arms
0:08:56 > 0:08:59# When I want you
0:08:59 > 0:09:01# And all your charms
0:09:01 > 0:09:03# Whenever I want you
0:09:03 > 0:09:08# All I have to do is dream... #
0:09:08 > 0:09:10So, is it nice being back?
0:09:10 > 0:09:12It's brilliant being back. Brilliant.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14When was the last time you were here?
0:09:14 > 0:09:16Oh...the night I left.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19- Really?- Yeah.- You've not been back since?- No, no.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23- No.- I didn't know that. - Not once, no. Not once. Yeah.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25And now integral do you think this place has been...
0:09:25 > 0:09:28- Oh, crucial.- ..in your career? Really?- I think, I think so.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31At 14, you know...
0:09:31 > 0:09:34with what I wanted to be, and what I wanted to do...
0:09:34 > 0:09:37HE INHALES ..this was it. Just so exciting.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39This was a world older than me.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42- Yeah.- You know, and the people I were working with, they were 50.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44- Yeah.- 40, 50 years old.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48- So it makes you grow up really fast, that, when you're 14.- Yeah.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52I tell you what it did, it made me hungry for what was next.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55- Have you always felt older than your time?- Mmm.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00- It feels now like the age you are now suits you.- Yeah.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03- But you might have felt this age when you were...- Yeah.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06I've always felt older, and I've always felt...
0:10:06 > 0:10:10whether I was in the band, or in whatever situation I was in,
0:10:10 > 0:10:14- I was the responsible one.- And where does that come from, do you think?
0:10:14 > 0:10:18- I think it comes from starting here. - Really?- I think so, yeah.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20- Do you think the reason that you're cool now...- What?
0:10:20 > 0:10:23- The reason that you're cool... You are cool, you know you are.- No!
0:10:23 > 0:10:27- Oh, come on.- No.- You know you're cool now.- That scares me.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30- All right, you're not that cool. - All right.- You're not Bruno Mars.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32I'm just sort of getting carried away.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Cooler. The reason you're cooler now,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38the reason you're cooler now is that deep down you've always been 42...
0:10:38 > 0:10:41- Maybe. - ..and you've just hit your peak now.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44- And then it's going to just... - I'm worried now cos I'm 43 next week.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47I know. Well... This is where the wheels start to come off, really.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49- Maybe you're right.- Yeah.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57I've made some music for our journey.
0:10:57 > 0:10:58- Have you?- Yeah.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02What have we got here?
0:11:02 > 0:11:04SONG: "Love Ain't Here Anymore"
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Oh, you know what this is. Great tune.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09- This is the American version. - Oh, is it? The American version?
0:11:09 > 0:11:12- Yeah. Yeah. We... JAMES:- # Don't you want me to go? #
0:11:12 > 0:11:15We re-recorded it.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19BOTH SING ALONG: # Why don't you beg me to stay
0:11:19 > 0:11:21# For love
0:11:21 > 0:11:25# And talk the way we used to talk
0:11:25 > 0:11:28# Till we both know what was lost... #
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Why did you...? Why this one?
0:11:30 > 0:11:33- Oh, it's a whole mix. - Oh, it's...- It's a whole mix.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35The whole back catalogue.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36# Love...
0:11:36 > 0:11:40BOTH: # ..ain't here anymore... #
0:11:40 > 0:11:42- Do you like this one?- Yes!
0:11:42 > 0:11:48# No, no Love ain't here anymore... #
0:11:48 > 0:11:49Go on, take it big, Gary. Go.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53- # It's gone away - # Oooh, oooh
0:11:53 > 0:11:58# To a town called yesterday
0:11:58 > 0:12:00- # Love - Love
0:12:00 > 0:12:02# Ain't here anymore. #
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Let's see what else we've got. Hang on.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07SONG: "Do What U Like" Oh, here it is. The classic.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09JAMES LAUGHS
0:12:09 > 0:12:12This is going to be huge. Huge Bonneville.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15- OK, go. - # If only they all knew
0:12:15 > 0:12:17# Jam!
0:12:17 > 0:12:19GARY MUMBLES LYRICS # ..took my bread
0:12:19 > 0:12:21# Jam... Energy!
0:12:21 > 0:12:23GARY MUMBLES AGAIN # ..rest or play
0:12:23 > 0:12:26BOTH: # Me, myself I'd rather be alone again
0:12:26 > 0:12:28# So you can do what you like... #
0:12:28 > 0:12:29Come on, Gaz, go.
0:12:29 > 0:12:30# Do what you like... #
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- Come on!- Mate, I'm driving!
0:12:33 > 0:12:35# Do what you want
0:12:35 > 0:12:38- BOTH: # Do what you like - # Do what you like
0:12:38 > 0:12:42- # No need to tell me - # Do what you want... #
0:12:42 > 0:12:43Massive.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46- # Cherry pie - # You're not as cute as me
0:12:46 > 0:12:51- # Ice - # Could never be as cold as you... #
0:12:51 > 0:12:53'At the time when they first emerged, they were a bit of a
0:12:53 > 0:12:56'comedy act, because they were all about the dance routines and the image.'
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Carefully constructed by Nigel Martin-Smith.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02'I first heard of Take That when I was working on The Word.'
0:13:02 > 0:13:04The Word always had this novelty side to it,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07and I remember being shown the video of these bunch of boys
0:13:07 > 0:13:09'throwing jelly at each other, and kind of cavorting around,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11'and all of us clustered around my desk,'
0:13:11 > 0:13:14looking at this video and going, "Oh, my God! What the hell is that?"
0:13:19 > 0:13:22# Standing back I can't believe... #
0:13:22 > 0:13:24'So he was sort of thrown into this situation,'
0:13:24 > 0:13:28a musician all of a sudden having to then...learn
0:13:28 > 0:13:30what the other boys already knew, which was dance moves,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33and, you know, being cool kids on the block, sort of thing.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Gaz wasn't.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39He was a geek from Frodsham that liked synthesisers.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Now, just talk me through a sec.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Cycling apparel is big...
0:13:50 > 0:13:53and you've gone, "Guys, I'm not going to wear a shirt,
0:13:53 > 0:13:55- "I'm just going to wear this neckerchief."- Oh.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57- "And what on the bottom?" - I can't remember.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00"What will you wear on the bottom?" "I'll wear my red cycle shorts.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02"If anyone's got a belt, that would be great."
0:14:02 > 0:14:04It's an amazing look!
0:14:04 > 0:14:06It's an incredible look.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09- 'A group of lads...' - 'This is Nigel Martin-Smith now.'
0:14:09 > 0:14:10..could become as big as,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13if not bigger than, New Kids On The Block.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15I tell you what I find amazing, though, is his confidence...
0:14:15 > 0:14:18- I know.- ..to say, "I think I've found..."- I know.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20"..five boys who are going to be as big..."
0:14:20 > 0:14:22- And it wasn't for camera, that. - No?- He used to tell us that.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Him saying, "I think I've done it," really,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27I think says a lot about him, that he could spot...
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Sorry, I'm just recovering from that last clip still.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32You've hit me with some really bad stuff.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36That's the stuff we're trying to get off the internet, that,
0:14:36 > 0:14:37and we've just added.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41It's going on now. It's on iPlayer now.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45It was clear that Nigel Martin-Smith had a huge impact on Gary's career,
0:14:45 > 0:14:49so we took a trip to Manchester to meet up with his old manager.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- Ah-ha!- Hey!- Look who's here!
0:14:51 > 0:14:54- Nice to meet you.- James, how lovely to meet you. How are you?
0:14:54 > 0:14:57- I'm all right. OK?- Yeah, I'm good. - Nigel, tell us where we are now.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Right, this is the place that Take That very first performed.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02It's where we auditioned all the band,
0:15:02 > 0:15:05and they all sang individually on a stage over there.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07The first member of Take That was actually Mark Owen,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11and it was going to be a completely different band initially.
0:15:11 > 0:15:12It was only when this one came in
0:15:12 > 0:15:15with his songwriting talent that I thought, "Eh up..."
0:15:15 > 0:15:17- Nigel, I didn't know Mark was the first member.- Yeah.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19You know he's going to say that forever now.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Every time he's got, you know, we're saying,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24"I don't know about that idea, Mark." "I was the original member."
0:15:24 > 0:15:28What do you remember about this day, coming here? Were you nervous?
0:15:28 > 0:15:31- Did you watch each other or come in individually? - Yeah, we watched each other.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34- So you watched Howard?- Yeah. - Jason, and Mark?- Yeah.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36- You watched their auditions? - Then you had to sing,
0:15:36 > 0:15:38and everyone was a bit nervous singing, but obviously I was...
0:15:38 > 0:15:41- wasn't nervous at all, because it's what I did.- He was showing off.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43- I enjoyed it.- He was showing off. - I was showing off.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47He was looking at Jason, going, "I can't dance like that, but I can sing like this."
0:15:47 > 0:15:48- Yeah, I was.- Yeah.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51The dancing was the bit I was dreading the most.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53I didn't really want to be in a band, if I'm honest,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56but there was something there I liked.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58- I liked being part of a team... - Yeah.- ..that day.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01We were up there all together, all going through the same thing.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06'As we went into the second album,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08'and everything started hitting number one,'
0:16:08 > 0:16:11I just remember the pandemonium and the fans.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13'It felt like we hadn't seen something like that
0:16:13 > 0:16:15'for a decade or so.'
0:16:15 > 0:16:18They were just bigger than you could imagine a pop group being.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20'Everything about it was right.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22'The songs were catchy. The way they looked was great.'
0:16:22 > 0:16:25# And state the case of what we're dreaming of... #
0:16:25 > 0:16:28'I mean, they won everything. They won all the Smash Hits awards.'
0:16:28 > 0:16:31And of course magazines were still huge at the time,
0:16:31 > 0:16:35and they were on the front cover of everything, all the time.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Part of the reason I wanted to sit here today with Nigel
0:16:38 > 0:16:42was, you know, when I look back, and the history of my career,
0:16:42 > 0:16:46Nigel is the true person who plucked me from the population
0:16:46 > 0:16:49- and went, "I'm going to believe in you."- So...
0:16:49 > 0:16:53tell me about how this relationship first started.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56This, what I'm about to show you, was our...
0:16:56 > 0:16:59It was my way into your office.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01- Oh, yeah.- I was sending out, at the time,
0:17:01 > 0:17:05like a tape and a photograph to lots of managers.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09And this, Nige, is what came to your office.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12- That's the one. - JAMES CACKLES
0:17:12 > 0:17:13That is...
0:17:13 > 0:17:15- It was quite... - Come on, look at that.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17I know. Well, how could I refuse?
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Why would I have had a photo shoot like that?
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Looks like Annie Lennox.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26It's the, it's the armpit hair that really makes it.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29If you remember, what happened was you came in to see me,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32and at the end of it he mentioned that he was a singer in the clubs.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34He said, "I'm a songwriter."
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Well, you know, you hear that all the time, "I write songs,"
0:17:37 > 0:17:38but they're usually awful.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41You know, and he was only 19.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44So I said, "Well, drop me a cassette off, then."
0:17:44 > 0:17:45So I put the cassette on,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48and A Million Love Songs came on straightaway, and I thought,
0:17:48 > 0:17:50"I asked him to send me his songwriting,"
0:17:50 > 0:17:53cos it was a great song, but obviously a cover,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55a Barry Manilow cover, or a Neil Diamond cover.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59I rang him up and went, "I thought you were going to give me a cassette of your songs?"
0:17:59 > 0:18:01And he said, "I have." And I said, "A Million Love Songs?
0:18:01 > 0:18:05"You wrote A Million Love Songs?" And he went, "Yeah."
0:18:05 > 0:18:07So I said, "Could you come back straightaway?"
0:18:07 > 0:18:09So he did, and that was the start of it,
0:18:09 > 0:18:12cos I was like... And I was shaking, I was thinking, "Wow!"
0:18:12 > 0:18:15This was the first time where I knew
0:18:15 > 0:18:19I'd got something that could actually be quite hot property.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23# A million love songs later... #
0:18:23 > 0:18:25'When Take That emerged on the scene,'
0:18:25 > 0:18:29the bands that I was loving were Oasis, and it was Blur,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32it was Nirvana, and so Take That were a complete anathema.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36You know, I really, really didn't want to know about their world,
0:18:36 > 0:18:40I didn't care about their world, I didn't like the music they were making.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43I guess it all changed when Back For Good came out.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46# I guess now it's time... #
0:18:46 > 0:18:47That was one of those things where,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50no matter how much you might've disliked the music,
0:18:50 > 0:18:51you heard Back For Good and you were like,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54"OK, I cannot deny this is a great, great song."
0:18:54 > 0:18:56It wasn't until the Ivor Novellos,
0:18:56 > 0:18:58where Gary won all those awards,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01where people started seeing him as a songwriter,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04'and I think Back For Good probably was the point, really,
0:19:04 > 0:19:09'where people started to talk about them as a band who could write songs,
0:19:09 > 0:19:10'and Gary as a great songwriter.'
0:19:10 > 0:19:14'And I think Take That was his opportunity to kind of prove himself'
0:19:14 > 0:19:16and also to be, "If I'm in a boy band,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19"I just want us to be the biggest and the best boy band in the world."
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Gary was proving himself,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24but occasionally it was to the detriment of the other members.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Cracks and frustrations were beginning to show
0:19:26 > 0:19:29as Gary started to dominate their music.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Wasn't Robbie meant to sing lead vocal on Relight My Fire?
0:19:32 > 0:19:34- Is that true?- I think...- He did.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37He went in, and I got a call off the producer late in the night,
0:19:37 > 0:19:41saying, "We've had him in all night and it's just not working,"
0:19:41 > 0:19:45and so, the next day, I just thought, "I'm just going to do it."
0:19:45 > 0:19:49In defence of everyone else, I should have said to everyone,
0:19:49 > 0:19:53"I'm going to go and do a vocal today." There's a few things in that time...
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- That you look back and go... - ..which, believe me, still come up.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58And I just went in. I thought, "I'll do this." Bang, and I did it.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01I just did it in a way that upset people.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05When you decided to call it a day,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08like, were you involved in that decision?
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Well, I was quite involved, I think.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13It became very obvious that the band had began to,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16after Robbie left, start...going wrong, I think.
0:20:16 > 0:20:17Because it wasn't the band then.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20It was like, it was the band minus somebody,
0:20:20 > 0:20:22and so it was a different band.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24I think it felt natural.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26It felt natural to go,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29"Let's call it a day at the top."
0:20:34 > 0:20:38The pop group Take That have confirmed they're to split up
0:20:38 > 0:20:41after three years of success, including seven number one hits.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46And from today...there's no more.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51'When Take That split, it was massive.'
0:20:51 > 0:20:55Any celebrity journalist would remember that time
0:20:55 > 0:20:57like other people talk about remembering
0:20:57 > 0:21:02President Kennedy being shot. It was a huge story.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05I think a measure of Take That's success and fame
0:21:05 > 0:21:07was when the phone line was set up when they split up.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11You know, if you think that Newsround can be a Take That special,
0:21:11 > 0:21:15and John Craven can dedicate 50 minutes to the breaking up of a band,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19that's when you realise that it's transcended just pop music.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25Do you realise that you're one of the few people on earth
0:21:25 > 0:21:28who's managed to get better looking as they've got older?
0:21:28 > 0:21:32- Well, let's face it, in the last ten years... - You're like a great cheese.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35I've not been that attractive in the last ten years, in all honesty.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38You know what, the first thing I didn't want to be,
0:21:38 > 0:21:41- is I didn't want to be a fat dad. - Yeah.
0:21:41 > 0:21:46I just didn't want my kids going, "Here's Mummy, and here's Daddy."
0:21:46 > 0:21:48JAMES LAUGHS I dreaded it.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50- And, you know what, I've got an attractive wife...- Yeah.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52..you know, and when we got married...
0:21:52 > 0:21:55I said, "Yeah," a little too confidently then, I think.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Just cool it off. Cool it off.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59- You know when you didn't even realise you've said something? - I know.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02"I've got a very attractive wife." "Big time."
0:22:02 > 0:22:04THEY LAUGH
0:22:07 > 0:22:11- And when I married her, I was a fairly attractive husband...- Yeah...
0:22:11 > 0:22:13THEY LAUGH
0:22:13 > 0:22:15- No, you were.- I was.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Today sees the release of Gary's first solo single.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21Robbie's comes out at the end of the month.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23What's going on? Is this a serious spat, or is it all hype?
0:22:23 > 0:22:26I think it is. I mean, I think really it's one-sided though.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28It is really coming all from Robbie.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32Gary knows that he's going to be a big, big, big star.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Robbie, you know, he'd make a great comedian, a great presenter. He's a good singer.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39But whether or not he can write good songs still remains to be seen.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41How wrong was that?
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- Yeah.- The problem is,
0:22:45 > 0:22:49is that you don't choose to be what people think about you.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52People just assumed, "Oh, he'll be the next George Michael,
0:22:52 > 0:22:54"he'll have a huge solo career," all the rest of it.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58It's an odd thing when everything's built up around you
0:22:58 > 0:23:00that eventually you believe it.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04I intend on doing some work and trying to do an album of my own.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07I've got my own studio, so I'm writing songs all the time.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Er, hopefully in the top five in America.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12I think Gary probably played it wrong.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15Maybe there was just a slight hint of arrogance at the time.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19I think he probably thought himself that he would release an album,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22'be number one, be loved. When you have a boy band,
0:23:22 > 0:23:24'there are people there to make up for your weaknesses.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28'When you go it alone, you have to fill those roles yourself.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31'He wasn't quite as good when he was on his own in interviews.'
0:23:31 > 0:23:35He wasn't quite as charismatic on stage at that point.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38I think he probably struggled with the full package.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Coming up next is my special performance from LA of my single
0:23:42 > 0:23:45So Help Me Girl, live on Top Of The Pops.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48# So help me girl
0:23:48 > 0:23:51# You've gone too far
0:23:51 > 0:23:53# It's way too late... #
0:23:53 > 0:23:56'At that point, I think Britain was tired of the ballad.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59'You were entering lad-ism. I think Britpop was a huge thing.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01'It was all about being a bit rock'n'roll.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05'And then you've got Gary releasing another ballad-heavy album,'
0:24:05 > 0:24:07sat behind a piano,
0:24:07 > 0:24:09and I don't think people wanted that at the time.
0:24:09 > 0:24:14But meanwhile, on the other side of the street, something was going on.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18'This absolute bomb came into the charts'
0:24:18 > 0:24:21which was Robbie, and the bomb went off,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23'and it obliterated Gary,'
0:24:23 > 0:24:26because the candle burned brighter for Robbie Williams.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29- Good evening, Knebworth! - CROWD CHEER WILDLY
0:24:30 > 0:24:33My name is Robbie Williams!
0:24:34 > 0:24:36This is my band.
0:24:36 > 0:24:41And, for the next two hours, your ass is mine.
0:24:41 > 0:24:46# Let me entertain you... #
0:24:46 > 0:24:50Gary really received the brunt of Robbie's bitterness over Take That.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53He really did play a part in forcing Gary
0:24:53 > 0:24:56into the misery he was in for so many years.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00Robbie was always on hand to do a bit of Gary-bashing.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04And Robbie's very funny, and it was good copy.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11I regret that Gaz became part of my shtick for too long.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14But even through, you know,
0:25:14 > 0:25:20when I used to say bad things about Gaz, I still loved him tremendously.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24You know, I think that's why I was so hurt
0:25:24 > 0:25:28and the bitterness was because I loved that person.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30You know, my hurt came out in anger and aggression...
0:25:32 > 0:25:34..and nastiness.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38And when that goes away, all that's left is the love.
0:25:38 > 0:25:39It was just everywhere.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41The papers you read, the TV programmes you watched,
0:25:41 > 0:25:43the radio stations you listened to.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Everyone was sticking the boot into Gary Barlow.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47They call him a national treasure now.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49He was a national joke then.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51He was the butt of every weak, terrible line
0:25:51 > 0:25:55that they had to come up with. They couldn't write him off enough.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57You know, it was shameful.
0:25:57 > 0:25:58'"Poor Gary", you're thinking.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01'Going down the gym couldn't save his career, and here he is...'
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Gary Barlow never struck me as being clever.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05See, he's a nice guy, but he can't sing, he can't dance.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07And he can't write songs.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10Gary, thanks so much for inviting us around to your house today.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Hi, fans. How you doing? All right, eh?
0:26:12 > 0:26:14GB in the house. Getting down wit' me hoes.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16Eh? Give me five, please!
0:26:18 > 0:26:19- Oh, right, yeah.- Yeah?
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Eh? Yeah? Thanking you!
0:26:21 > 0:26:25'I remember presenting Top Of The Pops one time, and Gary was there'
0:26:25 > 0:26:28as a solo artist and things were not going very well for him at all.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32And both of us standing in the wings while a band were playing and
0:26:32 > 0:26:37doing their take and Gary could not have looked more forlorn, and more
0:26:37 > 0:26:40pathetic, I guess, in a really sad way, I don't mean in a horrible way.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43But at that time I just thought, "It's all over.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45"It really is all over for him."
0:26:45 > 0:26:47There's a slight myth that the album, the first album,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50didn't do so great. It was actually the second one.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53And even if it had probably had a big hit lurking on it,
0:26:53 > 0:26:55it probably wouldn't have gone through.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57The media wouldn't have taken it seriously.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59They were just on to the next thing.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02What we knew about him was what was said about him by other people.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Which is, "Gary Barlow's finished, Gary Barlow is embarrassing,
0:27:06 > 0:27:10"Gary Barlow cannot write hit songs any more."
0:27:10 > 0:27:12That's what we knew,
0:27:12 > 0:27:14because other people were creating that agenda for him.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18And he was just there thinking, "What do I do now?"
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Where do you go when something like that happens,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23when it all falls apart?
0:27:26 > 0:27:28There's the dog.
0:27:28 > 0:27:29Hi!
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Let me get him before he jumps.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Get in, you. Get in, you.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36Get in. Get in.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38'I was interested to meet Gary's mum,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41'a lady who has always shied away from the spotlight
0:27:41 > 0:27:43'and has never spoken on camera before.'
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Right, come on. We're starving!
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Right, OK. Who wants tea, who wants coffee?
0:27:47 > 0:27:50'I was fascinated to hear her take on it all
0:27:50 > 0:27:54'from Gary first joining the band to coping with the darker times.'
0:27:54 > 0:27:57- This is phenomenal, thank you so much.- Oh, yeah!
0:28:00 > 0:28:03When Gary comes home and says, "I'm going to join this band
0:28:03 > 0:28:05"called Take That",
0:28:05 > 0:28:08what was your first thought then?
0:28:11 > 0:28:12Right.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16"So what will you be doing with this band?"
0:28:16 > 0:28:18And did he say, "We're going to wear leather
0:28:18 > 0:28:21"and roll around and cover each other in jelly?"
0:28:21 > 0:28:25- Well, I knew there was a lot of dancing involved.- Yeah.
0:28:25 > 0:28:26Yeah, I thought, "Oh gosh."
0:28:26 > 0:28:28What's been your proudest moment?
0:28:29 > 0:28:33- I've got to say the OBE, haven't I, really?- It was a good day.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37It has been the ultimate occasion.
0:28:37 > 0:28:38Hasn't it?
0:28:38 > 0:28:40- It was. It was a good day.- Yeah.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43- The best bit happened after, really, didn't it?- Yeah.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46- Because I'd made a stew at home. - Right.
0:28:46 > 0:28:51So we raced home, we'd got the award, done the pictures, raced home.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55We all tucked in to this stew that I'd made earlier, wolfed it.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Got on a plane, flew to Edinburgh, did a gig.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Most amazing gig.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03The crowd, oh, it was just the perfect day.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06- And you were there on the whole...? - Did the whole lot. Yeah.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09- Yeah, brilliant.- It was lovely.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13- Didn't we have a quiz that night? - Yeah, we did a quiz.- Yeah. Yeah!
0:29:13 > 0:29:17Hey listen, if you want to have a good time, come and hang with me.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20- Finish off with a quiz. Yeah. - Rock'n'roll, eh, Margo?
0:29:21 > 0:29:27There was a point after Take That finished, it was quite tough,
0:29:27 > 0:29:31I think for anyone to go through, let alone as a parent,
0:29:31 > 0:29:35to see your son going through this kind of stuff.
0:29:35 > 0:29:39What was it like, that sort of level of criticism?
0:29:39 > 0:29:41Sad. Very sad.
0:29:43 > 0:29:44Not nice.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46But, like they say,
0:29:46 > 0:29:50it makes a stronger person of you, doesn't it, really?
0:29:50 > 0:29:51You can't give up.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53What's the point in giving up?
0:29:54 > 0:29:57What was Gary like to be around at that time?
0:29:59 > 0:30:03- Quiet and thoughtful, I would say. - Mm.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07- It was a bit of a no-go subject wasn't it, really?- Mm.- Yeah.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09- Well, there was not more to say really, is there?- No.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11- It was all being said for me. - Yeah.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18Please welcome Gary Barlow and Howard Donald!
0:30:18 > 0:30:22# Whatever I said, whatever I did, I didn't mean it
0:30:22 > 0:30:25# I just want you back for good... #
0:30:25 > 0:30:30'It is just myself, Howard Donald, and Gary Barlow here tonight.'
0:30:30 > 0:30:33In a moment, we'll be hearing the nominations for Best Song
0:30:33 > 0:30:35since the Brits began, but what's it going to be?
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Will it be Pray or will it be Back For Good?
0:30:38 > 0:30:42- Could it be, Could It Be Magic?- I didn't write that one.- Oh, sorry!
0:30:42 > 0:30:48'And the winner is, sorry Gary, Robbie Williams for Angel!'
0:30:48 > 0:30:51This man, Robbie Williams, has made me very, very ill.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53I am on pills because of you!
0:30:53 > 0:30:57'Eh? Go on, have your moment in the limelight. Judas!'
0:30:57 > 0:31:03Sorry, Gary, but I was always the talented member of the band.
0:31:03 > 0:31:04'Thank you very much.'
0:31:07 > 0:31:08I mean...
0:31:09 > 0:31:11That's all right.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14- It's all right now. - It's all right now.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17It wasn't worse than any of the other ones.
0:31:17 > 0:31:23But it's just, I don't want to dwell on, like, too much, like,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26- feel sorry for me, but it was... - No absolutely.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28- ..shit.- Yeah.- Shit, to be you.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31You know? You don't want to be that person.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34You want to be the one laughing about the person the joke's about.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37You don't want to be the person that the joke's...
0:31:37 > 0:31:38Do you know what I mean?
0:31:38 > 0:31:40That was the worst bit of the whole thing.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43It wasn't losing a record deal,
0:31:43 > 0:31:47and it wasn't, you know, not singing for seven years.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49It was feeling like a dick
0:31:49 > 0:31:53every time I turned on a radio show or something.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55It was feeling like everyone's laughing at you.
0:31:55 > 0:31:56I was worried for Gary
0:31:56 > 0:31:59because I knew he was going to take it seriously.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02I knew he was going to take it to heart, and sure enough, he did.
0:32:02 > 0:32:03It was breaking him up.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05It was almost like he'd accepted defeat.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08He got stuck into the biscuits, was lying on his grand piano
0:32:08 > 0:32:10in tears, wondering where it all went wrong.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13One of my friends ran into in New York and didn't recognise him
0:32:13 > 0:32:15because he'd put on so much weight.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17He wasn't sleeping great.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20He was smoking 40 cigarettes a day, at least.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23'He ate a lot. He'd been over- indulging in every way possible.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26'And he'd been very down and very depressed.'
0:32:27 > 0:32:30'Gary had the most incredibly strong marriage
0:32:30 > 0:32:33'that would have got him through it.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35'You know, he was becoming a father.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38'That was as resolute, as strong as ever.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42'And that's great, because if he hadn't had that,
0:32:42 > 0:32:45'I really don't know where he'd have been.'
0:32:45 > 0:32:46# Happy birthday... #
0:32:46 > 0:32:48'He was really a forgotten man.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52'And when you've had it and lost it, that's the worst thing.'
0:32:52 > 0:32:56When you're used to the adulation and the fame and the success
0:32:56 > 0:32:59and everybody knowing your name and wanting to be your friend
0:32:59 > 0:33:03and then suddenly you're toxic, you know? you're kryptonite.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05And Gary was kryptonite for years.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09I don't know if depression is the right word.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12I think he was on the road to it, at that point,
0:33:12 > 0:33:17because he was showing all the signs, but music was always there.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21I think Gary learnt the most important lesson in his life
0:33:21 > 0:33:22during those years.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24'In Take That, you didn't really know who he was.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26'He wasn't a natural pop star.
0:33:26 > 0:33:31'The wilderness years for Gary was him learning who he was.'
0:33:31 > 0:33:35But sooner or later the fighting spirit that is Gary
0:33:35 > 0:33:38and the talent that is Gary, said,
0:33:38 > 0:33:43"Enough, enough, I can't go on with this."
0:33:43 > 0:33:44GARY PLAYS A SOFT INTRO
0:33:44 > 0:33:45Ah!
0:33:45 > 0:33:46GARY LAUGHS
0:33:46 > 0:33:49- Ah! Was this written on this piano?- Yeah.
0:33:53 > 0:33:54Wish it was tuned.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56It doesn't sound bad to me.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08I was really hoping you were going to start singing then, I really was.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10So tell me about this piano.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14This was the piano that drove me mad eventually.
0:34:14 > 0:34:19Because I swear, whenever I used to sit at this piano,
0:34:19 > 0:34:21- I used to write a hit. - Right.- I just did.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24It was one of those instruments that I'd lift the lid up.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27So what was written on this? Back For Good written on this?
0:34:27 > 0:34:32Yeah. Yeah. Love Ain't Here Anymore and Sure, Never Forget.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34All those songs.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37And then it slowly drove me crazy, this piano,
0:34:37 > 0:34:42because obviously, after the record deal ended and I was, you know,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45sort of spending a lot of time in the studio by myself,
0:34:45 > 0:34:50trying to come up with stuff, it just didn't talk the way it used to talk.
0:34:50 > 0:34:56Until the point where I remember spending two days just looking at it.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00So do you think it would be safe to say you were probably depressed?
0:35:00 > 0:35:03Probably. I think I was driving myself insane at the time.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05And I wouldn't be told.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08It's just, step away. Get out the room.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12BIRDSONG
0:35:15 > 0:35:17Beautiful day.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20Oh, it's incredible. Incredible day!
0:35:20 > 0:35:23"GREATEST DAY" STARTS ON RADIO
0:35:23 > 0:35:24Ah, Jeez!
0:35:24 > 0:35:27- Come on. - You might be surprised.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29- This song is born for this weather. - Listen.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31It's born for this weather!
0:35:31 > 0:35:34You might be surprised, but I've heard all these before.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36But this is born for a day like this, isn't it?
0:35:36 > 0:35:38- Get on the keys. Go. - Do you know what I mean?
0:35:38 > 0:35:42# Today this could be
0:35:42 > 0:35:43# The greatest day of our lives
0:35:43 > 0:35:45- Where am I going? Which way?- Left.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50GARY HARMONISES: # The story don't end...
0:35:50 > 0:35:53Do you harmonise with yourself when you're in the car?
0:35:53 > 0:35:56I harmonise every time. Every song, ever.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58- Even ones that don't really work. - That's how I stay sharp.
0:35:58 > 0:35:59Right, yeah.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01# Stay close to me... #
0:36:01 > 0:36:05Can you remember what the worst job offers you got were?
0:36:05 > 0:36:07Did you ever get offered panto?
0:36:07 > 0:36:09- Yeah.- Did you?- Yeah.
0:36:09 > 0:36:10- Where?- In Liverpool.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12Oh. Were you tempted?
0:36:12 > 0:36:14- No!- Why?
0:36:14 > 0:36:16- No. No.- You'd be great in panto.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18No. Don't be stupid!
0:36:18 > 0:36:19You'd be a great Buttons.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22People would travel miles to see Barlow's Buttons.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24I got to "panto" and I stopped reading.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26What other things?
0:36:26 > 0:36:29- Celebrity Wife Swap.- Right!
0:36:29 > 0:36:32Did they mention which couple you might be swapping with?
0:36:32 > 0:36:34- Yeah!- Go on.- Melinda Messenger!
0:36:34 > 0:36:36- No!- Mate, I was really trying to sell it to the wife!
0:36:36 > 0:36:37JAMES GUFFAWS
0:36:37 > 0:36:38I was getting nowhere!
0:36:38 > 0:36:40"I really think we should do this Dawn, I really do."
0:36:40 > 0:36:42- I thought it'd be great!- Yeah.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47- Bread?- Thank you very much.
0:36:47 > 0:36:48- Cheers.- Cheers, mate.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54- Was there a point where you ate unhealthily?- Yeah.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56- Really unhealthily.- Really.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58- What would you eat, then? - I had a great time!
0:36:58 > 0:37:00And what would you eat then?
0:37:00 > 0:37:03Erm, Oh! What wouldn't I eat?
0:37:03 > 0:37:06But at your biggest, how big were you?
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Um, just over 17 stone.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11Right.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14- Yeah.- And what are you now?- 12.
0:37:14 > 0:37:19The problem was for me, as I hit sort of you know, 25,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22my career went out the window and it was like,
0:37:22 > 0:37:24"How do I just change everything?
0:37:24 > 0:37:27"How do I change the way I look? Don't want to be recognised anymore."
0:37:27 > 0:37:29It was almost like a protest for me.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32- Really?- Yeah. Big time. I knew what I was doing.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34- Did you?- Yeah. I was enjoying it.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37And I enjoyed the fact that no-one recognised me.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40Yeah, because even being in your house then, there was a couple
0:37:40 > 0:37:43of photos where I thought "Oh, God, yeah, he really was quite a porker!"
0:37:43 > 0:37:45- I was.- Yeah.
0:37:45 > 0:37:46Much heavier than you are now.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48- Not much.- Oh, yeah.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50- Not much.- Oh, yeah! - Yeah, that'll do it.- Thank you.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52- There you go.- Thank you very much!
0:37:58 > 0:38:00- Good, eh?- Oh.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03When you look back on it, given all that sort of wave of criticism,
0:38:03 > 0:38:10I get no sense of you that's kind of "Ha-ha! See? I'm back on top
0:38:10 > 0:38:13"and you thought this and here I am." You know what I mean?
0:38:13 > 0:38:17You know what? That was like 13... 12, 13 years ago.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20- Yeah, but you can't have forgot. - I haven't forgotten.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23Like, it must still sit in there somewhere.
0:38:23 > 0:38:24I haven't forgotten, but...
0:38:25 > 0:38:28It's fine. It's fine. It's happened. It's done.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30And there's been a happy ending.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33If I was still sat at home now I'd probably be quite bitter.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37Because I remember reading a lot of really, really personal
0:38:37 > 0:38:39- and hateful stuff.- Mm.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42And it's not even what was written.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44It's what you become.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46It feeds into your life.
0:38:46 > 0:38:51You know, you go into a shop to buy some, you know, crisps
0:38:51 > 0:38:54or something, and they slip behind the counter
0:38:54 > 0:38:57and they put Robbie's CD on, and it's like a bad smell.
0:38:57 > 0:38:58Follows you round.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01And that led me to then not going out of the house
0:39:01 > 0:39:03for about eight months, at all.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05- Seriously?- Yeah. Yeah.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09- Yeah.- You just didn't go out?
0:39:09 > 0:39:13Well, I was happy at home and no-one could get to me there.
0:39:13 > 0:39:18So when I put weight on, people stopped recognising me,
0:39:18 > 0:39:19which meant the jokes stopped.
0:39:19 > 0:39:24It was like the only time in my life I wanted to be forgotten.
0:39:24 > 0:39:29It's like "Forget me, please, everybody. Forget my name exists."
0:39:29 > 0:39:32I thought in my mind, "I've got to go back to where I started,"
0:39:32 > 0:39:34so I went back to being a songwriter.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38So we got, like, two or three nice songs
0:39:38 > 0:39:41and we thought we'd send 'em out to people.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44And people weren't listening to the songs.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46People were just going, "Oh, we don't want songs from him."
0:39:46 > 0:39:49And we were like, "Well, have you heard what they are?"
0:39:49 > 0:39:52"No. We just don't think it's right for our..."
0:39:52 > 0:39:57So it got to the point where we were putting another person's name
0:39:57 > 0:40:00on these CDs because my name was,
0:40:00 > 0:40:03it just was turning people off straightaway.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06It's like, when you're not hot,
0:40:06 > 0:40:10nobody wants anything to do with you whatsoever.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14'In 2005, a TV documentary was made
0:40:14 > 0:40:19'which reunited the Take That boys for the first time in ten years.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23'The response to seeing the band together again was massive.'
0:40:25 > 0:40:27When we came back after all those years
0:40:27 > 0:40:29and we did that documentary...
0:40:30 > 0:40:33..none of us knew how it was going to go at all.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36And then the next morning, my phone was filled with calls saying
0:40:36 > 0:40:39you know, "We've got incredible figures for the show,
0:40:39 > 0:40:43"there's a guy that wants to put you all back on tour,
0:40:43 > 0:40:45"The Sun, they want to do a big piece,"
0:40:45 > 0:40:48and it was like people wanted us back.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50And for the first time in years,
0:40:50 > 0:40:52I got on the train that morning
0:40:52 > 0:40:53and I sat in my seat
0:40:53 > 0:40:55and I just took my glasses off
0:40:55 > 0:40:57and took my hat off
0:40:57 > 0:41:00and just thought, "I'm happy to be me today."
0:41:00 > 0:41:02It was a very poignant moment, that was.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06And that was the day I thought, I'm going to lose this weight as well,
0:41:06 > 0:41:10and it was like everything changed that day.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12HE LAUGHS
0:41:17 > 0:41:18One, two, three, four!
0:41:26 > 0:41:28# They took my voice
0:41:31 > 0:41:33# Erased my past
0:41:34 > 0:41:37# With all that noise
0:41:38 > 0:41:41# It couldn't last
0:41:43 > 0:41:45# With words so cruel
0:41:47 > 0:41:50# I washed my face
0:41:50 > 0:41:52# I hoped one day
0:41:54 > 0:41:57# I'd wake up in a better place
0:41:59 > 0:42:02# Today I took back what was stolen
0:42:02 > 0:42:06# I gave new life to what was frozen
0:42:06 > 0:42:10# One man talking, a dead man walking
0:42:10 > 0:42:14# A thousand faces watch me falling
0:42:14 > 0:42:18# I've made my peace with what may happen
0:42:18 > 0:42:22# Accepted I won't be in fashion
0:42:22 > 0:42:24# All you gave, I got it
0:42:24 > 0:42:28# Yeah, you gave, I got it all back
0:42:28 > 0:42:32# Since I saw you last... #
0:42:35 > 0:42:38'Off the back of the success of the documentary
0:42:38 > 0:42:41'the four Take That boys announced that they were going to reunite
0:42:41 > 0:42:42'for a Greatest Hits tour.'
0:42:42 > 0:42:45People realised there was a real nostalgia for the band.
0:42:45 > 0:42:46And they were missed.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49We thought everyone had forgotten about us.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52But it seems like they haven't and so I think we're really excited
0:42:52 > 0:42:55and we promise to put on an amazing show.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57And it just all fell back into place.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59And I don't think they could believe it.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01Especially Gary, who'd gone through the hard times.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03He didn't expect to be given a break.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05And I remember we signed them up in Birmingham.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09They were doing a show in Birmingham and we'd signed the contracts,
0:43:09 > 0:43:10it was all a quick kind of celebration
0:43:10 > 0:43:13and, "Great, look forward to hearing the music."
0:43:13 > 0:43:16And as I was going, Gary slipped a CD into my pocket
0:43:16 > 0:43:20for me to listen to on the way back, and it had Patience on it.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23And I just kind of thought, "You're smart. You knew.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26"You know something's going to happen."
0:43:26 > 0:43:29# Just have a little patience... #
0:43:31 > 0:43:35'And he was like, "I still know what the public like to listen to.'
0:43:35 > 0:43:39"I don't care who criticised me, how much out of favour I am,
0:43:39 > 0:43:42"I can still write songs that people like."
0:43:42 > 0:43:47And he can. And that was his way out of this.
0:43:47 > 0:43:53# Just hold me close inside your arms tonight... #
0:43:53 > 0:43:54'It was the second coming.'
0:43:54 > 0:43:59It was the second coming of Take That, and it was massive!
0:43:59 > 0:44:04# Cos I
0:44:04 > 0:44:09# Need time
0:44:09 > 0:44:12# My heart is numb, has no feeling
0:44:12 > 0:44:15# So while I'm still healing
0:44:15 > 0:44:19# Just try
0:44:19 > 0:44:21# And have a little... #
0:44:21 > 0:44:23If you have something or someone in your life that you
0:44:23 > 0:44:26really like, sometimes you have to have that thing taken away
0:44:26 > 0:44:28to make you realise how much you like it.
0:44:28 > 0:44:31'And what about if you don't even know how much you like it
0:44:31 > 0:44:33'and then it's taken away?
0:44:33 > 0:44:36'And then that person comes back from the dead.'
0:44:36 > 0:44:40Smiling, warm, happy and better than ever.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42That's rocket fuel.
0:44:42 > 0:44:46'2010 saw the moment every Take That fan had dreamed of.
0:44:46 > 0:44:50'Robbie Williams rejoined and the band were finally all back together.'
0:44:50 > 0:44:54'Funny, because we always knew as a band we'd get Rob back one day.'
0:44:54 > 0:44:56- 'Really?'- 'Yeah, we always knew it would happen.'
0:44:56 > 0:44:57But how did you know that?
0:44:57 > 0:44:59Because it was always going to happen, wasn't it?
0:44:59 > 0:45:03- Was it?- Yeah, it was. It was like the natural end to the story.
0:45:03 > 0:45:07But for me now, the interesting bit is actually what happens next.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10Now that your solo record has done so well, I was almost
0:45:10 > 0:45:14expecting to sort of feel like that was a greater priority to you now.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17You talk like Take That is still...
0:45:17 > 0:45:19Oh, it is. It's number one.
0:45:19 > 0:45:23It's the one thing that everything else moves for.
0:45:23 > 0:45:25The other things like TV and a solo record,
0:45:25 > 0:45:28they're just things I do to fill the time in.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30- Yeah.- You know, because I like to work.- Uh-huh.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33- And it's being offered to me. - Yeah.- So why not do it?
0:45:35 > 0:45:38'Gary has thrown himself into a multitude of projects.
0:45:38 > 0:45:42'From climbing Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief, to being head
0:45:42 > 0:45:46'judge on X Factor, these last few years have been full-on for Gary.'
0:45:46 > 0:45:50We went to watch the X Factor being filmed
0:45:50 > 0:45:53at the O2 and then got in a cab and went to Wembley
0:45:53 > 0:45:55to watch the boys perform at Wembley.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58'I got back to the hotel after the gig, Gary called me'
0:45:58 > 0:46:02and he said, "El, what do you reck' of the tour?"
0:46:02 > 0:46:05And I was nearly in tears. I'll be honest.
0:46:05 > 0:46:07I found it really emotional and I told him, you know,
0:46:07 > 0:46:09I said, "Gaz, it's...
0:46:12 > 0:46:15"It's a funny thing, going through it...
0:46:17 > 0:46:22"..and coming out the other end of it as good as he has."
0:46:22 > 0:46:24I'm proud of him.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27'He's in a position now where he's almost untouchable.'
0:46:27 > 0:46:30You'd really have to think hard if a negative story came up about Gary.
0:46:30 > 0:46:34Because the public backlash would be so strong against you
0:46:34 > 0:46:37if you presented a story they didn't like.
0:46:37 > 0:46:41He has leaped into a new category - his own category.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44It's the Gary Barlow category.
0:46:44 > 0:46:46It's not definable yet.
0:46:46 > 0:46:50Gary Barlow is now part of music establishment
0:46:50 > 0:46:52and that's a very different place to be in.
0:46:52 > 0:46:56You know, he's kind of following in my footsteps and I love that.
0:46:56 > 0:46:59If you've got the Queen asking you to sort out a few things for you,
0:46:59 > 0:47:03you're not going to be stuck for things to do over the next few years.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06He does this thing, where he goes, "What do you want me to sing?"
0:47:06 > 0:47:09And you go, "Anything you want. What do you think?"
0:47:09 > 0:47:12'And we talk about what songs and it's great, you know,'
0:47:12 > 0:47:14I like the lad.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18I'm sure you'd want me to thank Gary Barlow
0:47:18 > 0:47:21for helping to make the whole thing possible.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24CHEERING DROWNS SPEECH
0:47:28 > 0:47:31Do you feel like everything you've done, the Jubilee,
0:47:31 > 0:47:35is so positive right now that, do you still get negativity at you
0:47:35 > 0:47:38if you look at things like Twitter?
0:47:38 > 0:47:40Twitter's the only thing...
0:47:40 > 0:47:42Cos I've done X Factor I was on it a lot,
0:47:42 > 0:47:44but I actually quite like it.
0:47:44 > 0:47:47The best use of something like Twitter is,
0:47:47 > 0:47:52for the last 12 months, I've had this girl on there, who,
0:47:52 > 0:47:55her best friend must be my biggest fan,
0:47:55 > 0:47:58and she's been on there saying,
0:47:58 > 0:48:01"I want you to come to my friend's wedding and sing at it."
0:48:01 > 0:48:04- Right.- And we're arranging, I'm going to turn up and sing
0:48:04 > 0:48:06and her friend doesn't know anything about it.
0:48:06 > 0:48:10- No! Like the best friend in the world.- It's funny because I've been to gigs
0:48:10 > 0:48:12and stuff as well and I've performed, and in the audience I've seen
0:48:12 > 0:48:15a sign with a hashtag, "#getGarytoLou'swedding."
0:48:15 > 0:48:18So this girl has been everywhere.
0:48:18 > 0:48:20And I've seen it which is why I want to do it.
0:48:20 > 0:48:21- It'll be incredible.- Yeah.
0:48:21 > 0:48:23It'll be the best.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26I feel for the groom in a way.
0:48:26 > 0:48:28Like he's who my thought goes to.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32- But he's going to be like, "Oh, it's just me and you babe."- I know.
0:48:32 > 0:48:33"We're having the best..."
0:48:33 > 0:48:36And she's just going to go like that, "See ya later! Gary!
0:48:36 > 0:48:38"Gary! Oh, my God!"
0:48:38 > 0:48:40It's going to be good. It's going to be good.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42"You're the love of my life!"
0:48:44 > 0:48:48True to his word, three weeks later, after 12 months of incessant
0:48:48 > 0:48:51Tweeting and campaigning from her bridesmaid Emily,
0:48:51 > 0:48:53Gary arrived to surprise Lou at her wedding.
0:48:58 > 0:49:01MUSIC: "A Million Love Songs" by Take That
0:49:04 > 0:49:07# Put your head against my life
0:49:07 > 0:49:10# What do you hear?
0:49:10 > 0:49:16# A million words just trying to make love song of the year
0:49:18 > 0:49:21# Close your eyes but don't forget
0:49:21 > 0:49:23# What you have heard
0:49:25 > 0:49:28# A man's who trying to say three words
0:49:28 > 0:49:30# Words that make me scared
0:49:30 > 0:49:35# A million love songs later
0:49:37 > 0:49:43# And here I am trying to tell you that I care
0:49:43 > 0:49:48# A million love songs later... #
0:49:50 > 0:49:53"To Lou..." really personal that.
0:49:53 > 0:49:55And if you like me...
0:49:55 > 0:49:57"Massive congrats on your special day, love Gary B."
0:49:57 > 0:50:00Six kisses. Best autograph in the world.
0:50:00 > 0:50:02# A million chances pass me by
0:50:02 > 0:50:06# A million chances to hold you
0:50:06 > 0:50:09# Take me back, take me back
0:50:09 > 0:50:13# To where I used to be... #
0:50:13 > 0:50:17He's much more relevant and important without being too
0:50:17 > 0:50:20grandiose about him, than now just his music.
0:50:20 > 0:50:24'Cos he's representing causes, projects, certain family values.'
0:50:25 > 0:50:27# And here I am trying to... #
0:50:27 > 0:50:29'He's developing the most phenomenal song book.'
0:50:29 > 0:50:33These songs are going to last way after none of us are here.
0:50:33 > 0:50:35'I'm just excited about what's next.'
0:50:39 > 0:50:42CHEERING
0:50:46 > 0:50:50I think he's got a lot of joy in what he's doing.
0:50:50 > 0:50:54I think that this last album was quite cathartic for him.
0:50:54 > 0:50:59I think this is the album that he wanted to make for his second album.
0:50:59 > 0:51:01You know, I think there's a lot of that in it.
0:51:01 > 0:51:03When Gary released the solo album this time
0:51:03 > 0:51:06he must have been slightly anxious knowing what had gone before.
0:51:06 > 0:51:09And it was exactly the same. You know, he was at the peak.
0:51:09 > 0:51:11He was there to be shot at, you know.
0:51:11 > 0:51:12He couldn't have been more popular.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14Things couldn't be going better for him.
0:51:14 > 0:51:16So there was a risk there. Absolutely.
0:51:16 > 0:51:20It takes guts and for him to work it so successfully, commercially,
0:51:20 > 0:51:26and to make the album he wanted to make, you know, it's incredible.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30When we did Face To Face, it was lovely because it was just
0:51:30 > 0:51:33a perfect song for two people to play the piano to sing.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36It's the real first, proper, true Gary Barlow record.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40It's who he is as a person and a songwriter.
0:51:40 > 0:51:41He had...
0:51:41 > 0:51:45It was an incredible personal record
0:51:45 > 0:51:49and he'd gone through terrible tragedy personally.
0:51:49 > 0:51:54They've had to deal with some really serious personal stuff,
0:51:54 > 0:51:56his family, last couple of years.
0:51:58 > 0:51:59And...
0:52:00 > 0:52:02..that changes things. It has to.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07Tragically, a few days before Gary was due to sing to close
0:52:07 > 0:52:11the 2012 Olympics, his fourth child Poppy was stillborn.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16How long did it take you to write that album?
0:52:18 > 0:52:19Since I Saw You Last album?
0:52:19 > 0:52:21About three months.
0:52:22 > 0:52:27It was a really intuitive, problem-free record to write.
0:52:27 > 0:52:28Written in this room?
0:52:28 > 0:52:30Most of it. Yeah. Yeah.
0:52:30 > 0:52:34Do you remember which songs came first?
0:52:34 > 0:52:36It...
0:52:36 > 0:52:40Sort of, those first few days it's often stuff you discard.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42Once you get those first two or three days out of the way,
0:52:42 > 0:52:47you expect things to start happening, but I didn't expect Let Me Go,
0:52:47 > 0:52:50to appear on the fourth day.
0:52:50 > 0:52:54And that's unusual in a record-making environment,
0:52:54 > 0:52:57to get a single like that so early.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59The first time I listened to Let Me Go...
0:52:59 > 0:53:03- Yeah.- ..and I thought it was this unbelievably up, like, oh...
0:53:03 > 0:53:06And I could imagine people dancing. I thought, "This is incredible."
0:53:06 > 0:53:09And then I listened to it again and I thought the same.
0:53:09 > 0:53:11And then I felt like the third time I listened to it,
0:53:11 > 0:53:13I actually heard it.
0:53:13 > 0:53:17And I came to the conclusion that that song was
0:53:17 > 0:53:21written by your...
0:53:23 > 0:53:24- ..stillborn child.- Yeah.
0:53:26 > 0:53:30I will talk about a little bit of this, but I thought...
0:53:30 > 0:53:32- You don't have to talk about any of it.- No, no.
0:53:32 > 0:53:36I don't mind to because you know, I don't like there to be things
0:53:36 > 0:53:39that are unsaid really, but there's a point where I'll
0:53:39 > 0:53:43stop in respect of my wife because you know, like I said to you earlier,
0:53:43 > 0:53:45there's very little that's personal in my life.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48People know about a lot of things.
0:53:48 > 0:53:53And you know, from that thing happening
0:53:53 > 0:53:55to my dad's passing,
0:53:55 > 0:53:59there's a lot of them in this record with me.
0:53:59 > 0:54:01And it's funny with Let Me Go
0:54:01 > 0:54:05because I didn't want to have a sad album.
0:54:05 > 0:54:09I really didn't. And I really tried for it to not be.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12I made a real effort for it to not be a sad record.
0:54:12 > 0:54:16I wanted it to be a celebrationary record because that's where
0:54:16 > 0:54:20we're at in our lives with the whole thing that happened.
0:54:20 > 0:54:27And it makes me really happy when I see people going crazy to that song.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30It really is, because it should be a celebration, that song,
0:54:30 > 0:54:34because in some respects it's alive,
0:54:34 > 0:54:37that record, and those lyrics
0:54:37 > 0:54:39and what it relates to.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42And it keeps a life and a flame in the whole thing.
0:54:42 > 0:54:44And I love it.
0:54:44 > 0:54:46I love that it has got two elements to it.
0:54:46 > 0:54:50I love that on one hand, you think this is just the most fun
0:54:50 > 0:54:54ever I've had to this record, and then when you start
0:54:54 > 0:54:59going beneath that, you really, you see, you know, what it's saying.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01It's not my voice, it's someone else's.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04MUSIC: "Let Me Go" by Gary Barlow
0:55:04 > 0:55:05# A room full of sadness
0:55:07 > 0:55:09# Broken hearts
0:55:11 > 0:55:13# Only me to blame
0:55:14 > 0:55:17# For every single part
0:55:18 > 0:55:21# No science or religion
0:55:21 > 0:55:23# Could make this whole
0:55:25 > 0:55:27# To be loved, but never loved
0:55:29 > 0:55:32# To have, but never hold
0:55:32 > 0:55:35# It's a life alone
0:55:35 > 0:55:39# And a desperate need
0:55:39 > 0:55:43# To be held, to be loved so
0:55:43 > 0:55:46# This is going to take a bit of getting used to
0:55:46 > 0:55:49# But I know what's right for you
0:55:52 > 0:55:57# Fly high and let me go... #
0:55:57 > 0:56:01What does the future hold for Gary Barlow?
0:56:01 > 0:56:03- After this?- Yeah.
0:56:03 > 0:56:04Not much.
0:56:04 > 0:56:07I think we all recognise that this is the pinnacle.
0:56:07 > 0:56:10- I can't go back on Jonathan Ross after this.- Who?
0:56:10 > 0:56:12# ..Then you'll know
0:56:14 > 0:56:17# This is going to take a bit of getting used to... #
0:56:17 > 0:56:20You know, nine years ago, you couldn't have imagined that
0:56:20 > 0:56:25you'd be talking about five nights at Wembley Stadium...
0:56:25 > 0:56:29- No.- ..and number one solo records
0:56:29 > 0:56:31and records as a four piece,
0:56:31 > 0:56:33a five piece.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36Like, you must be so proud.
0:56:36 > 0:56:40I remember feeling, for about a year, like I've got no
0:56:40 > 0:56:45future as an artist or a writer or anything to do with music.
0:56:45 > 0:56:47And that was a long 12 months.
0:56:47 > 0:56:49That was a long 12 months before
0:56:49 > 0:56:52there was any kind of hope or glimmer.
0:56:52 > 0:56:54So to look forward now at this point,
0:56:54 > 0:56:58and look into the future, it's amazing. It really is.
0:56:58 > 0:57:03# Fly high and let me go
0:57:05 > 0:57:11# That sky will save your soul
0:57:11 > 0:57:18# Oh-oh, fly high and let me go
0:57:20 > 0:57:25# That sky will save your soul
0:57:28 > 0:57:31# Cos this gonna take a bit of getting used to
0:57:31 > 0:57:35# But I know what's right for you
0:57:35 > 0:57:38# Let me go. #
0:57:38 > 0:57:41CHEERING
0:57:48 > 0:57:51I've got bad news for everyone. Elton's busy.
0:57:51 > 0:57:53- What? - BAND MEMBER:- You promised.
0:57:53 > 0:57:57But he did say if James Corden's there, can he do his part?
0:57:57 > 0:57:59Doesn't shock me. Doesn't shock me.
0:57:59 > 0:58:01- He's the only person he said, that could do it.- I can channel Elton.
0:58:01 > 0:58:03Who could channel.
0:58:03 > 0:58:05OK. For one day only, I'll be Elton John.
0:58:05 > 0:58:09I asked for this room to be full of a thousand white lilies!
0:58:09 > 0:58:12All right. OK, guys.
0:58:12 > 0:58:15I'll bring you in on a tight one, two, three, four yeah?
0:58:15 > 0:58:18Got to be tight with it.
0:58:18 > 0:58:20Just watch me and I'll...
0:58:22 > 0:58:24- BOTH:- # That's what you are to me... #
0:58:24 > 0:58:26'The last few days have been brilliant.
0:58:26 > 0:58:28'They say you should never meet your heroes.
0:58:28 > 0:58:30'Well, they obviously never met Gary Barlow,'
0:58:30 > 0:58:33- BOTH:- # We're face to face, oh, I
0:58:34 > 0:58:38# When the music plays, oh, I
0:58:38 > 0:58:41# Standing side by side
0:58:41 > 0:58:43# Put the past behind us
0:58:43 > 0:58:46# No-one can take your place
0:58:46 > 0:58:50# When we're face to face. #
0:58:52 > 0:58:54- OK, guys.- Yes?- Some notes.
0:58:54 > 0:58:55- Sloppy. - LAUGHTER