Gary's Heartbreak

Take That’s Gary Barlow reveals the tragic secret behind his recent success

He’s currently riding high on the back of his brand-new BBC1 talent show Let It Shine, which debuted to millions of viewers last weekend. 

And while Gary Barlow and the rest of the all-star judging panel are winning praise for that series, he’s also been inundated with compliments for his stage musical The Girls, which hits the West End later this month having premiered in Leeds just over a year ago.

Based on the hit film Calendar Girls, the show was co-created by Gary, 45, with family friend and writer Tim Firth. It tells the true story of one woman’s mission to raise money for charity with her friends after losing her husband. Now Gary has revealed for the first time the heartbreaking inspiration behind his powerful lyrics, which have left audience members choking back tears: his beloved mum, Marjorie.

Opening up during a recent interview, Gary emotionally confessed that writing the show caused him to relive the pain of watching his mum grieve for his late dad, Colin, who tragically passed away after suffering a sudden heart attack in 2009.

‘The chance to be part of this story was incredibly poignant for me,’ the singer explained. ‘When Tim asked me to do it, I knew it was going to mean the world to me – and my mum.’