Games - Gareth Gates

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Gareth Paul Gates (born July 12,1984, Bradford) is a British pop singer who shot to fame in 2002 when he came second in the television talent show Pop Idol
. A year earlier, he also appeared in the televised talent show Steps to the Stars presented by Claire Richards and Ian Watkins (known as H) from the pop group Steps.

Despite not winning the competition, he was soon signed up with Simon Cowell's record label BMG, alongside the Pop Idol winner, Will Young. (Cowell had been one of the Pop Idol judges, and had been notorious for his harsh criticisms of many of the contestants.) His first single, a cover of Unchained Melody, entered the UK Top 40 at number one, knocking Will Young's first single - the double A-sided "Evergreen"/"Anything is Possible" - off the top of the chart (as Young's single was intended for the winner of Pop Idol Gates also recorded versions of both songs, which were used as B-sides for Unchained Melody). The single was voted 2002's Record of the Year by ITV viewers. This was followed by another high selling number 1 single, Anyone of Us, a song that also broke him in Europe and Asia, with his third single being a duet with Will Young, which also reached number 1.

With The Kumars, Gareth sang the 2003 Comic Relief charity single, "Spirit In The Sky". This was also a new entry at number one, and stayed there for two weeks, making his fourth UK number 1 hit. He also appeared in the charity's Celebrity Driving School. He has also had 3 other top 5 charting singles: What My Heart Wants to Say, Sunshine and Say it Isn't So.

He has enjoyed significant success outside the UK, particularly in Asia, South Africa and many European countries. He won MTV Asia's award for best international male in 2003/4, repeating the success in China and Taiwan.

Gareth also suffers from a stammer, but with the help of the McGuire Programme he is overcoming it. He has qualified as a speech coach with the programme and now helps others suffering from a stammer.

In 2002, Smash Hits magazine dedicated the 7th of November as International Gareth Day for his fans. On this day, fans around the world light candles and pay homage to the singer.

During Pop Idol, when Gareth was 17, he famously had a relationship with glamour model Jordan, which he initially denied.

Gareth is a keen supporter of Leeds United F.C. and Bradford Bulls.

Discography

UK

Singles # Unchained Melody # 1 # Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake) #1 # The Long And Winding Road/Suspicious Minds #1 ( duet with Will Young ) # What My Heart Wants To Say # 5 # Spirit In The Sky #1 # Sunshine # 3 # Say It Isn't So #4

Albums # What My Heart Wants To Say #2 # Go Your Own Way #11
Outside the UK
SINGLES:

Number 1 singles in: - Ireland - South Korea - Thailand - South Africa - Taiwan - Holland - Hong Kong - Malaysia - Norway - Sweden - Macedonia - Singapore - MTV Asia (SIIS & AOU)

Say It Isn't So #4 in MTV Asia Hitlist for 2004

Any One of Us # 87 World Top 100 Singles for 2003

ALBUMS

What My Heart Wants To Say

- Triple platinum in Taiwan
- Biggest selling western artist album in Taiwan

- #1 in Taiwan, and S. Korea
- Platinum in Indonesia

- Platinum in Malaysia
- 2nd biggest selling western artist album in MTV Asia area

- Gold in Norway
- 48,000 in Spain

- 140,000 in S.A

No sales figures for other areas where sold well (India, Germany etc)

Go Your Own Way

- 1 in Taiwan, Double Platinum after 3 weeks.

- Gold award confirmed in South Africa - but sales will be considerably more given long chart run.
1 in Singapore

- Spain c.30,000
- #1 in Korea

- #1 in Malaysia

No sales figures for other areas where sold well (India, Germany. France, Indonesia etc)

Tours

- Pop Idol Arena Tour 2002

- Will and Gareth Arena Tour 2003
- Go Your Own Way Tour - UK and Asia 2004

- Private concert for the Prince of Brunei. January 2005

Other Music Successes

- Contributor to #1 albums (Compilation Charts)

- Pop Idol: Big Band (no sales figures)
- Greasemania (no sales figures)

Other Success

DVDs # - Gareth Gates Live #1 # - Spirit in the Sky #1 # - Pop Idol Tour DVD #1

Books: # - Right from the Start #1 (2002's biggest selling music book) # - Talking Point #10

Calendars # - Top 10 sales 2003 # - Top 10 sales 2004

Awards (naming a few out of many) UK

- Record of the Year 2002: Unchained Melody

- National Music Awards 2003: Best Male 2003. Favourite TV Music performance
- National Music Awards 2002 Favourite TV music performance. PI Unchained melody

- Disney Awards 2002: best male
- Disney Awards 2003: best male

- Smash Hits 2002: best male, best hair, best newcomer, most fancible male
- Smash Hits 2003: 2003 best male and best single for Sunshine

- Capital FM awards 2003: Best Tour. Pop Idol
- Young Achievers Yorkshire 2002

- Special award for Service to Yorkshire 2002
- OUT magazine awards 2003 Best singer, Best Video (Sunshine), Best performance at G.A.Y

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