Gary Barlow turns 50: The ups and downs of his life and career
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Gary Barlow has reached a big milestone as he turned 50 years old on Wednesday.
The renowned songwriter and singer has had a hugely successful career as a solo artist, TV personality and of course, as part of Take That.
His talent as a writer helped cement himself and the group as one of Britain's most successful acts while he continues to pen chart-topping hits.
Read more: Gary Barlow says he had more confidence at 21
Here's a look back at the highs and lows of the star's life and career over the past five decades as he celebrates his birthday on 20 January.
Take That’s beginnings
Joining Take That when he was just a teenager in 1990 Barlow, along with Robbie Williams, Howard Donald, Mark Owen and Jason Orange, soon become a sensation.
He was instrumental to the group's success as he co-wrote many of their massive hits like Never Forget and A Million Love Songs.
Williams decided to leave in 1995 to pursue a solo career, with Take That disbanding a year later much to the dismay of their millions of fans.
Solo struggles
Like Williams, Barlow had a go at a solo career but didn’t revel in it like his former bandmate.
Read more: Robbie Williams ‘almost died’ because of seafood habit
His first two singles Forever Love and Love Won’t Wait went to number one in the charts but just two years after releasing his chart-topping debut album Open Road in 1997, he quit singing in 1999 to produce for other artists.
Eating disorder
During his years keeping away from the limelight, Barlow battled an eating disorder which led to his weight reaching 17 stone.
He later said it was down to a subconscious desire to "kill off the popstar".
"I was eating away what a popstar looked like. I was just killing him off," he shared in a Lorraine interview. "Stopped dying the hair, stopped buying nice clothes, just wanted to look the opposite, physically and mentally."
He cited 2003 as the year he decided to make a change but that it took 10 years to get him back to who he "wanted to be".
Take That reunite
Take That reunited in 2005 almost a decade after they'd called it quits, although Williams did not take part.
Their return was a big success as they embarked on the celebrated The Ultimate Tour in 2006 and their comeback album Beautiful World put them at the top of the charts again.
The Circus, their fifth studio album also climbed to the top of the charts and spawned their 11th number one, Greatest Day.
Williams also joined them for the next record, Progress, another smash hit.
X Factor & OBE
In 2011, Gary Barlow took over as an X Factor judge when Simon Cowell decided to focus on the US version of the programme.
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He remained on the panel for three series until 2013.
In 2012, he was also awarded an OBE by the Queen for services to the entertainment industry and to charity, the same year he was recognised with an Ivor Novello award for his outstanding contribution to British music.
Family tragedy
The songwriter and his wife Dawn sadly lost their daughter Poppy when she was stillborn in 2012.
One week after her death, he performed Rule the World at the London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony with Take That.
He discussed the pain of losing his child in his 2018 autobiography, A Better Me.
The couple, who wed in 2000, have three other children, son Daniel, 20, and daughters Emily, 18, and Daisy, 11.
Tax trouble
Barlow infamously found himself caught up in a big tax avoidance scandal in 2014.
It made headlines when it emerged that he, bandmates Howard Donald and Mark Owen, and manager Jonathan Wild had invested tens of millions of pounds in what were described as tax avoidance schemes.
While keeping relatively silent on the matter at the time, he did address the matter in two tweets.
"I want to apologise to anyone who was offended by the tax stories earlier this year," he wrote.
I want to apologise to anyone who was offended by the tax stories earlier this year.
— Gary Barlow (@GaryBarlow) September 2, 2014
A second tweet said: "With a new team of accountants, we are working to settle things with all parties involved ASAP."
There were calls for him to return his OBE at the time, however, then Prime Minister David Cameron said he "deserves and should keep" the accolade.
In 2018, he described it as “the stupidest thing I’ve ever done”.
Sustained success
Barlow landed his own talent show on the BBC with Let It Shine in 2017. He launched a search to find five performers to star in musical The Band, which was set to Take That's music.
He continues to be part of Take That alongside Donald and Owen, with Orange preferring to keep a low profile nowadays. Meanwhile, Williams joined them for a special lockdown reunion concert last year.
Read more: Razor Ruddock claims he was behind Robbie Williams Take That exit
Barlow's musical longevity was emphasised when latest album Music Played By Humans also made it to number one in December.
He said of the news at the time: “What an honour, what a privilege, I can’t believe it. This possibly could mean the most to me than any other before.”
With additional reporting by PA.
Watch: Robbie Williams hints at another Take That reunion