Being well known for combating his life long speech impediment, a stammer, in an effort to win the British television show Pop Idol, Gareth Gates only managed second position in the 2002 finals but quickly became number one with viewing public. Although Gareth found speech difficult he wooed the viewers with his singing voice.

Gareth Gates was born on July 12^th 1984 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, to Paul and Wendy Gates as the eldest child with three siblings, all sisters. Gareth grew up in a home filled with children, not only his own siblings but a cousin James whom his parents adopted and many other children they fostered over the years.

With the knowledge that he wanted to sing, even as a youngster, Gareth took himself off to join the choir of Bradford Cathedral at the age of eleven which saw him singing solo during a visit by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997.

Along with his talent as a singer, Gareth also accompanied himself on the piano in which he achieved grade VIII and the guitar which he learned to play as a teenager. His love of all things musical had landed him a place at the Royal Northern College of Music before he took his talents to the constant scrutiny and criticism of the judge of Pop Idol, including Simon Cowell, Nicki Chapman, Neil ’Dr’ Fox and Pete Waterman of Aitken, Stock and Waterman famous for acts such as Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan in the 1980’s.

Despite losing the 2002 Pop Idol competition, Gareth was instantly signed up with Cowell’s record company, BMG records where he managed his first hit record which went straight in at number one in the UK pop charts. His version of Unchained Melody originally recorded by The Righteous Brothers, actually knocked the winner of the 2002 Pop Idol, Will Young, off the top spot and went double-platinum in the UK, and was voted 2002's Record of the Year.

Gareth’s initial success was followed by yet another high selling number-one single, Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake), and his third single, The Long and Winding Road, was actually a duet with the Pop Idol winner, Will Young and also reached number one. His fourth, What My Heart Wants to Say reached number five.

Gates’s next two singles Sunshine and Say It Isn't So reached numbers three and four respectively. His second album Go Your Own Way peaked at number eleven in the UK. It charted at number 1 and achieved platinum status in a number of Asian countries.

Gates has enjoyed significant success outside the UK, particularly in Asia, South Africa and many European countries.

During 2002 Gates was alleged to have had a brief relationship with glamour model Katie Price, also known as Jordan, during the 2002 Pop Idol show and although he initially denied the rumours he finally admitted the relationship in 2003.

In 2003, Gates sang the 2003 Comic Relief charity single, Spirit in the Sky, with The Kumars. This was also a number-one hit, staying there for two weeks. He also appeared in Comic Relief's Celebrity Driving School. Through Comic Relief, he became involved with Body and Soul, a charity that helps people affected by HIV and AIDS. He continues to be involved.

Losing ground and popularity with the record buying public, Gareth was dropped by BMG Records in 2006 after "Say It Isn't So", a 2003 number-four single, proved to be Gates' last single release in the UK.

In 2004 Gareth worked with singer-songwriter, Judie Tzuke, famous for her single, Stay With Me Till Dawn and a single he wrote with Tzuke featured on her 2007 album, Songs 1.

After being dropped by BMG records, Gareth took a break and began his training as a speech coach and course instructor with the McGuire Programme. Graduating in 2004 he was the youngest UK person to qualify as a speech coach with the programme. He co-led his first full course in February 2005 and in August 2006 instructed his first course single-handedly in Galway, Ireland.

Gareth’s next taste of fame came after the television documentary, Whatever Happened to Gareth Gates? which aired in December 2006 and documented his life before, during and after his Pop Idol experience. The show led to Gareth securing a record deal with UMTV records

In March 2007 UK chart show host Jonathan Ross had Gareth on his show, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, which saw Gates on his first talk show since combating his speech impediment.

Following his return to the limelight Gareth released his first single from a new album, "Changes" in April 2007, which peaked at number 14 in the UK charts.

Gareth now lives in London with his dancer and model girlfriend Suzanne Mole. The couple sealed their relationship on New Years Eve 2007 with an engagement ring and Gareth has now been signed up to feature in the Dancing on Ice new season in January 2008.

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