Post by carol on Dec 2, 2016 11:17:03 GMT
This is a nice interview and picture of Gareth.
love carol xxx
MANY grew to love him as the skinny teen who overcame a debilitating stutter and sang his way to the Pop Idol finale in 2002.
Fast forward 14 years, Gareth Gates says he "hasn't stopped working since". The 32-year-old has released three albums, had four UK number one singles and is a veteran of the musical theatre stage.
This winter he is looking forward to spending Christmas in Belfast as he plays the role of Prince Charming in the Grand Opera House's pantomime, alongside Queen-of-comedy May McFettridge, who will lead the cast as the Fairy Godmother in her 27th year of panto.
"I’ve spent a bit of time in Belfast over the years and it’s a great city and I’m really looking forward to spending a bit of time there," said Gates, who last worked in Belfast when he did a DJ set at the Kremlin nightclub.
So what does he make of his co-star John Linehan, aka May McFettridge, and can he understand a word May says? "[John] seems to be a great actor and I’m really looking forward to having a lot of banter on stage with him," Gates says diplomatically.
Pantomimes of course give actors the creative license to ad lib, and Gtes relishes the art form.
"I’ve done some great musicals over the years, which were quite serious and you have to stick to the script. Panto is just a breath of fresh air – you can just let go and have a lot of fun."
The Bradford-born performer has fond memories of pantomime as a child.
"There is a huge theatre in Bradford and we used to go there every year. Even as a child I would dream of playing the role of Prince Charming. I’ve done seven or eight pantos over the years now. Performing in panto now is just part of Christmas for me."
His girlfriend Faye Brookes, who plays Kate Connor in Coronation Street, will be joining him for Christmas. His six-year-old daughter Missy, will also be travelling to Belfast. "She really loves panto and loves seeing Daddy being the prince." And is he a Prince Charming in real life? “I try to be," he laughs.
Gates encourages audiences of all ages to join in the boos and hisses as Cinders goes from rags to riches, outwits her very ugly sisters and meets her dashing Prince Charming.
"Yes there is the fairytale side of the story which appeals to the kids, but there is a lot of adult humour in there as well. I'll even be throwing in a song of mine as well."
Gates has also recently enjoyed success as an entrepreneur. After an operation on his vocal cords in 2014 led to him giving up caffeine drinks, he started experimenting with hot drinks and through a love of coconut developed his own brand of tea.
Cuppanut Coconut Infusions started retailing this summer and has already won a number of food awards.
"I started to develop it by literally spooning desiccated coconut into empty teabags and trying it out at home. I saw this space in the market for a hot coconut drink and I invested all my own money into the product," adds Gates who will be sharing some cranberry flavour infusions with the cast in Belfast.
Despite his many professional accolades, it's his work in "heightening the awareness of stammering" that he considers his greatest success.
"My speech is a constant battle. I have to put the work in, if I don’t I have bad days. It’s purely down to however much work I put in the better my speech will be.
"During the rehearsal period I take things extremely slowly, but what is kind of crazy is that as soon as I’ve learnt a script or am playing a character it’s not an issue and I’m the same as any other actor.
"As a child and at school I didn’t know anyone else who shared the same affliction and to bring it to light and educate the nation on what having a stammer is is definitely one of my greatest achievements," says Gates, who follows The McGuire Programme for helping to overcome stammering.
Completing the line-up at the Grand Opera House panto is Coleraine actress Jayne Wisener as Cinderella, panto favourite Paddy Jenkins as Baron Hardup, with Cinderella’s Ugly Sisters being played by local actors Gerard McCabe and Tommy Wallace.
Cinderella runs at the Grand Opera House from December 3 until January 15. See Goh.co.uk
Panto round-up
Cinderella
love carol xxx
MANY grew to love him as the skinny teen who overcame a debilitating stutter and sang his way to the Pop Idol finale in 2002.
Fast forward 14 years, Gareth Gates says he "hasn't stopped working since". The 32-year-old has released three albums, had four UK number one singles and is a veteran of the musical theatre stage.
This winter he is looking forward to spending Christmas in Belfast as he plays the role of Prince Charming in the Grand Opera House's pantomime, alongside Queen-of-comedy May McFettridge, who will lead the cast as the Fairy Godmother in her 27th year of panto.
"I’ve spent a bit of time in Belfast over the years and it’s a great city and I’m really looking forward to spending a bit of time there," said Gates, who last worked in Belfast when he did a DJ set at the Kremlin nightclub.
So what does he make of his co-star John Linehan, aka May McFettridge, and can he understand a word May says? "[John] seems to be a great actor and I’m really looking forward to having a lot of banter on stage with him," Gates says diplomatically.
Pantomimes of course give actors the creative license to ad lib, and Gtes relishes the art form.
"I’ve done some great musicals over the years, which were quite serious and you have to stick to the script. Panto is just a breath of fresh air – you can just let go and have a lot of fun."
The Bradford-born performer has fond memories of pantomime as a child.
"There is a huge theatre in Bradford and we used to go there every year. Even as a child I would dream of playing the role of Prince Charming. I’ve done seven or eight pantos over the years now. Performing in panto now is just part of Christmas for me."
His girlfriend Faye Brookes, who plays Kate Connor in Coronation Street, will be joining him for Christmas. His six-year-old daughter Missy, will also be travelling to Belfast. "She really loves panto and loves seeing Daddy being the prince." And is he a Prince Charming in real life? “I try to be," he laughs.
Gates encourages audiences of all ages to join in the boos and hisses as Cinders goes from rags to riches, outwits her very ugly sisters and meets her dashing Prince Charming.
"Yes there is the fairytale side of the story which appeals to the kids, but there is a lot of adult humour in there as well. I'll even be throwing in a song of mine as well."
Gates has also recently enjoyed success as an entrepreneur. After an operation on his vocal cords in 2014 led to him giving up caffeine drinks, he started experimenting with hot drinks and through a love of coconut developed his own brand of tea.
Cuppanut Coconut Infusions started retailing this summer and has already won a number of food awards.
"I started to develop it by literally spooning desiccated coconut into empty teabags and trying it out at home. I saw this space in the market for a hot coconut drink and I invested all my own money into the product," adds Gates who will be sharing some cranberry flavour infusions with the cast in Belfast.
Despite his many professional accolades, it's his work in "heightening the awareness of stammering" that he considers his greatest success.
"My speech is a constant battle. I have to put the work in, if I don’t I have bad days. It’s purely down to however much work I put in the better my speech will be.
"During the rehearsal period I take things extremely slowly, but what is kind of crazy is that as soon as I’ve learnt a script or am playing a character it’s not an issue and I’m the same as any other actor.
"As a child and at school I didn’t know anyone else who shared the same affliction and to bring it to light and educate the nation on what having a stammer is is definitely one of my greatest achievements," says Gates, who follows The McGuire Programme for helping to overcome stammering.
Completing the line-up at the Grand Opera House panto is Coleraine actress Jayne Wisener as Cinderella, panto favourite Paddy Jenkins as Baron Hardup, with Cinderella’s Ugly Sisters being played by local actors Gerard McCabe and Tommy Wallace.
Cinderella runs at the Grand Opera House from December 3 until January 15. See Goh.co.uk
Panto round-up
Cinderella
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