'I'VE ALWAYS STRUGGLED WITH BEING A SEX SYMBOL!'

AS HE HITS A MILE STONE BIRTHDAY GARY BARLOW LOOKS BACK AT HIS REMARKABLE CAREER GETS REFLECTIVE OVER HIS CHILDREN AND ADMIT SHE WASN’T ALWAYS COMFORTABLE IN THE LIME LIGHT

From fronting Take That to writing 14 No 1 singles, Gary Barlow has achieved a lot in his lifetime. And with his big 50th birthday this week, the star admits he’s been in a contemplative mood of late.

“I don’t know whether it’s just forties or going into my fifties, but yeah, I’ve been reflective for a few years,” says Gary, who recently released his fifth solo album, Music Played By Humans.

“I don’t know what that’s all about – might just be a getting older thing because our eldest child is like 20 now!” he adds.

Gary has three children – Daniel, 20, Emily, 18, and Daisy, 11 – with his wife Dawn, who he lives with in Oxfordshire. And last week the happy couple celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary. As for how he’s marking his milestone birthday, Gary jokes, “I’m going to stay 49 and be 50 next year!”

Here, Gary reflects on his success, opens up about his loyalty to fans and reveals how he really felt about being one of the most lusted-after men of the 90s…

Happy birthday Mr Barlow! What have you got planned?

Well, I had booked the London Palladium, as I was going to do a show on my birthday. Of course, I’m not doing that now, so what I’m going to do is put it back a year and I’m going to stay 49. That’s alright, isn’t it?

Sounds fair! Looking back over 50 years, did you always want to be a musician?