Gary Barlow has a lot of famous friends and if reports are to be believed, he has picked up yet another in the Bee Gees star Robin Gibb.

The pair are said to have struck up a firm friendship over the past year and insiders have told The Mirror that the X Factor judge will be in the audience when Robin – who is suffering from liver cancer – performs at his charity comeback concert at the London Palladium on February 13.

Robin and Gary met last year when they and Robbie Williams met at the Butterfly Charity Ball in May.

Earlier this month, Robin was named as patron of the ‘Rock The House initiative,’ a charity that gives British musicians the chance to earn a living from their art by protecting copyright.

He is hoping to help raise over £50,000 for www.coming-home.org.uk at his concert next month, a charity which helps wounded soldiers back in the UK. The seriously ill singer will perform three songs and admitted:

“I’m looking forward to appearing if possible and being able to continue my support for our servicemen and women.”

A friend told The Daily Record:

“Quite simply, it is a miracle Robin is able to perform. He is still incredibly weak and sleeping up to 14 hours a day.

“Robin will be literally dragging himself out of bed to do this gig. He is passionate about the charity and wants to do his bit.”

View the original post X Factor’s Gary Barlow and Robin Gibb strike up a close friendship on Unreality TV

Gary Barlow was recognised for all his charity work and philanthropic ventures at tonight’s National television Awards.

Since the X Factor judge shot back into the spotlight as part of the once again popular Take That, he has tirelessly tried to raise money for causes such as Children In Need and The Princes Trust and this evening his hard work and effort was rewarded.

Chris Moyles presented his pal with the trophy and before calling the dad of three to the stage, name checked some of his most memorable projects.

Back in 2009 he got Cheryl Cole, Ben Shephard, Alesha Dixon, Kimberley Walsh, Fearne Cotton, Chris Moyles, Denise Van Outen and Ronan Keating to take part in a sponsored climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. The same year he raised over £6 million after organising ‘Children In Need Rocks.’

In 2010 Barlow appeared at Twickenham Stadium to perform the hit single “Shame” alongside Robbie Williams in aid of the Help for Heroes charity and in January 2011 the singer songwriter held a special show, named GB40, at Shepherd’s Bush Empire to celebrate his 40th birthday. All of the profits from the show went to charity.

The Children in Need 2011 concert, as well as the official single for the charity, a cover of ‘Teardrop’ in which Barlow put together a number of artists known as ‘The Collective,’ raised a whopping £26 million.

Taking to the stage tonight, a rather delectable Gary accepted his award and thanked the public saying:

“Thank you, wow, wow! This award is absolutely fantastic. If I could just thank three groups of people. First the people who work within the charities. They are really paid very little and they work really hard, they should have a round of applause because they are the unsung heroes.

Secondly, all the artists who are always in fear of me calling and last of all you guys out there who always put your hands in your pockets. I know we ask all year round ‘give, give’give’ and somehow you always do. Thanks for giving up all you have.”

Do you think Gary deserved the award tonight? Leave your comments below.

View the original post National Television Awards 2012: X Factor’s Gary Barlow wins ‘Outstanding Contribution’ award on Unreality TV

Yesterday it sounded like Simon Cowell may be getting ready to sack Gary Barlow, but today it seems that actually, the music mogul is worried that the Take That star may not want to return to The X Factor.

At the recent Britain’s Got Talent auditions Simon revealed that eh would definitely not be sacking Louis Walsh from the judging panel in 2012, but admitted that some viewers of the show didn’t take to Gary.

Speaking to The Sun, the TV boss revealed that he is still unsure if Gary will even want to come back, because of his own career commitments with Take That and because of the all encompassing nature of the ITV show.

He explained:

“I always thought that with Gary he would have the Take That commitment in 2012.

“But there has to be a certain amount of unpredictability with this show, it is what keeps people interested.”

“This show takes over your life, it is not a two day a week show.”

Gary is currently working with Marcus Collins on his debut album, but did admit last month that he was thoroughly exhausted after a full on X Factor series.

Would you like to see Gary back on the X Factor later this year, or are you hoping for a Simon Cowell return? Leave your comments below.

View the original post Simon Cowell fears that Gary Barlow will quit X Factor 2012 on Unreality TV

Simon Cowell has confessed that he will most likely invite his old pal Louis Walsh to return to judge on this year’s series of The X Factor.

The music mogul recently returned to the UK, to film the auditions for the 2012 series of Britain’s Got Talent, but of course what the press really wanted to know is who will be back and who will be sacked on the ITV singing show.

The TV boss revealed that he would find it difficult to drop Louis from he lineup, but Take That’s Gary’s future does not look quite so secure.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Simon – who missed the entire series of X Factor UK last year as he concentrated on his US version – explained:

“There will be some changes. It would be difficult [not to have Louis on the show].”

When asked specifically about the fate of Barlow, Cowell added:

“Some people loved Gary, some people didn’t.”

Gary is currently working with last year’s runner up Marcus Collins on his debut album, which will be released in March.

It has recently been claimed that new judge Kelly Rowland won’t be back for 2012 either, having become disillusioned with the press ‘circus’ that surrounds the show.

However Tulisa Contostavlos is hoping she will be back and is desperate for a second chance, after her act Little Mix won last month.

View the original post Louis Walsh will be back on The X Factor 2012 – Gary Barlow may not! on Unreality TV

Marcus Collins has admitted that he has already started work on his debut album.

The Liverpudlian singer – who finished in second place in the 2011 series of the X Factor – appeared on Lorraine this morning and told the Scottish Tv host that he has already written “six or seven” songs for the record.

Not only that, but through writing the tracks and exploring his style, the talented star claimed that he is now more sure of what direction he wants to take his music in and what his niche will be when he releases his first tunes.

Marcus explained:

“I’m really excited, I’m working really hard. The music is really coming together. I’ve found my niche now, I’ve found exactly what it is that I want to do and it’s looking good. I’m really excited about doing it all and I feel I’ve got a little bit more time and little bit more freedom to really concentrate and focus on what it is that I want to bring out.”

He also confirmed that his former mentor and Take That star Gary Barlow will be helping behind the scenes and collaborating with him on his album.

Marcus has not yet been officially signed to any record compnay but it seems likely that if SYCO doesn’t pick him up, another arm of the Sony brand will take him on. We are expecting an announcement about his deal any day now.

Collins will soon embark on the X Factor nationwide tour, where he will reunite with show winners Little Mix, as well as Amelia Lily, Misha Bryan, Kitty Brucknell, Johnny Robinson, Janet Devlin, Craig Colton and The Risk.

View the original post X Factor: Marcus Collins is working with Gary Barlow – teases debut album on Unreality TV

Gary Barlow needs some rest and relaxation and where better to enjoy it than a Caribbean island?

The X Factor judge recently admitted that he was exhausted after starring in a four month long series of the all consuming ITV talent show and couldn’t wait to enjoy some time off with his family.

Well, in a bid to make sure they aren’t interrupted, it has been reported that the Take That star has whisked his wife and three children away to spend Christmas in Antigua.

A source told The Sun: “Gary has been working flat out for the past few months, both on The X Factor and organising his charity gigs.

“He’s a real family man and couldn’t wait to spend some more time with his wife Dawn and the kids.

“Some playing with the nippers, swimming and book reading is exactly what he needs after all of the chaos on the TV show.”

Gary previously admitted that in the New Year he will be working with former X Factor contestant and 2011 runner up Marcus Collins on his plans for the future and for his debut album. It is claimed that he will also do some writing for Little Mix’s first record also.

However, he has as yet refused to confirm whether or not he will return to the ITV show in 2012, saying that it was too soon to think about re-joining the panel.

View the original post Gary Barlow puts the X Factor behind him and whisks family to Antigua! on Unreality TV

Tulisa Contostavlos has admitted that she would love to return to The X Factor judging panel next year.

The N-Dubz star joined the ITV show earlier this year and won the series with her girl group Little Mix. She wants to come back in 2012 and admitted that she is also keen to have her co-panelists Kelly Rowland, Gary Barlow and Louis Walsh sitting beside her.

In an interview with The Mirror, the brunette beauty was asked if she has heard from Simon Cowell about the upcoming auditions and said:

“I will be back if I’m asked but I haven’t heard anything either way yet.”

“I’ve loved working with the panel… Gary very sweetly sent me a bunch of flowers as a congratulations message on Sunday, which I thought was a very noble thing to do.”

Tulisa is a notoriously nervous performer and definitely failed to shine when she sang on Children In Need last month. However she sounded amazing when she duetted with Little Mix on The X factor final and confessed that there was a lot riding on the performance for her.

She added:

“Performing on the show was a big deal for me and I’m glad I nailed it.

“I felt like throughout the ­series I was continually having to prove myself as a judge. I had to justify why I was there in a way – even during the ­final. So actually being able to sing live with the girls in the final was a massive deal for me as well as them.

“People finally got to see that I wasn’t just some street rat girl from N-Dubz who didn’t have any talent. I got to show them what I was made of.”

Tulisa’s girls Little Mix look set to scoop the number one spot in the UK single charts this evening, with their debut release ‘Cannonball.’

This week Tulisa starts work on her debut solo album and hopes to release a single by Easter.

“I’m in the studio from next week,” she said.

“I didn’t want to have too much on my plate when it came to the show and recording music. The trick is never spread yourself too thin.”

View the original post X Factor 2012: Tulisa wants to return with Gary Barlow! on Unreality TV

Kelly Rowland has admitted that she has been in awe of Gary Barlow for all of this year’s X Factor series.

The brunette beauty was attending the TW Steel launch party in London last week when she explained that she has become close to the Take That star over the last few months and revealed that she admires him not just as an artist but also for being such a family man.

Rowland said:

Gary is an amazing person, I really admire him as a man. And when I say as a man, I mean as a husband, as a father, as a musician….I just think he is an incredible man. I am really happy that I got a chance to get to know him this year.

Kelly also insisted that she and Tulisa Contostavlos are totally over any issues they may have had following the Misha B scandal and claimed that she is proud of the N-Dubz star and all she achieved with her category this year. The brunette beauty said:

Me and Tulisa are more than cool. She is very sweet and I am so proud of her and what she’s done with the groups. She was the first judge to take a group to the final and my hat’s tipped off to her. We are definitely cool, I love Tulisa.

However perhaps Kelly is not so fond of Louis Walsh, as when asked which judge she would sack from the panel if she had a choice, she giggled:

Louis has been on there a long time. He needs to give somebody else a space.

View the original post X Factor 2011: Kelly Rowland raves about ‘amazing’ Gary Barlow but would sack Louis Walsh! on Unreality TV

The former winner of the ITV series had been backing the Liverpudlian singer to win the 2011 run and confessed that he was ‘gutted’ when the former hairdresser lost out to Little Mix.

However he understood how it happened, as Cardle thinks the duet between Marcus and his mentor Gary Barlow was not as impressive as it could have been.

He told The Sun:

“Little Mix are lovely and deserving of their win but I’m absolutely gutted Marcus didn’t win — he’s the man!

“I hate to say it because I’m a massive Marcus fan but he was too quiet in his duet. It was a shame as he’s amazing vocally.”

We were shocked on Saturday too, as we had expected Marcus and Gary’s collaboration to be the performance of the night, however for us it was the least impressive duet of the evening and we were shocked by how well Tulisa Contostavlos and Little Mix performed in comparison.

Do you agree with Matt? Leave your comments below.

View the original post X Factor: Matt Cardle was disappointed by Marcus Collins and Gary Barlow’s duet on Unreality TV

Gary Barlow has admitted that he is glad to be back to the real world this morning.

The X Factor judge has been caught in the show’s bubble for the last four months but today is glad to put it all behind him and relax at home, with his three young children.

The Take That star saw his contestant Marcus Collins finish in second place last night, losing out on the title to girl group Little Mix, though only by 5% of the vote.

Taking to Twitter this morning, the star wrote:

Ah back to the real world.Beautiful day.Done 3 disney jigsaws already.All phones turned off. #nice

Speaking at a press conference last week, just days before the final, Barlow admitted that he was looking forward to this day and told reporters:

I’m really looking forward to the weekend but in another way I’m really looking forward to Monday morning as well.

After Marcus missed out yesterday, Gary promised the Liverpudlian star that he will be with him every step of the way, ensuring that he gets ‘the right label, the right songwriters, the right album’. Barlow added:

“I want to make sure that this lad is really taken care of.”

View the original post Gary Barlow gets back to the ‘real world’ after Little Mix win The X Factor! on Unreality TV