Gary Barlow tells all about new Take That album and reveals reason why Las Vegas residency didn’t happen
Gary Barlow is on course to make it a perfect ten for Take That, after revealing he’s hard at work on the band’s next album.
Their ninth record, This Life, went straight to No1 when they released it in November 2023.
Gary tells me his new tunes with Mark Owen and Howard Donald will be coming sooner than fans may think.
“We’re all working on a new Take That record right now,” Gary says as we chat backstage at the screening of the second series of his ITV wine and travel show.
“We all came off tour at the end of the year and said, ‘Right, let’s get to work’.
“It’s been slated for next year. We just don’t want to stop, really.
“But I think we’re at the point where we don’t even really want to make an album, we just want to put singles out.
“We’re writing, we’re recording, and when we like something, we’re just going to put it out.” He adds:
“The albums take years to make. And I often think of our fans, they want stuff now. They don’t want to wait for two years.”
Too right, Gary. One thing fans may be left wanting for is a Las Vegas residency, however.
Not long after This Life came out, Gary and co told me they were in negotiations with Sin City bigwigs to take one of their stage shows to the Strip, following in the footsteps of acts including Kylie Minogue and Katy Perry.
‘More intimate’
But Gary reveals they have not been able to strike a deal.
“It’s so hard,” Gary explains. “It’s not happening at the moment.
“Last year was a good year for us because we played lots of countries that we’d never played before.
“But I just couldn’t get Vegas to work. It’s because we’re not big in America, that’s the reality.
“I’d love to just do it once. Even if it’s just for three weeks.”
While Vegas remains a pipe dream, Gary is juggling his new record with Take That with a new solo tour, Songbook 2025.
He will play 41 dates across the UK, including Newcastle, Nottingham, Glasgow and Manchester, throughout this month and next.
And Gary is itching to get back out on stage. He says with a grin: “The band I’ve got is so good, it just sounds bigger and fuller.
“The joy of doing solo stuff is I get to play smaller venues and it feels so much more intimate.”
Fans can next catch the Never Forget singer on ITV and ITVX this week, when Gary Barlow’s Food And Wine Tour: Australia begins on Friday at 2pm.
The first series, which saw him drinking his way across South Africa, was a huge success and led to ITV handing him a second series almost immediately.
This time, Gary heads Down Under and filmed the show after finishing Take That’s live shows in the country last year.
But, I wonder, how do the hangovers compare?
“They’re both quite nasty,” Gary says with a laugh.
“I’m afraid you don’t get it easier when you’re in Oz.
“It’s funny when the guests turn up because they’re like, ‘I’m crazy!’ and you have to say, ‘Pace yourself, it’s a long day’.
“Ronan Keating and I drink together anyway but the funny thing is that when he was filming, they made him wait all day for a wine.
“They gave us beer to start and he was like, ‘Where is the wine?’
“We didn’t get any wine until 7pm. But we more than made up for it.”
Jacob on the Road
SALTBURN actor Jacob Elordi looked as handsome as ever after returning Down Under to attend the Sydney premiere of his new Prime Video mini series, The Narrow Road To The Deep North.
He has been a busy boy, having been in the UK shooting the Wuthering Heights remake with Margot Robbie.
And Jacob has also been needed on set in America for the new series of Euphoria. But now he’s 27, it might be tricky for him to pass as a schoolboy when the show finally hits screens again.
Pre-tour capers for Bey
There are less than three weeks to go until Beyonce kicks off her Cowboy Carter tour in California – but she had a rare night off from rehearsals to promote haircare products.
She wore a fitted cream suit with a cape and shades to the party in Los Angeles, which was celebrating her brand Cécred being stocked in US chain Ulta Beauty.
It seems like Bey kept herself to herself at the bash, but plenty of guests were still left starstruck, including model and influencer Jena Frumes, who is the mother of Jason Derulo’s son.
She said of meeting Bey’s mum Tina Knowles: “So blessed to be welcomed into these rooms with incredibly inspiring people.”
Now perfectionist Bey will be back in rehearsals for the US shows, ahead of the London dates in June. I’m excited already.
Our DJ pals at Virgin Radio UK are going out on the road this summer as festival season kicks off. They will broadcast shows from the Isle Of Wight Festival from June 19-22, Latitude from July 24-27 and then the Hardwick Festival between August 15-17.
The shows, which will also take in broadcasts from CarFest from August 22, will also feature interviews with headliners including Sting, Fatboy Slim, Pet Shop Boys and Snow Patrol.
Alex in feast of Britpop
As a man who makes cheese for a living, I’m not surprised Alex James was stuffing his face with fromage.
But the Blur bass player tells me the band’s reunion tour in 2023 got his fitness back on track.
“Rock ’n’ roll bands are supposed to be what sends you into Fat Elvis but it was like rehab for me,”
Alex says in an exclusive chat. “I put a lot of weight on during lockdown and I needed some impetus to shake it all off and get back in shape.
“You can’t point a Super Trouper spotlight at a lard arse, it doesn’t work.”
Alex’s annual food and music festival, The Big Feastival, kicks off again in August at his farm in the Cotswolds.
This year he will be taking to the stage with a Britpop classical concert, playing some of the biggest songs of the era with the London Concert Orchestra and a handful of big-name guests.
Talking about how Britpop changed his life for ever, Alex, added: “I spent a lot of time fighting the Britpop era.
“Every time I heard the word Britpop my heart died a bit, but actually, just f***ing embrace it.
“Why go back there and revisit it?
“The time is right. It’s a goldmine. And you need gold at a festival, so let’s have a crack.”
If you weren’t lucky enough to secure yourself tickets to Glastonbury this summer, all is not lost. Vodafone, Glasto’s official connectivity partner, is giving away 100 pairs of tickets to its customers.
The instant win competition, which runs until April 20, gives you the chance to watch headliners including Olivia Rodrigo, The 1975 and Neil Young for free.
If you are on Vodafone’s network, head to the VeryMe Rewards section in the MyVodafone app to enter. Good luck.
Denise: Tent no go for Matty Glasto
Denise Welch is heading to Glasto to see her son Matty Healy and The 1975 headline on the Friday.
She will be watching from the side of the stage – but needs to sort accommodation pronto after refusing to bed down in a tent at Worthy Farm.
Denise said in an exclusive chat: “We are still trying to sort out the bloody house where we’re going to stay. I don’t want to camp. I’d rather be in and out.”
Revealing her plans, Den, above, explained: “I don’t really do festivals. The only one I’ve been to is Coachella. It was VIP and it was sunny and gorgeous.
“But no one stays there. Everyone goes home at the end of the night. I may go back on Sunday to see Rod Stewart but I am not going to stay for the three days.”
She added: “The band started in the garage and we kind of housed them all for god knows how many years.
“There is always a lot of rejection. They were 13 when they started the band and about 22 when it all took off. There was no overnight success.”
Party for diamond geezer Rob
Robert Downey Jr took a break from filming the new Avengers film in London to throw a 60th birthday bash.
Friends of the actor were sent invites for “Robert’s Diamond Jubilee” and headed down to Petersham Nurseries in Richmond for a night of booze and fine dining.
My source said: “Robert put on a party to celebrate with his closest friends and family, and no expense was spared.
“Robert was the life and soul of the party and spent the whole evening walking around chatting to the people who’d come along.
“It was a close-knit group of his best mates and his family but there were a few famous faces in the party including Stanley Tucci.”
Biz blinds
I’ve heard of method acting but it appears two of The White Lotus cast took the ideology a little too far when it came to getting into character.
I’m told blanked blanked and blanked blanked secretly hooked up during filming and hoped their dalliance would stay a well-kept secret.
But now everyone is gossiping about them, making that cast party on Sunday night more than a little awkward . . . because one of the duo certainly wasn’t single the last time I checked.
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