‘They wish they had a ‘normal’ dad’

As the lead singer of Take That, who took summer by storm with a five-week stadium tour titled The Circus Live UK, Gary Barlow has no shortage of fans. Yet the star’s most devoted cheerleaders are his wife and children, he reveals.

“My family are definitely still my biggest fans,” says Gary, 55, of his wife of 26 years, the dancer and choreographer Dawn Andrews, 56, and their three children: Daniel, 26, who works in medicine, Emily, 24, who studied physiology, and Daisy, 17.

“They have those years when they sometimes wish they had a ‘normal dad’, I guess – and not to be recognised – but as they get older, they see the great side of it and see how much fun I have doing what I love,” Gary says. “They all come to a lot of the shows, and as they get older, they seem to get more involved.”

He adds: “One of the great things about this Circus tour was the number of Take That kids we had on the road with us. It was great having them all wandering in and out of the dressing rooms and having dinner with us.”

His bandmates, Mark Owen and Howard Donald, have seven children between them: Mark, 54, is a father of three, and Howard, 58, has four children.

© Grant Buchanan/Dave Benett/WireI

Now, Gary’s son and daughters will have another opportunity to support their famous father, as he returns to screens with the third instalment of his Food & Wine Tour, filmed in New Zealand.

Following previous seasons in South Africa and Australia, the new series is the latest chapter in the musician’s global culinary adventures – and this time, he’s joined by his comedian friend Jason Manford as they travel across New Zealand’s dramatic landscape.

Gary made sure that his friends could experience each moment, too, opting to show them a slideshow of images instead of buying them souvenirs, due to luggage restrictions.

“We’re moving around so much on trains and buses and cars that I have to pack just hand luggage,” he says. “Sadly, taking gifts home is not an option, but – much to everyone’s disappointment – I took so many pictures and made so many people sit through them, slide by slide.

“I know they were all completely bored of me harping on about going to a place I think they should visit, but that’s what I did and what I brought back for them. They were surprised by the photos, and some of the most stunning scenery of all was in the South Island.

He adds: “The one thing I personally took back with me was the ambition to take a show to New Zealand. I’d love Take That to play the North and South Islands… and I think I’ve convinced the lads, so watch this space!”

Adventures Down Under 

Good friends Gary and Jason had a ball on the trip, which included a moving welcome from the Auckland-based Māori tribe Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, some precarious tandem biking and a chance to explore olive groves and vineyards together.

© ITV

“It wasn’t as though we were filming and then went off to our trailers – we did actually spend every waking hour together, and it was great fun,” Gary says.

What’s the first thing he does after returning from a trip? “Make a nice cup of tea,” he says. “A cup of tea when you’re home is always the best thing.”

Gary Barlow’s Food & Wine Tour: New Zealand, in association with Tourism New Zealand & Great Rail Journeys, is broadcast on 30 August on ITV