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"TAKING STEROIDS LEFT ME WITH STRETCH MARKS"
By Lara Kilner 17/06/2007
GARETH Gates has gone all grown up since he disappeared from pop-star life three years ago. But the 22-year-old, who’s launching a comeback with a new single, Changes, released tomorrow, isn’t quite as big as he was 18 months ago, when he admits he buffed out rather too much.
‘I’d been on the steroids,’ he admits. ‘I was taking Creatine, which is a legal steroid, and I went through a stage of having that with lots of protein supplements and going to the gym five days a week. It got to the point where I looked in the mirror and the size of my neck was just ridiculous. So I had to say “woah”, and ease off the gym a bit. That was about a year and a half ago and I haven’t been since, so I’m back to my usual skinny self. I’ve still got the stretch marks…’
Gareth admits he is an extreme person in all areas of his life, but reckons he isn’t vain. Well, not really. ‘I take pride in my appearance, but I’m not vain, although lots of people would disagree. I spend 10 minutes getting ready – and then about half an hour looking in the mirror,’ he laughs.
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He also admits to being ‘a fan of the old sunbeds’, something Celebs gives him a good ticking off for. ‘But I don’t want to use St Tropez, because I’m scared of going orange. And that Johnson’s Holiday Skin stuff takes too long to develop – I need immediate effects.’
Something he’s not expecting to take immediate effect is his rise back to the top of the pop game. ‘It’s been a while, so I know it’s going to take time and hard work, it’s not going to be handed to me on a plate. Last time, with Pop Idol, lots of people were watching me every week on TV, but this time it’s totally reliant on my hard work.’
But isn’t it a bit surreal staging a comeback at the ripe old age of 22? ‘It is mad, but I was very young when I did Pop Idol. And I don’t call it a comeback – it’s just the next stage. And I’m very excited about it.’
Us too, Gareth, us too…
**broken link removed**
By Lara Kilner 17/06/2007
GARETH Gates has gone all grown up since he disappeared from pop-star life three years ago. But the 22-year-old, who’s launching a comeback with a new single, Changes, released tomorrow, isn’t quite as big as he was 18 months ago, when he admits he buffed out rather too much.
‘I’d been on the steroids,’ he admits. ‘I was taking Creatine, which is a legal steroid, and I went through a stage of having that with lots of protein supplements and going to the gym five days a week. It got to the point where I looked in the mirror and the size of my neck was just ridiculous. So I had to say “woah”, and ease off the gym a bit. That was about a year and a half ago and I haven’t been since, so I’m back to my usual skinny self. I’ve still got the stretch marks…’
Gareth admits he is an extreme person in all areas of his life, but reckons he isn’t vain. Well, not really. ‘I take pride in my appearance, but I’m not vain, although lots of people would disagree. I spend 10 minutes getting ready – and then about half an hour looking in the mirror,’ he laughs.
Advertisement
He also admits to being ‘a fan of the old sunbeds’, something Celebs gives him a good ticking off for. ‘But I don’t want to use St Tropez, because I’m scared of going orange. And that Johnson’s Holiday Skin stuff takes too long to develop – I need immediate effects.’
Something he’s not expecting to take immediate effect is his rise back to the top of the pop game. ‘It’s been a while, so I know it’s going to take time and hard work, it’s not going to be handed to me on a plate. Last time, with Pop Idol, lots of people were watching me every week on TV, but this time it’s totally reliant on my hard work.’
But isn’t it a bit surreal staging a comeback at the ripe old age of 22? ‘It is mad, but I was very young when I did Pop Idol. And I don’t call it a comeback – it’s just the next stage. And I’m very excited about it.’
Us too, Gareth, us too…
**broken link removed**
