Gareth Gates says he’s proud of his muscly new body, but women preferred him when he was a ‘skinny beanpole’ teen.
The former pop star, 36, shot to fame when he was a runner-up on the first ever series of X Factor.
Winning second-place in 2002, he became a household name and enjoyed a string of pop hits.
But he says he’s worked hard over the last few years to transform his look.
Gone is the innocent looking skinny man, and in replace a buff new hunk.
What has Gareth Gates said about fame?
Speaking to The Sun, the dad-of-one said: “I definitely got more attention back then.”
Before adding: “But I think I look better now. It’s taken me six years to get this body.”
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Gareth says he really got into the gym when he turned 30. And long gone are his party and boozing days.
And he even says he’d rather spend time in the gym than feel hungover the next day.
But despite him saying he got more attention in yesteryears – he added that women still slide into his Instagram direct messages all the time.
Does Gareth still have a stammer?
Indeed the star shows off plenty of steamy snaps and videos working on his Instagram account.
Back in the day, Gareth enjoyed a string of number one hits. These included his rendition of Unchained Melody, Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake) and Spirit In The Sky.
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Rising to fame at the tender age of 17, he won hearts with both his angelic singing voice and the fact that he suffered a stammer.
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He told the Daily Post back in 2017, that he still struggles with his stammer.
He said: “My speech is a constant battle – I have ups and downs all the time but I know what to do and if I put the work in I can achieve it.”
But added that while on stage his stammer disappears.
Adding: “For those two hours I am on stage, I don’t have to think about my speech, it’s really liberating.”
After his pop career slowed down, Gareth went on to star in a series of hit stage musicals.
Gareth has played starring roles in the likes of Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Les Misérables and Legally Blonde.
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