Gary Barlow was once known as ‘the fat one from Take That,’ but now the slimline TV judge is Saturday night eye candy for the nation on ITV’s The X Factor.
However maintaining his new figure is not as easy as it looks, and the X Factor star has admitted that he has to eat by himself, away from the other judges to avoid straying from his “obsessive” diet.
The 41-year-old father of four, who once weighed a massive 17stone, has spoken openly about his struggle with his weight, and has banned sugar, caffeine and even milk from his diet, sipping on peppermint tea and avoiding the canteen where Tulisa Contostavlos and Louis Walsh eat.
The Jubilee concert organiser has special carrot, beetroot and lemongrass smoothies brought to him at specific times, and eats separate meals, including a vegetable medley each day.
An X Factor source told The Sun: “It’s fair to say he is obsessive about his food and will do whatever it takes to avoid temptation. He has even requested he sit away from the other judges when they eat so he is not distracted from his vegetables and lean protein meals. Simon thinks it’s hilarious.”
When Take That split in 1996, 5ft 9in Gary comfort ate to cope with depression, but since the band came back in 2005, the formerly tubby star has lost a staggering five stone.
Last year he was criticised for encouraging his X Factor acts to shed weight to improve their chances, and chubby contestant Craig Colton lost a stone in a week on Gary’s restrictive diet.
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