PATH TO FAME: GARY BARLOW

Gary Barlow's path to fame came to an abrupt halt when his career slumped in the most spectacular way. Until his solo career crumbled, his pathway had been lined with gold. Quite simply, he was a musical prodigy as a teenager growing up in the small Cheshire town of Frodsham.

The compère at the local British Legion Club asked the bingo enthusiasts to listen politely to a song the schoolboy musician had just composed and give it a massive applause. Gary blew on the mic, as he always did, and began: 'Put Your Head Against My Life...' It was the first public performance of A Million Love Songs and it did indeed bring the house down.

When he first found fame, Gary was perceived as arrogant but that changed when his solo career flopped and he became depressed and overweight, while the triumphs of Robbie Williams were a constant reminder of his failure. But Take That returned, bigger than ever, and Gary got back on the path.

And just like Robbie, the first book of the unique PATH TO FAME series, he had to hit rock bottom before he could Rule the (pop) World again.

About the Series: The PATH TO FAME is a unique series of books by Sean Smith, in which he follows the ups and downs, the disasters and triumphs of our best-loved superstars on their journey to becoming famous.