Gary Barlow forced to change surname after Robbie Williams crushed him in charts

08 November 2023 , 10:00

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The pair became competitive with one another as they embarked on solo careers (Image: WireImage)

Take That's Gary Barlow left fans stunned following his latest revelation about his solo career. The talented musician revealed that while ex-bandmate Robbie Williams went on to achieve chart-topping success after dropping out of the group, he had struggled greatly with his self-esteem and went as far as to use a fake surname to avoid embarrassment.

The English pop group had formed in Manchester in 1990 but after five years together, Robbie shockingly left the band in 1995 in the middle of their Nobody Else world tour. After parting ways with Take That, Robbie launched his solo career in 1996 with a cover of George Michael's 'Freedom', which became an instant hit.

The following year, he released his debut album 'Life thru a Lens', which reached the top of the UK charts within five months of its release. Since then, the 49-year-old has released a total of twelve albums, including the 2019 holiday-themed album 'The Christmas Present'.

Robbie Williams (pictured left) left the group in 1995 during their world tour (Getty Images)

And while Robbie soared to the top of the charts, it turned out that Gary, 52, was having his own struggles and began ordering credit cards under the name "Smith" instead. He explained to the Mirror: “I was on the phone one day, ordering towels, and the girl asked for the name on the card. She said, ‘Er, Gary Barlow? Me and my mum went to see Robbie in concert. What an entertainer… amazing’. So I changed my name on all the credit cards.” Gary even admitted to bingeing on food, drink and drugs, and even taking down all the mirrors in his home.

He also spoke about the challenges of being compared to his former bandmate. "Robbie is counting his hits in a big house in Beverly Hills and I was getting no invitations,” he previously said. “I’d walk down the street and someone would yell, ‘Hey Gary, Robbie’s doing well, isn’t he?’ I’d walk past a building site and they’d sing Let Me Entertain You. A guy doesn’t want to see himself go through this so I took down all the mirrors.”

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Pictured: Howard Donald, Gary Barlow and Mark Owen of Take That (Getty Images)

Despite the challenges, Gary has found success as a solo artist and is back on good terms with Robbie. He has even launched a new one-man West End show, A Different Stage, which explores his life and career. In his autobiography, also titled A Different Stage, Gary discusses his struggles with self-image and his dislike of his first name. He believes that children should be protected from the pressures of fame and the media.

Barlow's revelations in his recent interview are similar to those made by Robbie Williams in his new Netflix documentary. The 49-year-old musician is the subject of a new docuseries on Netflix, in which he watches old footage from his music career, exploring his time in the band, his struggle with drug addiction, and his journey to rehabilitation. Fans have applauded Robbie for his honesty and vulnerability, and many are eagerly anticipating the release of his new documentary.

Robbie Williams is a limited series that will be released to Netflix on November 8.

Florence Freeman