Where Pop Idol stars now – epic weight loss, soap star career and tragic death

Pop Idol was one of the biggest shows on British TV when it launched in 2001.

Offering the opportunity for anyone from the public to become a pop sensation, the show was a trailblazer for its time and launched the careers of some of Britain’s biggest names in the 00s. Viewers often tuned in in their millions as they rooted for the singer they wanted to see rule the charts.

The ITV show only ran for two seasons, eventually being culled in 2003. However, since then, the show’s legacy has carried on through the success of its contestants; many of whom continue to have bright careers to this day.

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So, as Pop Idol marks its 23rd anniversary, Daily Star looks at where some of the stars of the show are nowadays.

Will Young

At the end of the first season, the UK was split between who should win the competition – Will Young or Gareth Gates. The show would culminate in then-22-year-old Will clinching the title and launching his music career – something he would describe as a “turning point” for him.

Will’s first track, Anything is Possible/Evergreen, would go on to be the best-selling single of the 2000s, with Will securing another three No.1 singles, four chart-topping albums, and at the height of his fame, being worth £13million. However, his fame came at a cost after he was forced to come out as gay.

In recent years, Will has turned his attention to activism, chaining himself to a gate as part of protests by animal rights campaigners. He is continuing to release music, however, with his most recent album, ‘Light It Up’, coming out in August.

Gareth Gates

Gareth also was able to carve out a new career for himself thanks to the show. As fans fell in love with his story after he developed a stammer, the singer was able to set the charts on fire with his track Unchained Melody.

After selling millions of records, and shortly after his stint on the show, Gareth would reveal he lost his virginity at the age of 17 to model Katie Price. Since then, he has had a string of relationships, with his most recent relationship with West End star Allana Taylor being confirmed in July 2024.

Like Will, Gareth has also used his platform to raise important issues – for people with speech impediments. After training as a speech therapist, Gareth has launched and hosted a number of speech and language courses that have been attended by MPs such as the late Sir David Amess.

Jessica Garlick

Welsh star Jessica Garlick may have only had a short stint on the show, but she used her experience to her advantage. In 2002, Jessica represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in Tallinn, Estonia with her song “Come Back”.

She finished third place, the UK’s best result since 1998 before she decided to pull back from the spotlight and raise a family. Jessica went on to get hitched to personal trainer Owen and welcome baby children into the world.

Since then, Jessica has tried and failed to restart her musical career, with an attempted revival coming in 2009. After her comeback track, “Hard Not to Fall”, slumped in the charts, she retreated back into the normal world and has been rarely seen in the public eye since.

Michelle McManus

Winner of season two, Michelle was catapulted into stardom in 2003. However, despite winning the competition, her career appeared to stunt quickly and she struggled to break into the charts.

Over the years, Michelle has spoken candidly about her experience on the show, revealing she had been told that she would not make it as a pop star due to her weight. Michelle’s body image would fluctuate over time, but in recent months has flaunted her amazing weight loss after dropping 9 stone in 17 months.

Now aged 44, the Scotswoman beamed with pride as she was thrilled to show off her new body, before thanking her ch and “guiding star” Liza Hardingbuck. “Having her by my side checking in every day and those weekly video calls, became the secret to my success,” she said in a post. “Her support and the accountability she provided kept me laser-focused on my goals.”

Darius Danesh

Darius Danesh shot to fame in the first series for his bizarre rendition of “(Hit Me Baby) One More Time” by Britney Spears. Despite being ridiculed in the media for his odd portrayal of the song, Darius returned and turned his perception around.

He went on to have a No.1 song, “Colourblind” in 2002, before he entered the theatre world, performing in the West End on shows such as Chicago. He also tied the knot to Canadian film icon Natasha Henstridge, before calling time on their marriage after seven years in 2018.

On August 16, 2022, it was announced that Darius had passed away after being found dead in an apartment in the US. After some initial mystery surrounding his death, a coroner’s report from December 2022 ruled he had die from inhaling chloroethane, which caused him to go into cardiac arrest.

Hayley Evetts

Hayley narrowly missed out on the final of the first series of the show, eventually finishing in fifth place. This did not stop her from pursuing a career in TV, going to host the spin-off show to Pop Idols’ own spin-off, Popstars: The Rivals Extra.

In the late 2000s, Hayley had a brief stint in the acting world when she appeared on Coronation Street playing the role of Eve. But the pull of singing proved to be too strong and she auditioned on The X Factor in 2012, only to be rejected.

Hayley also had a brush with Eurovision, vying to represent Romania at Eurovision in 2016. However, a knee injury meant that she was forced to withdraw from the competition.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk