More about: Gary Barlow

Gary Barlow reportedly sent topless photos of himself to a gay record label boss (along with demo music) before being signed up and steered to stardom in boyband Take That.

The singer and boyband songwriter posted moderately rude photos to Nigel Martin Smith, reports Attitude magazine, who later placed Barlow at the centre of one of the biggest pop phenomenons of the 90s. It's a far cry from his role as the grumpy, boring X Factor judge or the 'serious' one in Take That. The revelations are made in a new BBC show called When Corden Met Barlow, which is being flagged as a documentary.

Martin Smith is quoted as describing the photo of Barlow as looking like "Annie Lennox - but I knew he could be hot property."

"How could I refuse?" He added, saying that he saw potential (and nipples, obviously) in the young singer.

When Corden Met Barlow will be screened on BBC1 on Monday, 5 May 2014.

More about: Gary Barlow