Pop Idol sensation Gareth Gates has opened up about his lifelong stammer prior to his brand-new Frankie Valli show. 

The singing legend will be performing at the Wycombe Swan on Tuesday, October 15, and tickets are already selling fast.

Speaking directly to The Press, Gareth said that prior to the show he has been doing loads of interviews but does find them hard sometimes due to his speech impediment. 

"Ever since I was young I've always been able sing perfectly fine without stammering," he said. "I think when I sing and act on stages like the West End it isn't ever an issue.

"I guess I adopt a different persona. I'm no longer Gareth Gates, I'm whatever role I'm playing."

He went on to say how his first ever West End show was Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat and had even played the role previously as a child at school. 

"To then have an audition with Andrew Lloyd Webber in his office and when he offered me the leading role, that was just brilliant," Gareth continued. 

He did the show for six months and then went on to play Marius in Les Miserables and toured for a year before coming back to the West End. Other memorable performances include parts in legally Blonde, Footloose, and SpongeBob. 

On October 15 Gareth will be coming to Wycombe to perform a show that he produced himself: Gareth Gates Sings Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. 

"It's essentially a tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons," Gareth said. "I'm a big fan of Frankie Valli from my parents and loved the music when I was growing up.

"To be able to put together a show full of huge hits like Can't Take my Eyes of You and Big Girls Don't Cry is just really exciting."

Gareth said he has been very fortunate to tour for the past 22 years. "It's been that long since Pop Idol, I feel very old now," he laughed. 

He said that he has always thrown in a Frankie Valli song into his sets all around the world as everyone knows and loves the music. 

"I'm also very fortunate to have a great team of people around me," Gareth continued. "I've cast four amazing West End singers to back me for the night. In fact, one of the guys has been in Jersey Boys and is very accomplished."

If you'd like to attend Gareth's brand-new show, please go to this link.