‘Fairy tale’ over as Gareth and Faye split up after six years
SINGER Gareth Gates and Coronation Street star Faye Brookes yesterday announced they have split after six years together.
In joint Twitter posts, the pair said they had taken the decision to “take some time apart”.
They said: “We remain the very best of friends. We’d like to thank you for all your support over the years.”
Pop Idol runner-up Gates, 34, met soap star Brookes, 31, when they played lovers in the 2012 UK tour of Legally Blonde The Musical.
Last year Brookes, who plays Kate Connor in Corrie, described their relationship as “a fairy tale”.
She said: “I totally believe in fate and that he was meant to walk into my life for a reason. He became my best friend and it blossomed into us becoming this unbelievable duo.
“He was the one person who allowed me to let my guard down – for me to be silly, laugh at myself and not take life too seriously.”
But despite describing Gates as the guy she wanted to “spend the rest of her life with”, she said the couple had no plans to marry soon.
In March Brookes said: “I am so focused with my massive storyline right now, with work and everything that Coronation Street are throwing at me. Gareth respects that my head is in my career right now and that’s all I can focus on.”
Back in February, Gates said it was not a case of if but when the couple would get engaged.
“When I do ask Faye to marry me, it’ll be a huge surprise to her,” he added. “I know Faye likes surprises, so I probably wouldn’t do it at a time she’s expecting it.”
Gates rose to fame in the first series of ITV talent show Pop Idol in 2002 and has gone on to star in a number of West End productions, including Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Les Miserables.
He was married to actress Suzanne Mole for four years until they split in 2012. They have a nine-year-old daughter, Missy.
Gates and Brookes were immediately inundated with online support from friends.
Bhavna Limbachia, who plays Brookes’ on-screen girlfriend, Rana Habeeb, replied with a series of heart emojis.