BBC star Gary Phelan who rose to prominence at the Academy of Fame has died aged 42 as tributes pour in.
Gary, from Cramlington, Newcastle, appeared in the second series of the corporate talent show where the hopefuls tried to impress director Richard Park and judges Robin Gibb and David and Carrie Grant.
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Academy of Fame star Gary Phelan has died at the age of 42 Credits: check copyright
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Gary’s death was confirmed by friends on social media last monthCredit: BBC
Gary was one of those who entered the house, including eventual winner Alex Parks.
In the show, Gary was rescued by his fellow students and then twice by fans of the show, who performed covers of classic songs like Summer in the City, before becoming the fourth student to be sent home.
Alex won the final that season, up against Alistair Griffin and Carolyn Goode.
Gary continued his music career after his Academy Awards appearance and toured the country writing and recording music.
He recently moved to Dubai where he was a popular attraction in pubs and bars in the UAE.
Gary Phelan’s time at the Academy of Fame
Gary spoke to the BBC about his time on the talent show in 2014.
Speaking about his favorite moments he said: “I think it’s all the songwriting, working with John McLaughlin who I’ll be writing with again in the future.
“And when I did ‘You’re Gorgeous’ – that was pretty cool, I was confident on stage. It was a good laugh.”
He said his favorite rendition was ‘Faith’, but added: “I wasn’t completely sure about the song because I had just learned it.”
Speaking about his time in the house, he recalled the time he managed to split Paris’s pants, saying: “Yeah, she was crying and then his pants split – so I’m going to do some of that.”
His death last month was confirmed by several friends on social media.
One tribute on Facebook said: “We had a wonderful time together in our twenties.
“I played bass for him for five years, he took me on a tour of Great Britain and recording in top studios.
“We had fun, played and worked out. Gary opened up the world to me musically and professionally and we shared some once-in-a-lifetime moments together – I will always be grateful.”
Simon Hanning, who managed Gary, took to Facebook to share a series of photos and videos, saying: “I am devastated and can’t put into words how this news has made his family and friends feel.
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“He was loved by so many people and I already miss our conversations, him sending me his latest song he wrote and the general banter we had.
“We did some amazing things together, he was everything you could ask for in a friend. I’m really heartbroken.”
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Gary continued his music career after performing at the Academy of Fame Credit: Gary Jamieson
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