Let It Shine's Gary Barlow Reveals Why He Doesn't Want Former 'X Factor' Stars On His New Show

Gary Barlow has admitted he doesn’t want to see any former reality stars progress on his singing show ‘Let It Shine’.

The Take That singer is currently looking for a new group to appear in ‘The Band’, a jukebox musical featuring the boyband’s biggest hits.

And while past shows like ‘The Voice’, ‘X Factor’ and ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ have been known at times to recycle contestants, Gary has insisted there won’t be any of that on ‘Let It Shine’.

Speaking to The Mirror, he explained: “You don’t want baggage of any kind. This is a show going to go into theatre - pre-conceived reactions towards people is a bad thing. We’re looking for young, fresh talent.

“There’s about three rounds before I get to see them. By that point the people casting for this will have weeded those [former reality stars].”

He added: “The stakes are high for me, so it’s an enormous relief we have found talent.”

Gary previously served as a judge for three series of ‘The X Factor’, replacing Simon Cowell when he took the franchise to the US, although none of the acts he mentored ever won the show.

In the lead-up to the launch of ‘Let It Shine’, it was reported he’d thrown some subtle shade at his former ITV stomping ground, when he said: “This [show] is for a job, it is not someone waving a contract.

“The record business is very hard now I can’t even predict what is going to be successful or not. But with this I was able to sit there and say the reason you are here today is a job… By the end of the year I hope these will be the start of careers of years to come.”

‘Let It Shine’ airs on Saturday nights on BBC One.