Take That star Gary Barlow has said he loves wine because it makes him feel as “passionate” as music does. The singer, 55, has presented a number of food and travel programmes in recent years and has travelled across New Zealand alongside comedian Jason Manford for his latest “epic adventure”.
In Gary Barlow’s Food And Wine Tour: New Zealand, they will sample food and wine while meeting producers, chefs, winemakers and communities, discovering how food and drink connect people, stories and the natural world.
Why wine mirrors music for Barlow
In an interview with the Press Association, Barlow explained why he is so passionate about travelling across the world for these new experiences. He said: “First and foremost, these shows for me are about the wine, and the food is obviously a pairing with that.
“Anything that’s homegrown is what attracts me. I guess my attraction with wine is the same reason I’m into music. Wine is like a passion.
“Whenever you go to these vineyards, they’re not there for the money. They can’t be, because it’s very difficult to make money. They’re there because they love it. It’s a passion. It’s the way that music has been for me – that’s what’s always drawn me to wine.”
He added: “When I’m doing any of these trips to watch and listen to people who are passionate about what they do, I just love that. I want to be constantly surrounded by it.”
Teaming up with Jason Manford
For the six-part series, Barlow has teamed up with Waterloo Road star Manford, who described the experience as “one of the biggest privileges of my life”. Barlow told PA he chose Manford as his travel companion because he wanted someone he already knew and liked.
He said the decision was made when the comedian told him he knew “nothing about wine”, adding: “Perfect, because then he can learn while the audience are watching. That’s the best thing. It just worked brilliantly. When we weren’t being filmed, we were having breakfast or dinner together. It was just a really lovely trip.
“We’ve probably known each other for about 15 years. We knew each other, but we didn’t know each other that well – but we just had a ball.”
Barlow said the two-week experience filming together was “really sweet” and “very special”. They visited locations such as Auckland, Waiheke Island, Queenstown, Central Otago, Marlborough Sounds and Hawke’s Bay to discover new foods, landscapes and experiences.
New Zealand adventures and next travels
They also immersed themselves in New Zealand culture and experienced Maori traditions, taking on new challenges such as zip-lining through a native forest and tandem cycling together through vineyards. The series comes after Gary Barlow’s Wine Tour: South Africa in 2024 and Gary Barlow’s Food And Wine Tour: Australia, which aired last year.
The singer described New Zealand as “one of my favourite places”, and when asked where he would like to travel to next he said: “I’ve actually been on tour years ago – at the end of the 90s. I’d love to go back now as someone who loves wine. The place is called Chile in South America. Imagine drinking Malbec in a beautiful vineyard with a new appreciation for it.”
Barlow rose to fame in the 1990s as the main songwriter and lead vocalist of pop group Take That, alongside Robbie Williams, Mark Owen, Howard Donald and Jason Orange. The band achieved 12 UK number one singles with tracks such as Pray, Relight My Fire and Never Forget, as well as nine UK number one albums and eight Brit Awards. Barlow launched a successful solo career after Take That split in 1996, but they eventually reunited in 2005 with a second wave of chart-topping albums.
Gary Barlow’s Food And Wine Tour: New Zealand will air on Sunday August 30 on ITV.
