Secret torment of Gary Barlow’s wife Dawn: Insiders reveal how she put her own life on hold to be the ‘unsung hero of his success’ – from ‘dealing with him obese and miserable to slimmed down and best friends with Cheryl…’

As journeys down showbiz memory lane continue, Take That’s latest is searingly honest; more warts and it’s all PR bloat.

Indeed, the band’s new Netflix documentary, which topped the streamer’s ratings chart this week, is a brutal account of the toll of the journey to stardom and the devastating emotional strain they endured during 35 years in the public eye.

Of all the members of the band, Gary Barlow is perhaps the most outspoken on camera, sometimes painfully so. But not a word comes from one important figure in his life: Dawn, his wife of 26 years.

He’s definitely a special guy, and those who know him say he’s the key to Gary’s survival. ‘An absolute legend’ is how he describes him.

Another Take That source tells me: ‘If it wasn’t for Dawn, Gary would probably be stuck forever in a lot of the ruts he finds himself in.

‘He is literally the unsung hero of his success.

‘Somehow Dawn managed to expect so much of herself to be Gary’s rock.

‘It’s an amazing relationship but she’s incredibly selfless.

‘There have been many ups and downs in their personal lives and career but Dawn never gives up.

‘He’s too strong for her, incredibly loyal and never tries to be the center of attention. ‘You can almost not understand what he has had to endure.’

The couple met in the nineties and married in 2000, with Dawn standing firmly by Gary’s side through his personal and professional struggles.

Gary with his bandmates on the far right. From left to right: Mark Owen, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and Robbie Williams

Because she had to endure not only the uncomfortable attention that came with the peak of the band’s fame, but also Gary’s years-long struggle with bulimia after Take That’s split in 1996. This made him so depressed that he admitted that he could not leave his house for over a year.

At his heaviest he reached 17th place and in the documentary Gary describes his ‘excruciating’ struggle with food, describing it as leaving him so low that he ‘just wanted to crawl into a hole’.

This was not a comfort eating habit but, as Gary, now 55, describes it, a deep psychological rejection of fame.

He says: ‘There was a period when I didn’t leave the house once for about 13 months. I also started gaining weight. And the more weight I gained, the fewer people would recognize me.

“I thought, ‘This is good, this is what I’ve been waiting for, to live a normal life.'”

‘So I went on a mission. ‘If food got past me, I’d eat it… and I killed the pop star.’

He also talks openly about being in therapy, his extreme self-loathing, and how the collapse of Take That left him emotionally vulnerable.

Photos from the period newly released for the documentary definitely show Gary looking overweight and uncomfortable in his own skin.

Friends say this period has been ‘extremely difficult’ for Dawn.

But nearly 16 years later in 2012, Dawn found herself watching her very emaciated husband perform alongside Cheryl Cole at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace.

Gary struggled with bulimia for years after Take That’s split in 1996. This made him so depressed that he admitted that he could not leave his house for over a year.

Her weight rose to a 17th at one point, but Dawn remained a rock during what friends described as an “extremely difficult” time for her.

Gary performing with Cheryl Cole at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert in 2012

Gary and Cheryl formed a ‘very close friendship’ while rehearsing for the big day

Gary and Cheryl had formed a “very close friendship” while rehearsing their cover of Lady Antebellum’s hit Need You Now for the monarch.

‘One was too extreme for the other,’ says my source. ‘One minute Gary is obese and housebound, the next he’s on stage as heartthrob and showbiz golden boy at the biggest event of the year and looking into the eyes of beautiful Cheryl. Talk about the ups and downs.’

Worcester-born Dawn, 55, is resolutely level-headed, unimpressed by celebrities and instinctively protective of her independence, friends say. For example, he never gave a confessional interview.

Relatives of the couple, who live in a £20 million house in Holland Park, describe Dawn as the family’s ’emotional burden’; practical, unemotional and fiercely loyal. Gary is said to be determined where he is prone to introspection. While he absorbs the criticism, she filters it out as largely irrelevant.

His calm and steady influence can certainly be seen on the couple’s three fastidious and sensitive children: Daniel, 25, Emily, 23, and Daisy, 17.

Daniel, who became an internet sensation two years ago with his height of 1.80m when he was seen with his father, who barely reached his shoulder, chose to become a doctor rather than become a star. Meanwhile, Emily is studying physiology.

Gary and Dawn met while working as dancers and choreographers in the mid-90s, at a time when Take That was reaching extraordinary fame. He initially appeared as an extra in the band’s first music video and later joined them on tour as a supporting artist.

The two quickly met but had to keep their relationship secret; The first reason for this was the strict instructions of the group management, who wanted to keep the hysteria among the fans as high as possible.

But then, as the band’s fame skyrocketed, their secrecy became an attempt to preserve what little privacy they had.

Life in the spotlight was hard enough for Dawn. But worse was to come when Take That left. As Gary admits on the new show, he felt like he was nothing without the band he’d been in since he was 18.

She soon began suffering from bulimia, and Dawn was by her side throughout.

Their marriage in 2000 was a deliberately low-key affair, and by then Gary had recovered enough to begin writing for other musicians.

Friends say dawn is at the center of this recalibration, and the arrival of their three children only brings them more joy.

Take That was re-released in 2006 without Robbie Williams. Their comeback has now lasted longer than their 90s heyday.

Friends say Worcester-born Dawn is resolutely level-headed, unimpressed by celebrities and instinctively retains her independence

Gary admits in new Netflix show that he feels like he’s nothing without the band he’s been in since he was 18

Dawn and Gary have refused to share their private lives on social media or expose their children publicly, and have shared little information about their family life

But while other celebrity families have brought their children into the public domain – especially in this age of social media – Dawn and Gary have refused to do so and have shared little information about their family life.

Some trace it back to the terrible loss they suffered in 2012, when their daughter Poppy was stillborn.

Dawn never addressed the tragedy, but Gary later spoke of the moment with typical disdain, describing it as a pain that “never went away, just changed shape.”

Those who know the couple say their fame has compounded Dawn’s pain as such an intimate incident inevitably becomes public.

As one explained: ‘It was the worst moment of her life but of course they realized they were a very famous couple; There was no way to stop this from making the news.

‘In many ways this sums up how tolerant he is. They have a wonderful life and are incredibly privileged in many ways, but fame is the exact opposite of Dawn’s personality.

‘He’s extremely down-to-earth and never tries to attract attention, and suddenly he felt the full weight of fame. He hated it.’

The dust had not yet settled when another storm broke out. Just months later Gary found himself at the center of a highly public tax evasion scandal when he was among a group of famous names, including Jimmy Carr, broadcaster Gabby Logan and singer Katie Melua, who resorted to schemes that were widely condemned.

The public reaction was violent. Friends say he was furious at the intensity of the attack, especially because its timing came so soon after the couple’s deaths.

Yet he remained silent and made no attempt to direct the narrative, preferring to focus his attention on his family. ‘It was very difficult but she had to keep Gary going, she had no choice,’ a source said.

The Netflix documentary shows that Gary is kinder to himself these days than he used to be. What emerges is a portrait of a man who spent much of his life trying to achieve high standards and then punished himself when he believed he fell short.

However, she is not at all bothered by the way she is treated in public, and we can clearly see the steady influence Dawn has on her husband. Today, Gary is happier and more comfortable in his own body than ever before. And its success continues unabated: Take That is experiencing a renaissance with another tour.

And just like she did the first time, Dawn is definitely staying away from the spotlight.