Aesop
06-23-2004, 05:58 PM
YOU CAN DO IT, GARETH Jun 17 2004
The whispered words from his Scots mentor that helped the Pop Idol become a star
By Claire Sawers
WHEN Gareth Gates went live on Radio 1 with DJ Chris Moyles to promote his new single last year, he was absolutely terrified.
But when he feels he's losing control of his stutter, he turns to his voice coach Janey Watt. The Scots speech therapist offers Gareth support, talking him through breathing techniques.
Janey, from Edinburgh, recalls how nervous the singer was speaking to millions of listeners.
She said: 'He was scared his stammer would totally ruin the interview. He didn't want to go through with it.
'It was my job to reassure him and do last-minute exercises for his speech. I just kept telling him, 'You can do this'.'
Janey, 40, has helped Gareth and other stammerers improve speech and overcome fear of public speaking using the McGuire Programme of speech therapy.
She guides them through costal diaphragm breathing, a technique opera singers and athletes use to prepare for high-pressure performances.
And Janey's help was so valuable to the 18-year-old star, he took her on his European tour last year.
Gareth said: 'I never dreamed I'd be able to handle simple things like ordering a takeaway, never mind speaking on stage at Wembley.
Thanks to Janey Watt and Michael Hay, who taught me the McGuire technique, any speaking situation is possible.'
Janey seems confident and successful now, but she overcame overwhelming odds to get where she is. Like her pupil, Gareth, Janey suffered from a bad stammer for most of her life. For 38 years, telephone calls or chatting to strangers filled her with dread.
She explained: 'My life was a misery. I felt half-alive. You feel this horrible mix of anger and self-hate because of the stammer.'
In her full-time job at Lothian and Borders Police, where Janey worked as a secretary, she found colleagues treated her differently. She said: 'I was patronised a lot. I couldn't speak out loud, so they treated me with pity.'
In desperation, Janey attended her first McGuire workshop in April 2002. Like Gareth, she had to introduce herself to a camera in front of 60 people. This later shows stammerers how they've improved. She froze.
But Janey left the four-day course a changed woman. She said: 'I enjoyed speaking for the first time. It gave me the confidence I'd craved.'
Having turned her life around, Janey decided to help others by becoming a McGuire instructor. One of her first jobs was as voice coach to Gareth as he toured Europe. She provided one-to-one guidance as Gareth dealt with magazine interviews, TV and radio appearances.
The pair quickly became friends. Janey recalls the first time she met the TV Pop Idol, backstage at BBC TV studios where Gareth was filming for Comic Relief.
She said: 'He'd dyed his hair red. I looked over and I thought he looks so handsome, but he looks so stupid. I was with him all day so we got to know each other well I felt like his mum.
'He's a normal lad, but can be a bit mad, especially before he goes on stage when he gets hyperactive. After four months I was completely exhausted.' Janey added: 'I'll get a phone call, then I'll hear a voice saying 'It's Gareth Gates here'. He'll be nervous and I'll calm him down by reminding him to use his basic skills.'
Gareth has a great sense of humour Janey says, and he is not afraid of sending himself up. She said: 'He is good fun to be around. When touring he was always telling jokes.' He's also a family man, phoning parents, Wendy and Paul, every day while he was away. Janey said: 'He's close to his family. If his mum and dad couldn't make it to where he was at the time, he would always phone home for a chat.'
Janey's success inspired Gareth to become a qualified McGuire Programme instructor too.
He said: 'I've never let my stammer stand in the way of anything I wanted to achieve and always encouraged others to do the same.'
lFor more on the McGuire Programme, contact Iain Mutch on 0191 413 9100.
The whispered words from his Scots mentor that helped the Pop Idol become a star
By Claire Sawers
WHEN Gareth Gates went live on Radio 1 with DJ Chris Moyles to promote his new single last year, he was absolutely terrified.
But when he feels he's losing control of his stutter, he turns to his voice coach Janey Watt. The Scots speech therapist offers Gareth support, talking him through breathing techniques.
Janey, from Edinburgh, recalls how nervous the singer was speaking to millions of listeners.
She said: 'He was scared his stammer would totally ruin the interview. He didn't want to go through with it.
'It was my job to reassure him and do last-minute exercises for his speech. I just kept telling him, 'You can do this'.'
Janey, 40, has helped Gareth and other stammerers improve speech and overcome fear of public speaking using the McGuire Programme of speech therapy.
She guides them through costal diaphragm breathing, a technique opera singers and athletes use to prepare for high-pressure performances.
And Janey's help was so valuable to the 18-year-old star, he took her on his European tour last year.
Gareth said: 'I never dreamed I'd be able to handle simple things like ordering a takeaway, never mind speaking on stage at Wembley.
Thanks to Janey Watt and Michael Hay, who taught me the McGuire technique, any speaking situation is possible.'
Janey seems confident and successful now, but she overcame overwhelming odds to get where she is. Like her pupil, Gareth, Janey suffered from a bad stammer for most of her life. For 38 years, telephone calls or chatting to strangers filled her with dread.
She explained: 'My life was a misery. I felt half-alive. You feel this horrible mix of anger and self-hate because of the stammer.'
In her full-time job at Lothian and Borders Police, where Janey worked as a secretary, she found colleagues treated her differently. She said: 'I was patronised a lot. I couldn't speak out loud, so they treated me with pity.'
In desperation, Janey attended her first McGuire workshop in April 2002. Like Gareth, she had to introduce herself to a camera in front of 60 people. This later shows stammerers how they've improved. She froze.
But Janey left the four-day course a changed woman. She said: 'I enjoyed speaking for the first time. It gave me the confidence I'd craved.'
Having turned her life around, Janey decided to help others by becoming a McGuire instructor. One of her first jobs was as voice coach to Gareth as he toured Europe. She provided one-to-one guidance as Gareth dealt with magazine interviews, TV and radio appearances.
The pair quickly became friends. Janey recalls the first time she met the TV Pop Idol, backstage at BBC TV studios where Gareth was filming for Comic Relief.
She said: 'He'd dyed his hair red. I looked over and I thought he looks so handsome, but he looks so stupid. I was with him all day so we got to know each other well I felt like his mum.
'He's a normal lad, but can be a bit mad, especially before he goes on stage when he gets hyperactive. After four months I was completely exhausted.' Janey added: 'I'll get a phone call, then I'll hear a voice saying 'It's Gareth Gates here'. He'll be nervous and I'll calm him down by reminding him to use his basic skills.'
Gareth has a great sense of humour Janey says, and he is not afraid of sending himself up. She said: 'He is good fun to be around. When touring he was always telling jokes.' He's also a family man, phoning parents, Wendy and Paul, every day while he was away. Janey said: 'He's close to his family. If his mum and dad couldn't make it to where he was at the time, he would always phone home for a chat.'
Janey's success inspired Gareth to become a qualified McGuire Programme instructor too.
He said: 'I've never let my stammer stand in the way of anything I wanted to achieve and always encouraged others to do the same.'
lFor more on the McGuire Programme, contact Iain Mutch on 0191 413 9100.