Gary Barlow shares heartbreaking tribute to late daughter with emotional post

Gary Barlow
(Image credit: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Gary Barlow has shared a heartbreaking tribute to his and wife Dawn's late daughter.

Take That singer Gary Barlow took to his Instagram page to share a poignant post honouring his late daughter Poppy.

The former X Factor judge and his wife of 20 years Dawn welcomed daughter Poppy back in 2012.

However, the newborn baby was stillborn and tragically passed away just an hour after her mother had given birth to her.

Taking to his Instagram account to mark the eight-year anniversary of his daughter’s birth and death, Gary shared a photo with his thousand of followers of his wife around wife Dawn as they stand on a beach and look out to the sea.

Thank you for all your kind messages yesterday,’ he wrote alongside the photo, adding, ‘we soldier on 💔’.

A photo posted by on

Fans and friends left a stream of emotional comments on the post, showing their support to the family during the difficult time.

Together you’ll always soldier on. Much love xxx,’ wrote one, while others added, ‘Was thinking of you all 💙xxxxx’, ‘Sending all the love ❤️❤️ and ‘hugs to you both’, as well as a stream of love heart Emoji symbols.

Gary Barlow and wife Dawn share three other children together, 19-year-old Daniel, 18-year-old Emily and 11-year-old Daisy.

The singer-songwriter has been candid in the past about the family’s tragic loss, opening up in his memoir A Better Me back in 2018.

A photo posted by on

In an honest account of the difficult time, Gary wrote, ‘When she was born it was like a light came into the room.

‘It was lovely, it was gorgeous, we both took turns cuddling her, and we took pictures.

‘It was one of the best hours of my life I’ve ever experienced in the midst of the hardest time of my life,’ he went on. ‘It was very powerful, that hour was.

‘Poppy looked perfect and for an hour she was alive to us. She’s in your arms, this beautiful little daughter of ours, a sister to our three other children.

He went on to describe the turmoil the parents experienced when they had to say goodbye to the little one they had held just moments before, continuing, ‘Then the reality comes rushing into the room and all the air leaves your lungs. It felt like someone had a hand held tight at my throat.

‘The nurses start hovering and they want to take her away,’ he added. ‘What we experienced and saw over those 24 hours, no-one should have to see or have to go through.

‘There’s no sadder sight than seeing a mum with her dead baby in her arms, willing it back to life with all her being’.

Aleesha Badkar
Lifestyle Writer

Aleesha Badkar is a lifestyle writer who specialises in health, beauty - and the royals. After completing her MA in Magazine Journalism at the City, the University of London in 2017, she interned at Women’s Health, Stylist, and Harper’s Bazaar, creating features and news pieces on health, beauty, and fitness, wellbeing, and food. She loves to practice what she preaches in her everyday life with copious amounts of herbal tea, Pilates, and hyaluronic acid.