Eliot Kennedy reveals all about his charity 50th birthday bash with Gary Barlow - and you're invited!

NOT many people can claim Take That frontman Gary Barlow is organising their 50th birthday party.

But music producer Eliot Kennedy can say just that as he gears up for the milestone event next month - and best of all, you're all invited.

Adele Forrest caught up with the Grammy award-winning songwriter.

"IT was Gary who suggested it," Eliot Kennedy says of his grand upcoming birthday bash. 

"We went to a health retreat last year and were sat talking about what we wanted to do next and he said: 'You should do something to celebrate your 50th'."

Now the idea has gathered pace and has turned into a 50th-cum-fundraiser with Sheffield City Hall playing host to the North Anston music producer and his talented friends.

Best pals Gary and Eliot will be joined onstage by, among others, Alfie Boe, S Club, Kenny Thomas, John Reilly and M People frontwoman Heather Small.

Eliot has brought his talented friends together before for charity shows, but the March 29 show will be extra memorable, as it's actually on his birthday.

Sharing the moment onstage will be a special moment for both Eliot and Gary, as it marks 25 years of friendship and achievements.

"My ambition when I started out was to have a number one single and I achieved that on my 25th birthday when Take That went to number one with Everything Changes." Eliot says.

"That was half of my life ago! It's quite amazing."

The big 5-0 will also be a nice opportunity, Eliot says, to reflect on his career and give him a rare moment to take stock of his achievements.

There's always the fear of no-one turning up to your birthday party - but Eliot doesn't seem to be having any guest-list problems. 

"So far, it feels like everyone I know wants to come to my birthday, which is brilliant and were making it a charity event - its going to be cracking," he says.

"I'll be singing, playing bass, bringing on guest acts, and we'll tell stories of how we met, I'll get to tell some funny stories about the songs - I never rehearse these things, just see what the night brings. 

"I'm still working out what songs to do and still waiting to hear on a couple of artists, so the set might change again."

This is also a big year for Take That, who are embarking on a 30th anniversary tour in April.

Eliot said: "Take That kick off their tour in Sheffield, which is handy as they are doing production rehearsals in Sheffield, which means Gary's more available before my show - it was his bloody idea, so he better be!

"I don't know if the other Take That boys will be putting in a performance. 

"I was asked if I could sing Four Minute Warning, which is a Mark Owen song, so it's worth asking if he wants to come over.

"We've got some fabulous new artists on the night that I am really excited about, too."

Eliot says he cant wait to be back in Sheffield's beautiful City Hall, adding: "The last time I was there I was given an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University. 

"I looked like Henry VIII in my outfit, I looked ridiculous!

"It was incredibly humbling being on stage and sitting there with all the top people, but all these students had worked so hard, I felt like a fraud!"

There's no need to be so hard on himself - Eliot has worked solidly since leaving Dinnington Comprehensive at the age of 16 and has gone on to become one of the world's most successful and sought after producers, working with the Spice Girls, Lulu, and Celine Dion to name a few.

His success and passion for music shows no signs of slowing down.

Since my last 2014 interview with Eliot, the musical he and Gary had been working on then, Finding Neverland, has been a huge success.

The show was adapted from the Johnny Depp film of the same name and tells the story behind the making of Peter Pan - a tale Eliot feels close to.

"I don't feel any different to last time we spoke," he says.

"This business keeps you young. 

"We did Finding Neverland, the Peter Pan story on Broadway, and I think if you're involved in the music business you have to have an element of Peter Pan - music keeps you fresh and young. 

"I always like to work with young people and their energy. I'm still as passionate about it today and definitely have no plans to retire."

Eliot is now writing another Broadway musical based on the iconic 1930s picture of men eating lunch on a girder above the New York City streets.

It's a tale about immigrants and already has the interest of movie bosses and singer Bryan Adams, who Eliot worked with on his number one duet with Spice Girl Melanie C, When You're Gone.

Eliot says: "I've really enjoyed writing for Broadway, I didn't realise how much I'd enjoy it. I loved every minute of it and being in that world."

Despite all the highs, its also been a "pretty intense" time for Eliot after the death of his mum Pat (75) in 2016. 

His birthday fundraiser will raise money for three end-of-life care charities in North Derbyshire, which helped care for Pat in her Dinnington home after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

"It's a terrible way to go and is a condition I want to focus on in the future with the next project we do," says Eliot.

He also has ambitions to write a book about the stories behind songs and how they've affected people's lives, which has the working title Our Song.

"I've flirted with the idea of that being a TV show, but I want to get back to writing it as a book," he adds.

But before he puts pen to paper, Eliot has a few balloons to start blowing up and a cake to decorate ahead of his big day.

Visit www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk for your ticket to join the party.