Hi °C | Lo °C Pop star Gary Barlow and his wife are mourning the loss of their baby daughter.
In a statement issued through his agent, the couple said their baby, Poppy, was delivered stillborn. Barlow's wife Dawn was eight months pregnant.
On July 5, Barlow tweeted that Poppy was due to be born in seven weeks.
Last night, he said: "Dawn and I are devastated to announce that we've lost our baby. Poppy Barlow was delivered stillborn on August 4 in London.
"Our focus now is giving her a beautiful funeral and loving our three children with all our hearts. We'd ask at this painful time that our privacy be respected."
The 41-year-old singer had previously spoken about how he was looking forward to becoming a father for the fourth time with his wife, a 42-year-old dancer. Speaking at the time, he told fans: "We are a very excited family."
The Take That star and X Factor judge announced in February that his wife was expecting another child.
Devastated
In April, Barlow, already a father to Daniel, Emily and Daisy, wrote on Twitter: "There's gonna be another girl in the Barlow household!"
In June, he was crowned celebrity dad of the year.
Friends and colleagues of the singer expressed their condolences to the family on Twitter.
Fellow X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos wrote: "My thoughts & prayers are with @GBarlowOfficial and wife dawn tonight. Heartbreaking."
Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote: "Dearest Dawn & Gary, Madeleine & I are devastated about news of Poppy. Our thoughts & prayers are with you and your family. @GBarlowOfficial."
A message from boy band JLS, who found fame on X Factor, read: "We send our condolences to @GBarlowOfficial and his family during this tough time... our thoughts and prayers with you... Marv and the boys x"
Una Healy from girl group The Saturdays, who recently became a mother for the first time, wrote: "My thoughts and prayers go out to @GBarlowOfficial and his wife and family such sad news RIP Poppy x."
hnews@herald.ie
