But the job that’s likely to get the biggest reaction from his nippers is his part in a children’s movie.

The TAKE THAT singer has landed his first big-screen role — as an elf in an upcoming Christmas film.

Mark said: “I don’t know if I’m even really meant to say, but I might be one of Santa’s helpers in a film for Christmas.

“I think I’m going to be one of the people who clean out the reindeers.

“The guy in The Hobbit — the new one — MARTIN FREEMAN, I think he’s in it.

“It might not even be in this year, but sometime in the future I should hopefully be getting the opportunity to play one of Santa’s helpers.

“I’m still not even sure I get to say words. I think I get one sentence, like, ‘They’re not ready,’ or something.

“I should be writing a song for it. What happened is, I said I’d write a song for it if I could be in it, so they got me a little voice part.

“It’ll be brilliant for my kids, that’s what it’s for.

“I haven’t done any film stuff, so it’ll be fun. I get approached about TV stuff every now and then, but usually it’s just the kids asking me to fix the telly because it’s broken.

“My boy loves Star Wars: The Clone Wars, so that’s the dream really.

“I’d want a lightsaber if I was on it though.”

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In a candid interview with MTV UK about his upcoming single Stars, the pint-sized Take That singer admitted that he really can’t picture himself as a talent show judge – and it’s all down to the fact that he can’t see himself playing Mr Nasty:

“I think I’d struggle when you have to kind of give comments that maybe aren’t always very nice, I don’t know whether I ‘d quite be able to do that.”

Anyone else having flashbacks of Gary Barlow’s “fag ash” comment about fellow judge Tulisa Contastavlos last year?

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However, he added: “It was a godsend until I went indoors and then it was roasting. I couldn’t breathe in there. The hardest part of the whole thing was the breathing inside the suit because it didn’t have the ventilator attached to anything so it kept steaming up.

“People who go deep sea diving, scuba diving, we got some spray that they spray in the masks and sprayed that inside which was rather toxic and spending the whole day inside a toxic helmet was great fun for me.”

He went on to describe his new album, The Art Of Doing Nothing, as “probably my best record that I’ve done so far” but added that he has no plans to follow bandmate Gary Barlow’s footsteps as a talent show judge.

Mark explained: “I think I’d struggle when you have to kind of give comments that maybe aren’t always very nice, I don’t know whether I ‘d quite be able to do that… maybe one day who knows.”

However, Owen did reveal that fellow TT star Howard Donald is gearing up to be a panellist on the German version of Got To Dance.

Mark said: “Howard’s doing one out in Germany, he starts in a couple of weeks it’s called Got To Dance. He’s actually doing it in German… he’s been having a teacher and his intention is to speak German, which will be incredible.”

Owen’s new single Stars is duet for release on June 3, ahead of his album, The Art Of Doing Nothing, on June 10.

By Anna Thorogood

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Bosses have yet to confirm any names of this year’s judging line up, but Louis has said both he and Gary will “definitely” be there.

The Irish music mogul also said he was “sure” the tenth series in the summer would see the return of Sharon Osbourne, but he confessed the fourth judge was still a mystery, even to him.

“I’m back, I am definitely back. Me and Gary, we’re the bookends and I’m sure Sharon Osbourne’s back and I helped to get her back, because she’s great fun,” Louis said.

“I like [Gary] and we’re competitive and he’s a great songwriter and I actually get on with him very, very well. I’m a big admirer of Gary’s.”

Speaking last week, Louis suggested that Sharon would help get viewers back.

“I think she can be a real shot in the arm for the show,” he told The Sun newspaper. “She’s a loose cannon but she’s never, ever boring and that’s what we need.”

But when it comes to the fourth and final spot on the panel, even Louis is being left in the dark.

There’s been plenty of names, ranging from the return of Nicole Scherzinger to a new face in the form of Mel B.

Louis confessed: “I hope it’s going to be Tulisa or Nicole.

“It might be Mel B, I don’t know but I think it probably will be Nicole.”

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The blonde singer, who shot to fame with the Swedish pop group in the 1970s, has recorded a duet with Gary for her new solo album.

And even though they never met when recording the vocals for Should Have Followed You Home, Agnetha instantly fell in love with the Take That star’s voice.

‘When I heard his voice in the headphones, I thought: “Oh, I have to match this enormous, cool voice and the way he sings”,’ Agnetha, 63, tells You Magazine.

‘It’s verrry sexy and a very good song.’

Gary, 42, had better clear his diary the next time Agnetha’s in town.

‘I hope to meet him in London,’ the ABBA star says.

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Mark, who’s set to release his new solo album – which is entitled The Art of Doing Nothing – next month exclusively told MTV News UK, “I think it’s exciting when new acts come along and people get really into them like One Direction and Union J…

“You look at them and you’re reminded of when you started and when you were younger so it brings back memories.

“You just wish them well really and hope all goes well for them.

“We’ve met them a few times, out and about doing stuff, and they all seem like nice and decent guys so I just wish them well.”

He added, “I think they should almost look after each other really as they’ll be going through an experience that not many other people go through apart from when you’re in the band.

“I think that’s the same for any band whether you’re the Kings Of Leon or [1D]…

“Just look after each other in that set up. That’s the only advice I’d ever give.”

Here’s a reminder of Mark performing live alongside his Take That band mate and X Factor judge Gary Barlow recently…

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The rather surprising resurgence of Take That in 2006 took the music world by surprise. Boybands, by design, are not supposed to have a second go at success. The mass hysteria that propels them to stardom is not supposed to work when they become mature adults. Yet, in the case of Take That , it worked. Three number one singles and three number one albums later (since 2006), it is fair to say that their comeback just might be the biggest one in music history. It was a comeback against all odds – especially since for the first two post-reunion albums, the band’s breakout star Robbie Williams was NOT part of the fold (he joined in on the “Progress” album).  One of the  noteworthy effects of their surprising streak of success was a re-examination of the solo work of band-members Gary Barlow and Mark Owen. Their commercial success as solo artists started to dwindle with their sophomore efforts. A critical re-evaluation of the three band-members that went solo suggested that it was Mark Owen whose material was the strongest – if not the most commercially successful. Mark played all his cards right. Like Robbie Williams , he too reinvented himself (this is probably where Gary Barlow failed despite his competence as a songwriter). He unapologetically embraced the “Indie” in him and did not feel the need to fit the mold of the pop music scene around him at the time he went solo. Today, he is given a lot of kudos for that. Hence, it is not surprising that he wants to give his solo career a second shot – especially since his renewed fame and success as a member of Take That . His new album “ The Art of Doing Nothing ” is slated for a release on June 10 and the album’s lead single “ Stars ” definitely does quite the job of creating an appetite for the new album.

In some ways Owen’s single “ Stars ” lyrically borrows heavily from some of Take That’s ‘Progress’ era tracks which included talk of aliens, rocket ships and traveling through the dimensions. From a personal point of view it is hard not to listen to the lines ‘ you want to get away…I’m taking you “  and “ If I tell you I’m leaving just hang on” without thinking back to and referencing Mark’s drinking problems and subsequent affairs and difficulties within his marriage.  It also serves up a feeling that all of our lives are finite. He refers to the fact that we all end up where we started as stars.  Therefore lyrically there is a lot to look into within “ Stars ” and you can take the meanings and thoughts as far as you like.

The sound of the track can be described best as “light electronic pop track”. There are no synths or effects but rather a use of more traditional instruments such as violins and drums which adds a richness and a quality to the track.  The insistent and quite angry beat running through the track is especially noteworthy. Owen’s vocals can be a bit off-putting for some – since they are a bit nasal. But on this track, the  vocals are well-suited to the subject matter. There is also a nice moment near the end of the track where his vocals are ‘echoed’ into several layers.

The question of whether or not commercial radio will pick “ Stars ” up for rotation is a debatable one. As a solo star, Mark Owen is woefully ignored. He doesn’t have the media presence and ‘national treasure’ PR which Take That band-mate Gary Barlow trades on. Neither does he have the kind of fan-base/popular history that Robbie Williams does. What he does have on his side is the association with Take That which is never to be under-estimated. He will also fit well into radio stations such as Radio 2, Absolute Radio, and of course our own station Radio Creme Brulee !  He also has the opportunity through the art side of the album to pick up interest and critical acclaim from more ‘alternative’ blogs. Regardless of how the single fares commercially, it is still a noteworthy return for Take That’s most criminally under-rated band-member. That being said, here is the full-length music video (below) for “ Stars “:

For more awesomeness by our guest blogger Sarah, follow her on Twitter !

RADIO ALERT: We might be one of the few American radio stations that plays Take That’ music regularly. We are definitely the ONLY radio station in the world that plays the solo material of Gary Barlow, Robbie Williams, and Mark Owen regularly. Currently, “ Stars ” by Mark Owen is getting 5 plays a day on our radio station . You can listen to us online or on your smartphone from ANY part of the world. IF you are reading this on a mobile device (smartphone, tablet etc.), CLICK HERE to listen to our radio station. If not, listen to our station from ANY part of the world by clicking on the button below .

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Mark headed to the Castle Hotel on Oldham Street with a guitarist and keyboard player and performed in front of a teeny crowd of punters on Tuesday night.

I hear that just hours before he’d rung up the pub to ask if it would be OK for him to pop down for the surprise set.

And he said on his official Twitter page: “We’re gonna play a few songs at the Castle Hotel, Manchester, in about an hour if anyone is around.”

Oldhamer Mark opened the show with Take That hit The Flood, before launching into some of his past solo songs – Clementine and Four Minute Warning.

Revellers got to hear his new song Stars, taken from his upcoming solo album The Art of Doing Nothing, due out on next month.

And he closed the set with another of Take That’s biggest hits, Shine.

Playing to a handful of pubgoers was in stark contrast to his last gigs in the city – to some 400,000 fans over eight nights at the Etihad Stadium with Take That two years ago.

But he certainly appeared to enjoy the more intimate vibe of the gig.

He headed onto Key 103 yesterday morning to appear on the breakfast show with Mike Toolan and Chelsea Norris and told them:  “My mum and dad came down to watch the show, and afterwards they gave me chocolate.”

Ah bless!

It appears Mark was limbering up for his upcoming UK solo tour, which will include playing The Ritz in Manchester on Monday, June 17.

That very same week his Take That colleague Robbie Williams will start his UK tour in Manchester too – although in the rather larger setting of the Etihad Stadium.

We wonder if Robbie might pop to town for an intimate warm up gig too?

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