Gok Wan Explained

Birth Date:9 September 1974
Birth Place:Leicester, Leicestershire, England
Television:How to Look Good Naked
Gok's Fashion Fix
Miss Naked Beauty
Gok's Clothes Roadshow
Gok Cooks Chinese
Baggage
This Morning
Gok's Fill Your House For Free
Gok's Chinese Takeaway
Say Yes to the Dress Lancashire
Occupation:Television presenter, fashion stylist, author, DJ
Alma Mater:Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Employer:BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Discovery
Gok Wan
Years Active:1994–present
Website:Official website

Gok Wan (; born 9 September 1974[1]) is a British fashion consultant, author, television presenter, actor, DJ and chef.

Initially training in the performing arts at the Central School of Speech and Drama, he then entered the fashion business, writing for popular fashion magazines and appearing on various television shows. In 2006, Channel 4 employed him to present his own television show, How to Look Good Naked, which lasted for seven series,[2] and Say Yes to the Dress Lancashire.[3] Moving into other genres, he presented a series of documentaries on social problems among young people, drawing on his personal battles with obesity and homophobia, and presented Chinese cooking shows entitled Gok Cooks Chinese[4] and Gok's Chinese Takeaway.[5]

Early life

Gok Wan was born in Leicester, to an English mother, Myra, and a Chinese father, John Tung Shing Wan, who was born in Hong Kong and emigrated to Britain at the age of 16. He grew up in Whetstone, Leicestershire, where he worked in his parents' restaurant. Wan stood out from his peers from a young age and endured bullying from other children due to the fact that he was mixed race, tall, overweight and gay.[6] [7]

During his teenage years, he weighed as much as 21 stone (133 kg, 294 lb).[8] He was drawn to performing arts with aspirations of becoming an actor, and after leaving Babington Community College he began attending a course at the Charles Keene College of Further Education. Wan received a diploma from the college, then enrolled at the Central School of Speech and Drama and continued to study performing arts. However, the other students had backgrounds very different from his and he felt that his weight was beginning to dictate his life, later saying:

"[It affected] everything: my personality, how people reacted to me, what I wore, everything. When you sit down with someone who's 21 stone you have certain expectations of what they're like: stupid, lazy or really funny."[7]
He felt restricted and unhappy and eventually dropped out of the course, returning to live with his family.

Wan set about losing weight; at the age of 20, he began a crash diet, losing half his weight in several months. In his autobiography he includes a section from a calorie diary he kept at the time, revealing he survived for weeks on end on as little as fruit and honey. He also took up to 50 laxatives a day to prevent himself gaining weight from the little food he did consume. Wan reveals that during his diet, he lacked energy and motivation; this, coupled with the stress of his course, sent him into depression. He states that he became suicidal around this time – "I fantasised about killing myself – I could see no other way out...I concluded that suicide was the only option." Wan never did attempt to kill himself, stating a fear that he would be unsuccessful and the attempt would be regarded as "just another failing". Upon dropping out of his course and returning home, he confessed his feelings to his family, and was diagnosed as suffering from anorexia by a doctor. Under the supervision of his family he began to eat more and slowly increased to a healthier weight. Despite the sudden change, he had no problem with having been overweight, later reflecting: "I don't regret having been fat at all. I know how to throw jokes at myself and I use humour before anything else, and those skills allow me to do the chat-shows. So I'm thankful for that."[7] He even lamented that, after losing weight, he had to try harder to attract attention, saying that his weight had, to an extent, defined him.

Career

Wan started his career in London as a makeup artist, then moved into the field of being a fashion stylist.[9] He has worked with many celebrities including Bryan Ferry, All Saints, Damian Lewis, Erasure, Vanessa Mae, Wade Robson, Lauren Laverne, Wet Wet Wet, and Johnny Vaughan. He has offered his opinions to magazines, becoming a fashion consultant, and his work has been published internationally in several magazines including Tatler, Glamour, Times Style, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, The Face, Afisha Mir, Clash and People. He has worked with photographers such as Rankin, Mike Owen and Jason Joyce. He has also worked as an "on-screen" fashion consultant on many television shows including: MTV Shakedown (MTV Europe), GMTV (ITV), LK Today (ITV), Big Brother's Little Brother (Channel 4), Battle of the Sexes (BBC One), The Wright Stuff (Channel 5), Make Me a Grown Up (Channel 4/T4), The Xtra Factor (ITV2) and T4 (Channel 4).

In 2006, he was approached by Channel 4 and asked to present his own fashion show, How to Look Good Naked. In addition, he wrote his first book[10] to accompany the series, entitled How to Look Good Naked: Shop for Your Shape and Look Amazing!, that was published in April 2007. A second series was commissioned and was broadcast on Channel 4 in mid-2007. Along with the second series, he appeared on The New Paul O'Grady Show, in which he persuaded Paul O'Grady to strip "naked". From 2008 until 2010, he presented Gok's Fashion Fix, broadcast on Channel 4.

His next series Miss Naked Beauty, which he co-presented with Myleene Klass, was broadcast in October and November 2008.[11] The series attracted controversy after Wan denigrated semi-naked women, causing critics to question the motives behind the series; journalist Amanda Platell described it as "vulgarity masquerading as self-help".[12]

Wan presented a documentary which was first broadcast on 27 January 2009, entitled Too Fat Too Young, which examined overweight children in the UK. He reflected on his experience of being obese to help several teenagers. In 2010, he joined the celebrity panel on Channel 4's TV Book Club.[13]

In 2011, he presented a series entitled Gok's Clothes Roadshow on Channel 4, which was criticised for its gimmicks and similarities to Wan's previous shows.[14] This was the year he also released his much anticipated autobiography, Through Thick and Thin, published by Ebury Press.[15] He launched his first women's clothing collection with Sainsbury's on 6 November 2011. His red wrap dress sold at a rate of one every 24 seconds.[16] The range ran into 24 collections and Wan was also their Style Ambassador.[17] In 2012, he starred in a new series entitled Gok's Teens: The Naked Truth on Channel 4 where he gave advice to teenagers about self-confidence, bullying, anxiety and eating disorders.[18]

In 2012, he presented a series entitled Gok Cooks Chinese on Channel 4 and later a book by the same title, Gok Cooks Chinese was published by Michael Joseph (Penguin Group UK).[19] In autumn 2012, Wan presented Baggage, which was broadcast on Channel 4.[20]

Between 2013 and 2015, Wan was the Style & Quality Ambassador for the Target Australia brand. As part of his role, he presented an Australian TV show titled Target Style the Nation, in which he transformed the appearances of five women.[21] Wan's employer dismissed concerns about his use of the term "bangers" as a description for women's breasts in the brand's adverts.[22]

In June 2014, Wan attended Royal Ascot for the first time as fashion presenter alongside racing presenter Clare Balding on Channel 4 Racing.[23]

Wan was a regular stand-in presenter for Phillip Schofield on ITV's daytime show This Morning. He also presents various weekly fashion features, and travel documentaries, including a trip with his Dad to explore two different sides to Hong Kong, covering food, family and fashion.[24]

In 2016, Wan presented Fearne and Gok – Off the Rails[25] on ITVBe and Gok's Lunchbox[26] on ITV. Since August 2016, Wan has presented Gok's Fill Your House for Free for Channel 4 daytime, replacing Kirstie Allsopp.[27]

In 2017, National Geographic aired his show Gok's Chinese Takeaway, that explored Chinese food around the globe.[28]

In 2017, Wan was a fashion expert on Made Over By on E4[29] and 2018 saw Wan as a panel member on Britain's Favourite Dogs: Top 100 on ITV.[30]

In both 2016 and 2017, Wan was the Ambassador for the American Express campaign, "Shop Small" where he championed small independent shops and the importance of shopping with local businesses.[31]

In 2018, Wan launched a company, Beautiful Events and Productions Ltd[32] which offered high-end event management services – everything from creative production to logistics and event management.[33] The new venture started after Wan and his business partner Peter Ferguson[34] produced a 21-date tour around the UK and Ireland of Wan's show entitled 'Fashion Brunch Club' (2016/17).[35] [36] These shows are a live version of what Wan offered in his previous TV show How to Look Good Naked. The guests experience a 5 star Brunch, and catwalk show of clothes from their local clothing stores, along with a surprise audience makeover and Wan also provides a much coveted body-shape masterclass.[37]

In 2018, Wan, along with co-founders Lucy Mitchell and Sarah Lewis, founded and launched the inaugural Golden Chopsticks Awards.[38] The event took place on 16 April 2018 at the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London and Wan was host, with judges including Ken Hom, Simon Rimmer, Ching He Huang, Fuchsia Dunlop, Katy Tse Blair and Sonny Leong.

In March 2019, Wan began presenting Say Yes to the Dress Lancashire,[39] which is the first Northern spin-off of the hit TV show, set in Ava Rose Hamilton in Colne, Lancashire. It was a family-run business where Wan became an honorary member of the family. Wan helped brides search for their dream dress, with a little input from their friends and family.[40] A second series aired in 2020 on TLC UK.[41]

Wan also filmed a brand new series of How to Look Good Naked, ten years after the last show aired on Channel 4. This new series for Discovery aired on Really in spring 2020 to much anticipation.[42]

In 2021, Gok presented Gok Wan's Easy Asian (Series 2)[43] for the Food Network. Gok also presented Bling[44] for ITV.

Author

Wan wrote a book titled How to Dress: Your Complete Style Guide for Every Occasion which was released by HarperCollins on 1 October 2008. The book was praised by both Heat and Closer magazines for its sensitive and feel-good approach to a style guide.[45]

Other books by Gok include: Through Thick and Thin - Autobiography - 2011;[46] Gok Cooks Chinese - 2012;[47] Goks Wok - 2013;[48] How To Look Good Naked - 2007.[49]

Acting

Wan made his pantomime debut as the Man in the Mirror in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Birmingham Hippodrome in 2013[50] and since then has starred as the Fairy Gokmother in Cinderella opposite Brian Conley at Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (2014)[51] and Paul Zerdin at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth (2015).[52] In 2016 he played the part of Spirit of The Ocean in Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates at the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea.[53] 2017 saw Wan reprising his role as Fairy Gokmother in Cinderella at the Milton Keynes Theatre.[54] In 2018 Wan performed in Bristol in the production of Cinderella,[55] and likewise in 2019 in Cardiff.[56]

In May 2018, Wan took a job in the animated preschool series Luo Bao Bei, voicing the father and uncle of the main character. The show follows Luo Bao Bei, a bright and spirited seven-year-old girl with a vivid imagination, on a quest to understand the world around her. Viacom-owned UK terrestrial network Channel 5 picked up the series for its morning kids' block Milkshake!. This is a 52×11' series and was written by Dave Ingham (Shaun the Sheep, The Octonauts).[57] [58]

In 2021, Gok played the role of The Man In The Mirror in Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs at Woking New Victoria Theatre.[59]

Music

Wan launched an opera compilation CD in March 2017 called Gok's Divas. It was well received and reached number one on the Official Classical Compilation charts.[60]

Wan is a big music lover and regularly DJs in the UK and abroad. His preferred music is house music and club classics but enjoys playing a varied range. In 2017, he toured Poland including Pacha Nightclub in Poznań.[61] He is represented by Club Class Management.[62]

In September 2020, Wan released his debut single, a cover of the Baby D song Let Me Be Your Fantasy, with DJ/producer Craig Knight featuring Kele Le Roc on vocals.[63] [64]

Isolation Nation compilation CD released in 2020 with Defected.[65] A second volume 2 CD compilation was released in 2021.[66]

Stand-up

In the autumn of 2017, Wan embarked on an 18-date stand-up tour of the UK called Naked and Baring All.[67] This was an auto-biographical show, where Wan discussed family, work, business, fashion and TV.

Fashion

Wan had a lingerie range at UK-based firm SimplyYours.[68]

In 2019, Wan signed a deal with QVC to create a new collection called Wuli:Luu. Wan sold his range on the shopping channel.[69]

Personal life

Wan resides in Bloomsbury, London.[70] In 2009, he said he had slept with "21 and a half" men in his life, and that he had also slept with women. In the same interview he also said he had lost his virginity to another boy whilst they were both under the legal age of consent.[71]

His brother, Kwoklyn, is a martial artist and cook, who launched a Chinese takeaway cookbook in 2019.[72] He also has an older sister, Oilen, who is a child-care solicitor.[12]

Wan has been involved in various charitable projects, supporting anti-bullying charities Kidscape and Ditch the Label and launching a National Glasses Day with Specsavers to encourage everyone to wear their spectacles with pride.[73] As part of Children in Need 2008, he treated the actors of Coronation Streets Underworld factory to a glamorous makeover.[74] Wan also appeared in Comic Relief Does The Apprentice in March 2009. In 2014, he was named in the top 10 on the World Pride Power list.[75] He is also a supporter and ambassador to Stonewall,[76] and The Prince's Trust, and is an active member of the Chinese community in London and the UK.

Wan has taken part in dragon boat training with the Raging Dragons, and episode 3 of Gok Cooks Chinese features them paddling together in Royal Albert Dock and eating dim sum at the Yiban Chinese restaurant.[77]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleChannel
2006–2011
2019–present
How to Look Good Naked PresenterChannel 4
Really
2008Miss Naked BeautyPresenterChannel 4
2008–2010Gok's Fashion FixPresenter
2009Gok Wan: Too Fat, Too YoungPresenter
2010TV Book ClubPresenter
Sex and the City Premiere SpecialPanel member
2011Gok's Clothes RoadshowPresenterChannel 4
2012Gok's Style SecretsPresenter
Hotel GBBar manager
BaggagePresenter
Gok Cooks ChinesePresenter
Made in ChinaPresenter
Gok's Teens: The Naked TruthPresenter
2013Celebrity Deal or No DealContestant, won 10p
2014Channel 4 Royal AscotFashion segment presenter
This MorningFashion expert & stand-in presenterITV
Target Style The NationFashion expert & presenterSeven Network
2016Fearne & Gok: Off The RailsCo-presenter, with Fearne CottonITVBe
Gok's LunchboxPresenter ITV
Gok's Fill Your House for FreePresenter Channel 4
2017Made Over ByFashion ExpertE4

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gok Wan's Biography. gokwan.com.
  2. Web site: How To Look Good Naked. justwatch.com.
  3. Web site: Say Yes to the Dress Lancashire. truenorth.tv.
  4. Web site: Gok Cooks Chinese. Channel 4.
  5. Web site: Gok's Chinese Takeaway. Radio Times.
  6. Web site: Gok Wan on Ditch the Label – Bullied for Being Gay, Overweight and Chinese . Ditch the Label . UK . 12 February 2013 . 15 February 2013 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130826155407/http://www.ditchthelabel.org/gok-wan-bullying-interview/ . 26 August 2013.
  7. Web site: Freeman . Hadley . We are all beautiful! . The Guardian . UK . 21 October 2008 . 21 October 2008.
  8. Web site: Interview: Gok Wan reveals he suffered from an eating disorder. yorkshirepost.co.uk.
  9. Web site: Gok Wan CV on Gokwan.com. gokwan.com.
  10. Web site: Gok Wan books on Amazon.co.uk. Amazon.com. 29 October 2015.
  11. Web site: Miss Naked Beauty. 20 October 2008. Channel 4 . UK.
  12. Web site: Profile: Gok Wan . The Sunday Times . 26 October 2008 . 28 October 2008 .
  13. Web site: TV Book Club opens a new chapter . 28 December 2009 . . . 17 June 2014.
  14. Web site: Is Gok's Clothes Roadshow a catwalk too far? . Heritage . Stuart . 25 January 2011 . The Guardian. 17 June 2014.
  15. Web site: Ebury – Through Thick and Thin: My Autobiography. eburypublishing.co.uk.
  16. Web site: Gok for TU. sainsbury.co.uk. 17 November 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151118180805/http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/media/latest-stories/2012/20121005-gok-wan-one-year-on-and-five-more-gok-for-tu-collections-to-come/. 18 November 2015. dead.
  17. Web site: Gok Wan, Author at Tu at Sainsbury's. Tu at Sainsbury's. en-US. 2018-04-09.
  18. Web site: Gok's Teens: The Naked Truth . Channel 4 . 17 June 2014.
  19. Book: Gok Cooks Chinese. .
  20. Web site: Baggage. Channel 4. 30 September 2012.
  21. News: Target and Gok Wan set to 'Style the Nation' in branded content TV special tonight on Seven. Campaign Brief Australia. 2018-04-09.
  22. News: Target's Gok Wan ads attract complaints over 'bangers'. The Age. Lowe. Adrian. 26 August 2013. 13 August 2020.
  23. Web site: Gok Wan joins Channel 4's Royal Ascot team as fashion presenter . 3 June 2014 . Channel 4 . 17 June 2014.
  24. Web site: ITV This Morning. itv.com.
  25. Web site: Don't Miss: Fearne And Gok – Off The Rails. itv.com. 2016-04-06.
  26. Web site: Gok's Lunchbox – Series 1 – Episode 7 . The ITV Hub . 2016-04-06 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160420193858/http://www.itv.com/hub/goks-lunchbox/2a4197a0008 . 20 April 2016.
  27. Web site: Press . News . Channel 4 . 2019-08-26.
  28. Web site: Gok's Chinese Takeaway. natgeotv.com. en.
  29. Web site: Made Over By – All 4. Channel 4. en. 2018-04-09.
  30. News: Britain's top 100 favourite dog breeds – as voted for by the public. Gripper. Ann. 2018-03-09. mirror. 2018-04-09.
  31. Web site: Let's all Shop Small. American Express. en. 2018-04-11.
  32. Web site: Entertainment – Events – Production Beautiful Events & Productions. beautifuleventsandproductions.com. en-GB. 2018-04-19.
  33. News: Gok Wan cuts a dash with Scots events firm. 2018-04-19. en.
  34. Web site: Mr. Peter. Ferguson. 19 April 2018. LinkdIn.com. 19 April 2018.
  35. Web site: Fashion Brunch Club Gokwan.com. gokwan.com. 2018-04-19.
  36. Web site: Home. gokfashion.com. 2018-04-19.
  37. Web site: The Fashion Brunch Club, Gok Wan Beautiful Events & Productions. beautifuleventsandproductions.com. en-GB. 2018-04-19.
  38. News: The Golden Chopsticks Awards are coming! Chinatown London. 2018-01-22. Chinatown London. 2018-04-11. en-GB.
  39. Web site: TLC UK Friday 22nd March - Say Yes To The Dress Lancashire. Facebook. en-us. 2019-03-06.
  40. Web site: 2BR - News - Lancashire brides wanted for new 'Say Yes To The Dress' series. 2br. en-us. 2019-03-06.
  41. Web site: Say Yes To The Dress Lancashire series 2. 2br. en-us.
  42. Web site: When is Gok Wan's How to Look Good Naked on TV and can you apply? . en-us.
  43. Web site: Gok Wan's Easy Asian series 2. radiotimes.com. en-us.
  44. Web site: Bling. itv.com. en-us.
  45. Book: How to Dress: Your Complete Style Guide for Every Occasion (Hardcover) . .
  46. Book: Through Thick and Thin (Hardcover) . .
  47. Book: Gok Cooks Chinese (Hardcover) . .
  48. Book: Goks Wok (Hardcover) . .
  49. Book: How To Look Good Naked (Hardcover) . .
  50. News: Gok Wan stars in Birmingham Hippodrome's Christmas panto. Laws. Roz. 2013-12-06. Birmingham Mail. 2018-04-10.
  51. News: Cinderella (Mayflower). WhatsOnStage.com. 2018-04-10.
  52. Web site: Gok Wan and Paul Zerdin to star in Cinderella – Theatre Royal Plymouth. Theatre Royal Plymouth. en. 2018-04-10.
  53. Web site: Robinson Crusoe & The Caribbean Pirates at the Cliffs Pavilion Review What's Good To Do. whatsgoodtodo.co.uk. en-GB. 2018-04-10.
  54. News: Cinderella in review at Milton Keynes Theatre: Gok and Brian are a dream team. 2018-04-10. en.
  55. Web site: Cinderella panto in Bristol . whatsonstage.com.
  56. Web site: Cinderella panto in Cardiff. The Stage.
  57. Web site: Luo Bao Bei Cloth Cat Animation. clothcatanimation.com. 2018-05-11.
  58. Web site: C5 brings Luo Bao Bei to UK. C21media. en-us. 2018-05-11.
  59. Web site: GOK WAN STARS as the Man in the Mirror in SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS at NEW VICTORIA THEATRE WOKING. fairypoweredproductions. 3 August 2021 . en-us. 2022-02-21.
  60. News: Gok Wan's Divas is this week's Number 1 classical compilation album. 2018-04-10. en.
  61. Web site: Gok Wan DJ Tour. Facebook. en. 2018-04-11.
  62. Web site: Gok Wan DJ. CLUB CLASS MANAGEMENT. en-US.
  63. Web site: Gok Wan - Let Me Be Your Fantasy. TraxSource.
  64. Web site: Gok Wan reveals where he would play his new track 'Let Me Be Your Fantasy'. Hits Radio Pride.
  65. Web site: Gok Wan - Isolation Nation Compilation.
  66. Web site: Gok Wan - Isolation Nation Compilation Volume 2.
  67. News: Gok Wan Gets Naked And Bears All in His New Tour. 2018-04-11. en.
  68. Web site: Gok Wan Biography .
  69. Web site: WULI:LUU by Gok Wan . en-us.
  70. Web site: My First Home: Gok Wan. 29 January 2018. Metro Newspaper UK.
  71. Web site: Gok Wan: How I told my parents I was gay . London Evening Standard . UK . 3 August 2009 . 9 October 2010 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110212185642/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23727134-gok-wan-how-i-told-my-parents-i-was-gay.do . 12 February 2011.
  72. Web site: Chinese Takeaway Cookbook | Kwoklyn Wan. kwoklynwan.com. 19 July 2020. 19 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200719132403/https://www.kwoklynwan.com/chinese-takeaway-cookbook/. dead.
  73. Web site: Abrams . Corrine . Video: Gok Wan on finding glasses for your face shape. The Times. London . 2 May 2008 . 3 December 2008 .
  74. Web site: BBC Children in Need set for record . . 15 November 2008 . 3 December 2008.
  75. News: World Pride Power List 2014 . The Guardian . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150208160458/http://www.worldpridepowerlist.com/ . 8 February 2015.
  76. Web site: Gok Wan MBE . Twitter.
  77. Web site: Gok Cooks Chinese – Series 1: Episode 3 . 4 June 2012 . Channel 4 . 17 June 2014 . 25 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120525065920/http://www.channel4.com/programmes/gok-cooks-chinese/4od#3376657 . dead .