Gareth Gates was runner-up in the debut series of Pop Idol in 2002

Gates shot to fame in 2002, as the then-17-year-old overcame a stutter to win a legion of fans on the show.

But after his debut single, a cover of Unchained Melody, sold 1.3 million copies, his career nosedived.

Gates said: "The past five years have been a rollercoaster. I hope this gives people a chance to see the real me."

The 22-year-old is planning to return as a singer-songwriter with his third album.

Squeaky-clean

He saw his career wilt after lurid newspaper stories about a relationship with glamour model Jordan tarnished his squeaky-clean image, and he was dropped by record company Sony BMG in April 2006.

By contrast, the winner of the first Pop Idol series, Will Young, remains a major draw, having recently undertaken an arena tour of the UK and Ireland.

An ITV1 spokesman said: "This prime-time footage will show the impacts and consequences that fame thrusts upon artists hoping to survive successfully within the pressures of the music industry, and will also showcase some of Gareth's new music as he prepares to re-launch back into the spotlight to do what he loves most."

Two series of Pop Idol were made for ITV1 in the UK, with the series being succeeded by The X Factor. However, the format continues in the US as American Idol.