'I spent years pretending to be UK celeb on cruises - people always mistake me for him'

A Gary Barlow lookalike who has spent more than a decade performing as a cruise tribute act to the star says he is frequently mistaken for the singer in public.

Upon first glance, Jon Fisher is almost indistinguishable from the Take That favourite, but it’s a look – and voice – that has been carefully honed over 12 years. With sandy blonde hair, a salt and pepper beard and similar facial features, the two performers could be siblings.

They are also both 45, married and dads with three kids. The resemblance has served Jon well – landing him the spot as the ultimate Barlow act in the UK and working on Marella Cruises, TUI's ocean cruise line.

His favourite hits to perform include ‘Only Takes A Minute Girl’ and ‘Relight My Fire’, as well as crowd-pleasers like ‘Back For Good’ and ‘Greatest Day’.

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“I get a lot of double takes and stares on the cruises. People will whisper as I walk by, thinking I’m Gary – especially if I have my sunglasses on or if I’m standing next to other famous people, like Craig Revel Horwood," he explained.

“Die-hard fans sometimes get a little bit confused when they meet me and want to take a picture together. While I appreciate the attention – because I love Gary too – I always come clean about my real identity. But I think it’s great that people wonder if I’m really him, because it means I’m doing a good job.

“It’s always a great atmosphere onboard the cruise – everybody gets up singing and dancing. The crowds love hearing the classic songs, and it gives them a home from home when they are onboard listening to music they know and love."

Jon loves his job and the chance that he gets to travel. “Being able to travel from port to port makes it feel like I’m performing in a new city every night," he said.

"Not many people can say they have performed to hundreds of people in the middle of the sea. The audience is a massive part of the job and what makes it such a joy. Cruisers majorly enjoy tribute acts, and they especially love getting involved by singing along to waving back to me in the crowd. There are often fellas in the audience who have been dragged along to these shows by their wives, so I have a bit of fun with that.”

Marella Cruises provide all-inclusive cruise holidays with full end-to-end service, including flights, cabins, entertainment, food and drinks, trips, and transfers. It also offers regional flying from over 20 airports and multiple cruise-and-stay options.

Jon’s full-time career – which involves embarking on 20 cruises a year – started “by accident” after friends urged him to put his resemblance to the singer to good use. Jon said: “I’d been singing for a long time and had worked on Marella Cruises doing productions and in different bands.

“I had a few mates who were doing tribute shows and they convinced me to give it a go. I had my first gig two weeks later – I haven’t looked back since.”

Jon’s work takes him across the globe but the dad has never had the chance to meet Gary himself – yet.

When he’s not on the cruise, Jon – who is originally from Reading – lives in south Wales with his wife and kids.

He tries to keep his work persona separate from his home life, but he sometimes slips into Barlow’s Cheshire accent.

He added: “You find some tributes who carry the personality of their act around with them – but that’s not me. When I’m working, I’m working – but when I’m not, I’m not being Gary. I am a fan and respect what he does but I’m not hugely obsessed, so I don’t carry him into my personal life.”