Gok Wan
Encyclopedia
Gok Wan is a British fashion consultant
, author and television presenter of British Chinese
heritage. He is known for his appearances on many television programmes (including his own fashion show How to Look Good Naked
), for providing fashion advice to celebrities and for contributing his views to fashion magazines published internationally.
, England, to an English mother, Myra, and a Chinese father, John Tung Shing, who was born in Hong Kong and emigrated to England
at age 16. He grew up in Whetstone
, Leicestershire, where his parents owned a restaurant. Wan stood out from his peers from a young age and the fact that he was mixed race, tall, overweight and gay led to bullying from other children.
He was 21 stone (133 kg) in his teenage years and later confessed, "I was really fat". He was drawn to performing arts
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 to his and he felt that his weight was beginning to dictate his life, later saying:
and at the age of 20 he began a crash diet
, losing half his weight in several months. 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 chatshows. So I'm thankful for that." 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.
including Bryan Ferry
, All Saints
, Damien Lewis, Erasure
, Vanessa Mae, Wade Robson
, Lauren Laverne
, Wet Wet Wet
, and Johnny Vaughan
. He also offered his opinions to magazines, becoming a fashion consultant, and his work has been published internationally in several magazines, which include Tatler
, Glamour
, Times Style, Marie Claire
, Cosmopolitan
, The Face
, Afisha Mir, Clash
and People
. He has also worked with photographers such as Rankin
, Mike Owen and Jason Joyce.
Wan 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
(BBC1), The Wright Stuff
(Five), Make Me a Grown Up (Channel 4/T4), The Xtra Factor (ITV2
) and T4
(Channel 4).
In 2006, Wan was approached by Channel 4 and asked to present his own fashion show, How to Look Good Naked
. In addition, he wrote a book 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". A third series was shown in early 2008. His new series, entitled Gok's Fashion Fix was broadcast on Channel 4 in mid-2008. Wan is noted for his enthusiastic use of the words "literally" and "bangers" (his word for breasts).
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
magazine and Closer for its sensitive and feel-good approach to a style guide. He also has contracts with lingerie firm SimplyYours.co.uk where he has a range of shapewear
lingerie, including a 'banger booster' bra
, and Dorothy Perkins
, which has instore and online tips from Gok on styling its clothing lines.
His next series Miss Naked Beauty
, which he co-presented with Myleene Klass
, was broadcast in October and November 2008. The series attracted controversy after Wan hosed semi-naked women, causing critics to question the motives behind the series; Amanda Platell
described it as "vulgarity masquerading as self-help".
Wan presented a documentary which was first broadcast on 27 January 2009, entitled Too Fat Too Young, examining overweight kids in the UK. He reflected on his experience of being obese to help these teenagers. In 2010, he started working with actresses Laila Rouass
and Jo Brand
, along with two other celebrity faces, for a new series of TV Book Club for Channel Four.
Wan was voted as the 100th sexiest man in the world by readers of SoFeminine.co.uk in 2010.
He has now begun a new series, a new version of Gok's Fashion Fix called Gok Wan's Clothes Roadshow,in which he makes affordable high street fashions, while Brix Smith
styles designer clothes. At the end of a show is a fashion show, where they show their styles to the people who live where the show takes place. A different place is visited each week.
In 2011 he has now showing a second series of Gok Wan's Clothes Roadshow but it differs from the first series as Goks himself styles two sets of four outfits for two different prices, one set for £50 and another for £250. It does still travel around to different places each week and they audience still votes for which collection they like best.
.
His brother, Kwoklyn, is an accomplished martial artist
who teaches Jeet Kune Do
in Leicester
. He also has an older sister, Oilen, who is a child-care solicitor.
Wan has been involved in various charitable projects, supporting anti-bullying charity Kidscape
and launching a National Glasses Day with Specsavers
to encourage everyone to wear their spectacles with pride. As part of Children in Need 2008
, Gok treated the workers of Coronation Street
s Underworld factory to a glamorous makeover. Gok also appeared in Comic Relief Does The Apprentice
in March 2009.
Wardrobe stylist
A wardrobe stylist is the job title of someone who selects the clothing for published editorial features, print or television advertising campaigns, music videos, concert performances, and any public appearances made by celebrities, models or other public figures...
, author and television presenter of British Chinese
British Chinese
British Chinese , including British-born Chinese are people of Chinese ancestry who were born in, or have migrated to, the United Kingdom. They are part of the Chinese diaspora, or overseas Chinese...
heritage. He is known for his appearances on many television programmes (including his own fashion show How to Look Good Naked
How to Look Good Naked
How to Look Good Naked is a television program, first aired on British Channel 4 in 2006, in which fashion stylist Gok Wan encourages women and men who are insecure with their bodies to strip nude for the camera...
), for providing fashion advice to celebrities and for contributing his views to fashion magazines published internationally.
Early life
Gok Wan (christened Kwokhyn Wan) was born in LeicesterLeicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, England, to an English mother, Myra, and a Chinese father, John Tung Shing, who was born in Hong Kong and emigrated to England
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
at age 16. He grew up in Whetstone
Whetstone, Leicestershire
Whetstone is a village and civil parish in the Blaby district of Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 6,000 and largely acts as a commuter village for Leicester, five miles to the north...
, Leicestershire, where his parents owned a restaurant. Wan stood out from his peers from a young age and the fact that he was mixed race, tall, overweight and gay led to bullying from other children.
He was 21 stone (133 kg) in his teenage years and later confessed, "I was really fat". He was drawn to performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
and after leaving Babington Community College he began attending a course at the Charles Keene College of Further Education
Leicester College
Leicester College is a further education College in Leicester, England. It is one of the largest and most successful colleges in the UK, with more than 26,000 learners, 1,600 staff, plus an annual budget of £51million....
. Wan received a diploma from the college, then enrolled at the Central School of Speech and Drama
Central School of Speech and Drama
The Central School of Speech and Drama was founded in London in 1906 by Elsie Fogerty to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students...
and continued to study performing arts. However, the other students had backgrounds very different to 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 fucking funny."He felt restricted and unhappy and eventually dropped out of the course, returning to live with his family. Wan set about losing weight
Weight loss
Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health or physical fitness, is a reduction of the total body mass, due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon and other connective tissue...
and at the age of 20 he began a crash diet
Crash diet
A crash diet is a diet which is extreme in its nutritional deprivations, typically severely restricting calorie intake. It is meant to achieve rapid weight loss and may differ from outright starvation only slightly. It is not meant to last for long periods of time, at most a few weeks. ...
, losing half his weight in several months. 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 chatshows. So I'm thankful for that." 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
Over the past 10 years, Wan worked with many celebritiesCelebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
including Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
, All Saints
All Saints (band)
All Saints were a British/Canadian girl group. Founded in 1993 as All Saints 1.9.7.5, the group consisted of founding members Melanie Blatt and Shaznay Lewis, and sisters Nicole Appleton and Natalie Appleton...
, Damien Lewis, Erasure
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
, Vanessa Mae, Wade Robson
Wade Robson
Wade Jeremy William Robson is an Australian dance prodigy, director, producer, songwriter, and award-winning choreographer. He began performing as a dancer at the age of five. He has directed music videos and world tours for numerous music artists such as 'N Sync and Britney Spears...
, Lauren Laverne
Lauren Laverne
Lauren Cecilia Fisher , known professionally as Lauren Laverne, is an English radio DJ, television presenter, author and singer...
, Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet are a Scottish pop rock band that formed in the 1980s. They scored a number of hits in the British charts and around the world. The band is composed of Marti Pellow , Tommy Cunningham , Graeme Clark and Neil Mitchell...
, and Johnny Vaughan
Johnny Vaughan
Jonathan Randall Vaughan is an English broadcaster and journalist. Vaughan has become well known as a television and radio personality and has also built a reputation as a film critic. He co-presented Capital Breakfast alongside Lisa Snowdon on 95.8 Capital FM between 2004 and 2011...
. He also offered his opinions to magazines, becoming a fashion consultant, and his work has been published internationally in several magazines, which include Tatler
Tatler
Tatler has been the name of several British journals and magazines, each of which has viewed itself as the successor of the original literary and society journal founded by Richard Steele in 1709. The current incarnation, founded in 1901, is a glossy magazine published by Condé Nast Publications...
, Glamour
Glamour (magazine)
Glamour is a women's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. Founded in 1939 in the United States, it was originally called Glamour of Hollywood....
, Times Style, Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and...
, Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan (magazine)
Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
, The Face
The Face (magazine)
The Face was a British music, fashion and culture monthly magazine started in May 1980 by Nick Logan.-1980s:Logan had previously created the teen pop magazine Smash Hits, and had been an editor at the New Musical Express in the 1970s before launching The Face in 1980.The magazine was influential in...
, Afisha Mir, Clash
Clash (magazine)
Clash is a popular music and fashion magazine based in the United Kingdom. Its magazine title is published 12 times a year. It has a circulation of around 40,000....
and People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
. He has also worked with photographers such as Rankin
Rankin (photographer)
John Rankin Waddell, working name Rankin, born 1966, is a British portrait and fashion photographer.-Life and career:Waddell was brought up in St Albans, Hertfordshire. At the age of 21, whilst studying accounting at Brighton Polytechnic, he realized that his interests lay elsewhere and dropped...
, Mike Owen and Jason Joyce.
Wan has also worked as an "on-screen" fashion consultant on many television shows including: MTV Shakedown (MTV Europe
MTV Europe
MTV Europe is a pan-European 24-hour entertainment cable and digital television network launched on August 1, 1987. Initially, the channel served all regions within Europe being one of the very few channels that targeted the entire European continent...
), GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
(ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
), LK Today (ITV), Big Brother's Little Brother (Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
), Battle of the Sexes
Battle of the sexes
-Films:*The Battle of the Sexes , American film directed by D. W. Griffith*The Battle of the Sexes , American remake of the above, also directed by D. W. Griffith...
(BBC1), The Wright Stuff
The Wright Stuff
The Wright Stuff is a British television chat show, hosted by Matthew Wright, and currently airing on Channel 5 each weekday morning from 9:15 to 11:10am....
(Five), Make Me a Grown Up (Channel 4/T4), The Xtra Factor (ITV2
ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
) and T4
T4 (Channel 4)
T4 is a scheduling slot on Channel 4 from about 09:00 until 14:00 on Saturdays and 17:00 on Sundays. It also airs on weekdays in the school holidays. The slot has a separate station identification on screen graphic from Channel 4 and E4. The logo of T4 is noticeably the top right segment of the...
(Channel 4).
In 2006, Wan was approached by Channel 4 and asked to present his own fashion show, How to Look Good Naked
How to Look Good Naked
How to Look Good Naked is a television program, first aired on British Channel 4 in 2006, in which fashion stylist Gok Wan encourages women and men who are insecure with their bodies to strip nude for the camera...
. In addition, he wrote a book 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
Paul O'Grady
Paul James Michael O'Grady MBE is an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio DJ. He is best known for presenting the daytime chat television series, The Paul O'Grady Show and, more recently, Paul O'Grady Live, as well as his drag queen comedic alter ego, Lily Savage, as...
to strip "naked". A third series was shown in early 2008. His new series, entitled Gok's Fashion Fix was broadcast on Channel 4 in mid-2008. Wan is noted for his enthusiastic use of the words "literally" and "bangers" (his word for breasts).
Wan wrote a book titled How to Dress: Your Complete Style Guide for Every Occasion which was released by HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
on 1 October 2008. The book was praised by both Heat
Heat (magazine)
Heat is a British entertainment magazine published by German company Bauer Media Group. it is one of the biggest selling magazines in the UK, with a regular circulation over half a million. Its mix of celebrity news, gossip and fashion is primarily aimed at women, although not as directly as in...
magazine and Closer for its sensitive and feel-good approach to a style guide. He also has contracts with lingerie firm SimplyYours.co.uk where he has a range of shapewear
Foundation garment
A foundation garment is an undergarment designed to temporarily alter the wearer's body shape, to achieve a more fashionable figure...
lingerie, including a 'banger booster' bra
Brassiere
A brassiere is an undergarment that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting breasts....
, and Dorothy Perkins
Dorothy Perkins
Dorothy Perkins, whose trading name was inspired by a rambler rose of the same name, is a large British women's clothing retailer, active mostly in the United Kingdom.- History :...
, which has instore and online tips from Gok on styling its clothing lines.
His next series Miss Naked Beauty
Miss Naked Beauty
Miss Naked Beauty is a short-lived, six-episode reality television show produced by Maverick Television, aired on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom....
, which he co-presented with Myleene Klass
Myleene Klass
Myleene Angela Quinn is an English singer, pianist, media personality and occasional model. She was formerly a member of the defunct British pop band Hear'Say.-Early life:...
, was broadcast in October and November 2008. The series attracted controversy after Wan hosed semi-naked women, causing critics to question the motives behind the series; Amanda Platell
Amanda Platell
Amanda Jane Platell is a British-based Australian journalist, and from 1999 to 2001 was the press secretary to William Hague, the then leader of the British Conservative Party.-Early life:...
described it as "vulgarity masquerading as self-help".
Wan presented a documentary which was first broadcast on 27 January 2009, entitled Too Fat Too Young, examining overweight kids in the UK. He reflected on his experience of being obese to help these teenagers. In 2010, he started working with actresses Laila Rouass
Laila Rouass
Laila Abdesselam Rouass is a British actress. She is best known for her role as Amber Gates in the British television drama Footballers' Wives and as Sarah Page in the third season of Primeval .-Career:...
and Jo Brand
Jo Brand
Josephine Grace "Jo" Brand is a BAFTA winning British comedian, writer, and actor.- Early life :Jo Brand was born 23 July 1957 in Wandsworth, London. Her mother was a social worker. Brand is the middle of three children, with two brothers...
, along with two other celebrity faces, for a new series of TV Book Club for Channel Four.
Wan was voted as the 100th sexiest man in the world by readers of SoFeminine.co.uk in 2010.
He has now begun a new series, a new version of Gok's Fashion Fix called Gok Wan's Clothes Roadshow,in which he makes affordable high street fashions, while Brix Smith
Brix Smith
Brix Smith-Start is an American singer, guitarist and television presenter, best known for being a member of post-punk band The Fall, and as lead singer and songwriter with The Adult Net.-Biography:Brix grew up in Los Angeles and Chicago...
styles designer clothes. At the end of a show is a fashion show, where they show their styles to the people who live where the show takes place. A different place is visited each week.
In 2011 he has now showing a second series of Gok Wan's Clothes Roadshow but it differs from the first series as Goks himself styles two sets of four outfits for two different prices, one set for £50 and another for £250. It does still travel around to different places each week and they audience still votes for which collection they like best.
Personal life
Wan currently resides in London. In 2009 he remarked that 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 claimed that he had lost his virginity to another boy whilst they were both under the legal age of consentAge of consent
While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
.
His brother, Kwoklyn, is an accomplished martial artist
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
who teaches Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...
in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. He also has an older sister, Oilen, who is a child-care solicitor.
Wan has been involved in various charitable projects, supporting anti-bullying charity Kidscape
Kidscape
The London-based charity Kidscape was established in 1985 by child psychologist Michele Elliott. Its focus is on children’s safety, with an emphasis on the prevention of harm by equipping children with techniques and mindsets that help them stay safe....
and launching a National Glasses Day with Specsavers
Specsavers
Specsavers Optical Group Ltd is the biggest optical retailer in the UK and Ireland. It is also the biggest of the four major opticians that control 70% of the British market for spectacles and contact lenses, with Specsavers having a 39% share of the market...
to encourage everyone to wear their spectacles with pride. As part of Children in Need 2008
Children in Need 2008
Children in Need 2008 was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for Children in Need. It culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One on the evening of Friday 14 November, through to the morning of Saturday 15 November...
, Gok treated the workers of Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
s Underworld factory to a glamorous makeover. Gok also appeared in Comic Relief Does The Apprentice
Comic Relief Does The Apprentice
Comic Relief Does The Apprentice is a special celebrity version of British reality television series The Apprentice, produced to raise money for Comic Relief. The first edition aired in March 2007, and the second in March 2009. Five male celebrities and five female celebrities took part in the show...
in March 2009.
External links
- Official Website
- Biography at Channel 4's How To Look Good Naked
- Interview with BBC Leicester
- Interview with The ObserverThe ObserverThe Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
- Q&A with Wan