Despite not winning the competition, he was soon signed up with Simon Cowell's record label BMG, alongside the Pop Idol winner, Will Young. (Cowell had been one of the Pop Idol judges, and had been notorious for his harsh criticisms of many of the contestants.) His first single, a cover of "Unchained Melody", entered the UK Top 40 at number one, knocking Will Young's first single - the double A-sided "Evergreen"/"Anything is Possible" - off the top of the chart.
With the Kumars, Gates sang the 2003 Comic Relief charity single, "Spirit in the Sky", another cover of an old song. This was also a new entry at number one, and stayed there for several weeks.
Also in 2003, Gates came sixth in the Channel 4 poll of the 100 Worst Britons.
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