Gary Barlow is spending Christmas in the Caribbean.

The Take That star is on the island of Antigua with his family, enjoying a festive break after a busy year in which he has toured with the group, acted as head judge on UK TV talent show 'The X Factor' and organised the Children in Need Rocks Manchester charity concert.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Gary has been working flat out for the past few months, both on 'The X Factor' and organising his charity gigs.

"He's a real family man and couldn't wait to spend some more time with his wife Dawn and the kids. Some playing with the nippers, swimming and book reading is exactly what he needs after all of the chaos on the TV show."

Although he's on an exotic family break, the 40-year-old singer, who has three children with wife Dawn, Daniel, 11, eight-year-old Emily and two-year-old Daisy, has previously admitted he hates having nothing to do and isn't good at relaxing on holiday.

He said: "I'm not a good time-off person. I'm awful on holiday. It comes from having that period where I didn't work. That really was the worst bit.

"It wasn't not being famous any more or even not being a recording artist. It was having nobody who needed me, no phones ringing, nothing to do."