Pop star Gareth Gates says he has fulfilled many of his life's dreams after topping the charts and achieving celebrity status.

But the 19-year-old made a special trip back to Bradford to give an inspiring public talk about how controlling his speech problem is the one thing that really turned his life around.

To a crowd of about 30 people at Bradford's Central Library, Gareth spoke clearly and confidently about the days when he stammered through his live interviews on ITV's Pop Idol.

At an open day promoting the McGuire Programme, which helps stammerers fight the speech condition, the former Bradford Cathedral chorister from East Bowling revealed he now delighted in giving media interviews and loved speaking.

And he said he was now able to order a Big Mac from McDonald's, a snack he was never able to pronounce clearly before.

"Having that freedom to ask for the food you want and other things in shops makes all the difference in life," he said.

"Taking part in the McGuire project has completely changed my life and I would never have thought I could stand and talk to people like this."

Sun-tanned and relaxed, Gareth spoke for 15 minutes without a single stammer about how he took his first McGuire course in 2001 before Pop Idol.

But after clinching a place on the show his speech improvement was no longer his first priority.

"But eight months ago I got back on track, went on the course again and now I'm a qualified speech coach," he said. "This time I really put the work in and when I started the course I really was the worst one there.

"Everyone had to say their name on the first day and I just couldn't get the words out. I couldn't say my name and I broke down in tears in front of everybody. It's all about being aggressive with yourself."

But after his emotional journey, which he said he would not have been able to do without the support and encouragement of his parents Wendy and Paul Gates, Gareth said he now no longer feared live interviews.

"I love speaking now. As soon as you take that step of faith and make your speech the number one priority in your life, that's all it takes," he said.

He said it was hard work, and likened it to being an athlete, as exercises in breathing must be done daily.

He said his new ambition was to run a McGuire programme and help fellow stammerers.

"I've got where I want to in terms of my music career but now I want to reach as many people as I can," he said.

"People aren't in control of their own lives because they can't speak and I want to reach people and tell them there is a way out."

Hayley Dryden, 15, who has a stammer, travelled from Blythe, in Northumberland, with her family especially to find out more about the programme.

And she said she was delighted when Gareth rang her at home on Thursday evening to encourage her to attend the talk.

And the singer also took time to speak to her personally in the interval.

A tearful Hayley, who is a huge Gareth fan, said: "He has really inspired me and I will hopefully be going on the McGuire course in October."

Other recovering stammerers also gave moving talks about their progress, and how many wished they had taken the course years ago.

They included Alan Rogers, 58, of Baildon, who developed a chronic stammer at the age of three.

Close to tears he told visitors how at meetings it was like "creeping death" as he waited to say his name.

"You get to the point where you avoid those situations and you are always five minutes late but life doesn't have to be like that," said the maintenance manager. I went on the course and I couldn't believe that at the end of four days I could stand on a soap box and talk publicly. It was truly amazing."

A McGuire course is being held in Wigan next month.

For details about the programme, and the Bradford support network call Iain Mutch on (0191) 413 9100, or email iainmutch@hotmail.com