Gary Barlow nearly quit `X Factor`

London: Take that front man Gary Barlow says he nearly walked away from the `X Factor` last year after finding it difficult to deal with the pressure of judging.

The 41-year-old singer, however, is now enjoying his stint as a judge on the talent reality show, the Mirror reported. Asked if he thought about quitting, Barlow said, "Yeah. It was hard... If I`m really honest, I`m not really a fan of hard work. There`s a lot of pressure, it really is massive. Last year, I`d sit down feeling so nervous. I was on tour while we were doing the auditions last year and it was hard work. "I always felt miserable when I arrived because I was knackered. This year, I`ve enjoyed the bad ones more than the good ones. I`m almost disappointed when they come out and they`re good. I hope to be a bit lighter this year." Barlow, who is overseeing the audition of over 28s this year, says being on `X Factor` has made him an even bigger celebrity. "I`ve always been fairly famous, but there`s no question that this show has taken that to a new level. You get this whole new group of people who know your face. You have to be prepared for everyone coming up to you more than when Take That was at its absolute height." PTI