Gary Barlow provides the singing for the character of The Journalist in The War of the Worlds. File picture: PA

Recording sessions with Gary Barlow “went like a dream” for Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds -The New Generation.

The Take That singer contributes parts to a re-working of composer Jeff Wayne’s musical version of the HG Wells sci-fi novel, performing the singing sections of character The Journalist, and Wayne says Barlow was very keen to be involved in the project.

He told BANG Showbiz: “At the time he was involved in the writing and producing of the Queen’s Jubilee song Sing. And he was about to go on a trip to certain Commonwealth countries to work with singers and musicians who would be contributing to the song itself and he was getting ready to do the Diamond Jubilee concert, so his plate was quite full.

“But he was keen on recording, we set up recording sessions, went like a dream, we finished everything in far greater time than we ever imagined. He was a delight to work with.”

Speaking of working with Wayne, Barlow said: “I’ve been a huge fan of The War of The Worlds score since I was a kid, so to be asked to work with the legend that is Jeff Wayne was a real privilege.”

Other stars to contribute to the new version of The War of the Worlds include Kaiser Chiefs’ Ricky Wilson, Alex Clare, Joss Stone and Maverick Sabre, as well as actor Liam Neeson lending his voice to the character The Journalist, a role originally voiced by Richard Burton.

On working with Neeson, Wayne said: “I had a list of 10 or 12 actors whose work I generally admired and I watched everything I could to get a feeling of their different performances.

“Then I did the same thing again but I closed my eyes just to hear their voices and my list of 10 went down to one. He’s a great actor but his voice is also in a way, it reminds me of having as much presence and feeling as Richard.” The War of the Worlds will be at The O2 in Greenwich on December 15.