Robbie Williams got a little emotional and very candid during his latest concert.
Headlining the BST Hyde Park show in London on Saturday, the singer, 50, issued a warning to the audience straight off the bat about how deep the talk might get.
“Tonight will be therapy for me, but entertainment for you,” Williams said.
But even still, some were left surprised by how raw the Rock DJ singer got with the audience, as he spoke about the highs and lows of fame during his two-hour concert.
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Going back to 1990 and the start of his career in British boy band Take That, Williams got candid about how he felt in the group dynamic.
“When I joined Take That, I thought it was like being in a gang. I was in a gang at school,” the singer told the 65,000-strong crowd between bars of their hits Could It Be Magic and Back for Good.
“But we weren’t. We were five young men vying for position in the band, in the industry, in life.”
He also detailed how partying with the likes of Oasis one fateful Glastonbury festival led to him being kicked out of the group.
“When I got back, it changed everything between me and the band. They didn’t know how to speak to me and I didn’t know how to speak to them.”
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After joking that being kicked out of Take That worked out fine because he got the chance to write his megahit Angels, he said it was meeting his “beautiful wife” and partner of 18 years Ayda Field that totally changed his life.
“What you see before you is a man who is the happiest he’s ever been,” he told the crowd to huge applause.
Williams admitted once upon a time he had two rules for himself – he would never marry and he wouldn’t have kids – but is glad that he went down that path.
“Because I was running from what I should have been running towards,” he said of his previous unhappiness.
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“You changed my life for the better. You have let me grow with you,” he said, gesturing to the box with his family watching on.
Singling out his eldest daughter, Williams said, “Teddy, you were the first of your kind and you absolutely blew my friggin’ mind. Daddy is super, super proud of you”.
He then dedicated the song Love My Life to the couple’s four children – Beau, four, Coco, five, Charlie, nine, and Teddy, 12.
During the performance, Williams took the crowd through his “34-year musical odyssey”, belting out hits like Let Me Entertain You, Come Undone and Feel.
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He also touched on his previous issues with drugs and alcohol, proudly announcing, “24 years ago, I had my last drink”.
He spoke about his ”sensitivity” as a kid and how he “tried to use drugs and alcohol to drown” out “loud negative voices” during the height of his fame, before talking a bit about his journey to get sober.
“I’m 50 years old, I’m still here and so grateful,” he said humbly.
In addition to thanking his wife for being his branch to hold onto through the rough times, he also thanked the fans, credited them with saving his life.
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“Thank you for helping me remain on the planet,” he said, before singing Angels as the show’s finale.
It’s not the first time Williams has gotten very honest with his fans about his past struggles.
The singer reflected and mused on his life, career and addiction in a four-part self-titled Netflix docuseries, released late last year.
If you or someone you know needs immediate or mental health-related support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or via lifeline.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
