Robbie Williams publicly reconciles with former Take That bandmate Gary Barlow during a War Child concert at Manchester’s Aviva Studios. Reflecting on the recent Take That Netflix documentary, Williams addresses his past actions and expresses remorse for his behavior.
The Emotional Apology on Stage
Williams quit Take That in 1995 amid tensions, particularly with Barlow, the group’s leader. A long feud ensued, marked by public jabs that deeply affected Barlow’s confidence. Despite a 2010 reunion tour and album, uncertainties about their friendship persisted.
Addressing the crowd, Williams asked, “Did anybody see the Take That documentary?” He continued, “I have to say I was a bit of a ‘c***’ in the second episode. I don’t think anybody has seen a man smugger than Robbie Williams in the second episode.”
He added, “I felt really bad. I felt f***ing horrible about it. I’d been horrible to Gary, horrible to Mark, horrible to Howard, and I was genuinely thinking about it for days. I’d go to bed at night and think, ‘I’ve gotta apologise again.’ But just to clarify, I f**king love Gary Barlow now. And he loved me.”
Williams transitioned into his 1990s track “Ego A Go Go,” originally written about Barlow, describing it as a “horrible song.” The chorus states: “Ego a go go now you’ve gone solo / Living on a memory / Now you’ve gone stately / And yes you do hate me / Could you offer an apology.”
During rehearsal, Williams reflected, “I was sat there thinking, hang on, no one has ever left a boyband and gone ‘they’re a c***, they’re a c*** except me.’ But I’m a c***.”
Feud’s Impact Revealed in Documentary
The three-part Netflix series details Barlow’s bulimia struggle, which began after Take That’s 1996 split and intensified due to rivalry with Williams. Clips replay Williams saying, “My problem always was with Gary. I wanted to crush him. I wanted to crush the memory of the band, and I didn’t let go. Even when he was down, I didn’t let go.”
At the Battersea Power Station premiere, Barlow shared, “It’s a narrative I haven’t thought about for years. When we had our reunion, we spent a lot of time talking about it. I remember leaving one day with my shoulders light. It brought it all back. Tricky times, they were.”
Path to Reconciliation
The documentary also covers the 2011 comeback with Williams. He explained, “I needed Gary to listen to my truth.” Barlow responded, “There were things around people not being supportive of his songwriting and his weight. I’d called him Blobby rather than Robbie one day, which I shouldn’t have done. Then I hit him with things he had done to me that I didn’t like. In about 25 minutes, we’d put things to bed that had haunted us for years.”
