Emotional Reconciliation at Manchester Gig
Robbie Williams publicly apologizes to former Take That bandmate Gary Barlow during an intimate War Child concert at Manchester’s Aviva Studios. Reflecting on the recent Take That Netflix documentary, Williams addresses his past behavior and seeks to fully resolve their long-standing tensions.
Public Admission of Past Mistakes
Williams, who left the band in 1995 amid frustrations over playing second fiddle to Barlow, opens up to the audience. “Did anybody see the Take That documentary?” he asks. “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 continues, expressing deep remorse: “And you know what, 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 and days and days and I’d go to bed at night and I was thinking I’ve gotta apologise again.”
Williams clarifies his current feelings: “But just to clarify, I f**king love Gary Barlow now. And he loved me. There’s only so many times I can apologise now.”
Revisiting the Diss Track
Transitioning into his 1990s song “Ego A Go Go,” originally written about Barlow, Williams labels it 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 band rehearsals, Williams reflects: “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***.”
Insights from the Netflix Docuseries
The three-part Netflix series highlights Barlow’s battle with bulimia, which began after Take That’s 1996 split and intensified due to rivalry with Williams. Archival footage replays Williams admitting: “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 shares the emotional toll: “It’s a narrative I haven’t thought about for years and years. When we had our reunion we spent a lot of time talking about it and I remember leaving on one particular day and we’d discussed everything. And I remember leaving and my shoulders were light.”
He adds: “And I’d not thought about it since because I’d not needed to. And it brought it all back. Tricky times, they were.”
Healing During 2011 Reunion
The docuseries also covers the band’s 2011 comeback with Williams. He explains: “I needed Gary to listen to my truth.”
Barlow recounts their candid exchange: “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.”
