Robbie Williams admits there were times he wanted to ‘run off’ when his wife got pregnant.
Robbie Williams. photo by Ros O'Gorman
The British singer and his spouse Ayda Field welcomed a daughter, Theodora Rose, into the world in September. Although 38-year-old Robbie is smitten with the new arrival, he was terrified about the prospect of fatherhood.
‘I know it’s very natural to keep saying, ‘It’s a miracle, she’s a fucking miracle,’ but she is.
‘When Ayda was first pregnant we’d have a week of me saying, ‘I didn’t want this. You fucking wanted this.’ But that was me just being scared,’ he told British newspaper The Sun. ‘There have been times when I’ve wanted to run off. I will admit that. I start to think, ‘I’m not old enough for this and I’m still a kid myself,’ but I work it out.
‘I don’t think Ayda understands my worries sometimes. I told her I needed to change a few nappies to get my anxiety levels down.’
Robbie discusses his responsibilities as a father on his new track Be A Boy, from his latest album Take the Crown.
The singer realises there is a lot of pressure on him to succeed with this record after his last three offerings – Intensive Care, Rudebox and Reality Killed the Video Star ‘ failed to impress.
Robbie admits the criticism of his music contributed to his decision to reunite with his Take That bandmates in 2010 for an album and tour.
‘When you have everyone telling you your album doesn’t have a first single, it shoots at your confidence. So I thought, ‘Fuck you – if you don’t think I can write a single then I’m going to rejoin Take That.’ And I did,’ he explained. ‘I get what my purpose is and what I want to do. I want to write big pop hits, sing in stadiums and have people smile and rejoice again.’
Robbie has battled drug and alcohol demons, but is now sober and happily settled with a family. However, he admits his addictive personality means he is always looking for something to take to the extreme.
‘Everything I like is addictive, destructive or corrosive. Addiction to danger is no stranger to me, it’s fashion,’ he confessed. ‘I think having a baby has sorted an awful lot of stuff out.
‘Success is addictive and I believe that I’ve got the album to feed my addiction for 18 months.’
