‘Demons’ haunted Robbie Williams during NYE performance
Pop megastar Robbie Williams has revealed he struggled with his anxiety while on stage during his televised New Year’s Eve performance in Sydney.
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Robbie Williams has revealed he battled with “anxiety and mental health demons” during his televised New Year’s Eve performance in Sydney.
The British music megastar said a major trigger throughout his career — seeing demons in the audience during his shows — occurred at his gig which was broadcast on ABC-TV on Tuesday night.
The theme of demons in the audience features heavily in Robbie’s hit biopic, Better Man.
Asked if he still sees those demons in the crowd, Williams told Page 13: “Yes. The other night I was on stage on TV. I had the tail ends of a cold. On top of a cold, I had jetlag. Cold plus jet lag plus anxiety and mental illness is a very potent combination.
“I noticed once I stepped on stage in front of 11 million viewing people, I felt crazy. I also had to hold it together and not, outwardly, let you know what was happening inwardly.
“I also realised my left nostril was streaming. The demons now are, ‘Twitter’s gonna think I’m on stage off my face on coke.’ Not only do I look crazy, I feel crazy.
“While I’m enjoying myself, and going with it ... I’m also experiencing anxiety, and all the mean comments out there in internet land.”
Williams also rejected criticism from ABC-TV about promoting Better Man during his New Year’s Eve show.
“They have a job to do,” Williams said. “People at home also have an opinion about how and what their broadcaster should and shouldn’t do.
“But you book Robbie Williams, you get Robbie Williams. I’m not travelling 24 hours out of the goodness of my heart to sing Angels for free. I’m gonna f---ing promote my film. Soz.”
Williams said he was thrilled by the 14,000-strong turnout to his free pop-up show in Melbourne’s Federation Square on Thursday He was also gifted the Keys to the City.
“What do the keys to the city mean? What doors do they unlock? The answer is none,” Williams said. “But what it does mean is, the city is saying ‘I love you’ and you get to say, ‘I love you back, and genuinely mean it, because I’m not in love with everywhere in the world.
“Some places I’m deeply suspicious of,” Williams said, laughing. “But the feeling is reciprocated here. I feel like a Melbourne person. I understand the city and its city.”
Better Man, a no-holds-barred account of Williams’ turbulent life and career, was shot in Melbourne in 2022. Williams is played by a CGI monkey in the biopic.
“This was solely an exercise in self promotion. I’m an attention seeker for a living. I seek attention and I seek validation,” Williams said. “This film is touching people on a profound level because they’ve told me. But that’s a mistake,” he added, laughing.
Creative Industries Minister, Colin Brooks, said the production created 2920 jobs, including 428 from regional Victoria, supported 904 local businesses, and injected over $142 million into Victoria’s economy. He added: “Better Man is a Melbourne-made global sensation.”
Originally published as ‘Demons’ haunted Robbie Williams during NYE performance
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