Robbie Williams jokes: ‘You’ve never met somebody that wants to be gay as much as me’
"I’ve done everything but suck a c*ck," the singer said in a candid interview to promote his upcoming biopic
By Dale Fox
Singer Robbie Williams has opened up about decades of rumours around his sexuality, in an interview to discuss his new biopic Better Man.
Speaking to the Guardian, the Take That 90s heartthrob addressed the persistent tabloid claims about him during the early years of his career, including allegations in 2004 of a “secret gay lover” which led to him suing and winning for libel.
Asked why he chose to sue the newspaper, Williams responded: “I was annoyed… I was more sad. Not about gay accusations, because look: I’ve done everything but suck a cock. Honestly, you’ve never met somebody that wants to be gay as much as me.”
“I have crushes. Big male crushes. A lot. But I just can’t do the c*ck” – Robbie Williams in a 2016 Attitude interview
Williams previously talked to Attitude for a 2016 cover feature about how the queer community embraced him. During Take That’s formative years, when they were managed by Nigel Martin-Smith, who is gay, Williams and the band performed in gay clubs across the UK.
“I was raised in a society where gay was the thing you levelled at somebody you wanted to hurt the most. So then being exposed to this world that I loved being a part of… I took my first ecstasy at a gay club [and] had the most incredible time,” he said.
“I thought: ‘Why have I lived like that when I could live like this forever?’ And I tried doing that, which led me to AA.
“But also because of the homophobia that there is out there, I was sort of left as a 21 year old going: ‘Actually, I don’t hate the gays… so does that mean that I’m gay, too? I was 21 or 22 and I was like: ‘Oh, that must mean that I’m somewhat gay, in some sort of way’.”
He continued: “The truth is with me and gay is that I can’t get round the cock thing. You know I have crushes. Big male crushes. A lot. I crush a lot. But I just can’t do the cock. I don’t enjoy looking at mine that much. So I can’t get round that bit. And if I could I would have because I like sex. I would have liked being able to have it on tap.”
Better Man picks up Rolling Stone UK award
Released on 26 December, Williams’s biopic Better Man tells his life story with a unique twist: Williams is portrayed as a CGI monkey, symbolising his view of himself as a “performing monkey.”
The film explores his rise to fame, struggles with mental health, and life in the spotlight.
Better Man recently won The Film Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards 2024 [Attitude’s sister publication], cementing its place as one of the year’s standout projects.
Jonno Davies, who played the CGI monkey, said during a speech to accept the award: “The idea of fame, being a celebrity, an entertainer, you are put on a pedestal that feels separate to everyone else. You are expected to just turn it on at any given moment despite what you’re going through – to roll with the punches.”