Cheeky, fun, boisterous… These are just a few words all of us could use to describe singing superstar Robbie Williams.
However, behind his seemingly dauntless stage presence, his bold, sometimes brazen performances, the 43-year-old father-of-two says he sometimes finds himself cripples by a “disease that wants to kill me”.
Robbie told 60 Minutes: “My natural way of living would be sort of isolating away from people, and feeling uncomfortable in social situations.”
“Sometimes it overwhelms me and sometimes it’s a tool I need to get on stage. Sometimes I live in bliss and it’s wonderful,” he says, as reported by The Sun.
“The things I’ve put myself through, I’ve been close to . . . It’s like, ‘By the grace of God go I’. It’s been so close so many times.”
Robbie admitted that he’s been struggling with his mental health since he was a teenager.
Following a long-documented history of affliction with drug and alcohol addiction, Robbie went on to say that despite crediting his wife, Ayda Field, and two kids, Teddy and Charlie, for turning his life around on and on a healthier path, the death of George Michael rocked him.
“I miss George Michael, I wish he was here,” the singer, who happens to be in Australia performing his The Heavy Entertainment Show tour, continues.
“Was it 2016 when everybody popped off? It was just a dreadful year, all of everybody’s heroes ¬disappear, you’re realising you’re not immortal and never more so than being 43 having two kids.”
“It was just a dreadful thing to happen and I miss him.”
“Once you’ve been on the planet for 43 years, you realise that — even if you’ve got everything that I have — you’re not invincible. So from now on I’m going to look after myself a lot more carefully.”
Robbie with his wife, American actress Ayda Field.
Depression in Australia
Did you know that it’s estimated that as many as 45 per cent of Aussie will experience a mental health condition, including depression, in their lifetime? Indeed, Beyondblue report that in any one year, roughly 1million adults in Australia have depression, and more than 2million have anxiety.
If you or someone you know is going through a difficult time and need to talk to someone, contact Lifeline immediately by calling 13 11 14, or visit their website, www.lifeline.org.au.
