Robbie Williams Shares a Surprising Take on His Role as a Backing Dancer in Take That

Robbie Williams in London in 1991.
Credit:

Michael Putland/Getty

Key Insights

• Robbie Williams described feeling like a “backing dancer” during his time with Take That.
• In a recent documentary, he expressed a desire to contribute more to the band’s songwriting but felt discouraged.
• The documentary is currently available on Netflix.

Robbie Williams has candidly shared his experience of feeling sidelined in Take That, particularly regarding songwriting.

In the documentary titled Take That, Williams reflected on his aspirations to be more involved in lyrics but indicated that frontman Gary Barlow was the dominant force in that area. “I just don’t,” Barlow stated in the documentary, explaining his protective stance over his role as the primary songwriter.

Barlow, now 55, revealed that his approach stemmed from a desire to satisfy various stakeholders, including their record label and manager. “I wanted to deliver, for everyone,” he noted.

Williams, now 51, would frequently discuss song ideas with Barlow. “He’d sing me this, like, Oasis song, and I’d be like ‘Rob, please.’ If I’m a member of Nirvana, that’d be brilliant, but we’re Take That,” Barlow recounted.

He confidently maintained, “I’ve got the formula. I know what we’re doing. I know what we’re doing next.”

Despite recognizing Williams’s efforts to contribute lyrically, Barlow admitted, “I never encouraged it,” underscoring the tension between their creative aspirations.

Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Robbie Williams, and Jason Orange of Take That.

Courtesy of Netflix

Williams expressed feeling musically superior at times, stating, “You don’t realize you’re a backing dancer until a few years. [You’re like], ‘Hang on, I didn’t sign up for that.'” This feeling contributed to the growing frustrations within the group.

Ultimately, Williams left Take That for the first time in 1996 amid struggles with addiction and mental health issues, which heightened tensions among the bandmates. He returned in 2010 after reconciling with his bandmates but departed again in 2011 to focus on his solo career.

Take That is now available for viewing on Netflix.