In an eccentric post on Instagram, Robbie Williams recalled an embarrassing on-stage incident that occurred while he was performing with Take That.
Williams joined the British boy band in 1990 when he was just 16 years old before leaving acrimoniously in 1995. He has since rejoined the band for various performances since they reunited in 2006.
During the band’s reunion tour in 2011, Williams said he fell victim to food poisoning.
“So, I had food poisoning once on the Take That tour.*When I rejoined,” he wrote on Instagram, apropos of nothing.
“It was Horrendous. It felt like death. We unfortunately had to cancel a show in Denmark because of it. I still feel bad,” he continued.
“Anyway, A few days later we were playing at the Ajax Stadium in Amsterdam. Still not anywhere near well enough I ventured to the stage. I was in the precarious position of not being able to ‘trust a fart’. Which was unfortunate because that’s what I needed to do during my opening song. ‘Let Me Entertain You.’
“As I’m sure you can imagine it didn’t remain just a fart. But ever the pro I retained my composure and committed to the performance 100%. Because of the picture I’ve just painted I’m sure you have questions. But let’s just let sleeping logs lie for now.”
The “Angels” star went on to speculate on what other singers may have had similar incidents on stage, asking his followers to do the same before settling on Mick Jagger and Thom Yorke.
This week, former X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan called Williams her “hero” after she supported him in a live performance.
Despite being one of the season’s most popular performers, Spraggan withdrew from the competition in the fifth week of the live rounds.
At the time, her departure and absence from the previous week’s show was explained as being due to ill health, but in July, the “Last Night” singer revealed that she had been raped by a hotel worker following a night out, and left the programme as a result of the traumatic event.
On Monday (28 August), Spraggan shared a picture of herself with Williams at his concert at the Sandringham royal estate on the weekend. Spraggan had been the “Millennium” singer’s support act at the event and shared some insight into why the moment was of particular personal significance.
“The very day I had to leave The X Factor, it turns out, was the day Robbie Williams had come to individually mentor us contestants,” she wrote on Instagram. “That very traumatic day I lost a lot.”
Though she missed out on a one-on-one experience with Williams on The X Factor, Spraggan stated that in the performance on Sunday (27 August), she got an “even better” opportunity to connect with him.
“I supported Robbie Williams at his show,” she continued. “And what an unbelievable experience it was. What a crowd.”
