Gary Barlow's decision to forgive Robbie Williams over cutting digs and feud

07 November 2023 , 14:53

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Gary Barlow's decision to forgive Robbie Williams over cutting digs and feud

Robbie Williams confessed feeling "vengeful" of former Take That co-star Gary Barlow.

Admitting his dislike for the musician in his self-titled Netflix documentary, fans fear this candid confession could lead to another fallout between the pair. The two had a famous feud during the height of their fame before Robbie was forced out of the band in 1996. He later admitted his behaviour and alcoholism had spiralled out of control.

Robbie, then 21, didn't mince his words in interviews with the media, calling Gary a "clueless w**ker" and saying the group, "had all the creativity of mentally unstable morons." But it's his recent comments that some think might reignite the negativity, however, insiders reckon the two have "got past it all".

Robbie famously called Gary a 'clueless w**ker' in an interview (Redferns)

In his new documentary, Robbie reveals: "I disliked Gary the most. He was the one that was supposed to have, be everything, the career… I wanted to make him pay – I was vengeful – by having the career that he was supposed to have."

While Robbie's candid admission and revisiting of the well-known feud between the pop star rivals risks poking the bear and potentially reigniting the feud between the pair – sources have claimed Rule The World singer Gary has put their past fallout behind him.

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Sources have claimed: "Gary and Robbie really have got past it all. The feud is all over and done with and they can chat together and even meet in social situations now. That is really down to Gary because he buried the hatchet and forgave Robbie, which not many people would have."

The previously-feuding popstars have put the past behind them (Dave Benett/Getty Images)

"It used to really hurt Gary," the source told new! Magazine. "He's not a fighter and he's quite a deep thinker, so it got to him. But he didn't want the aggro and was glad to put it to bed when they did. Robbie is embarrassed over the whole thing because it was a time in his life where he wasn't OK, so it's difficult. They really have moved on now. They made one of the best boy bands and it couldn’t have been done without Gary or Robbie. They know that."

Gary has also discussed their feud after putting the past behind them. He previously admitted that making up with Robbie was "like an exorcism". In his memoir, referring to it as The Chat, he tells how he invited Robbie to his Beverly Wilshire hotel to make up when the rest of Take That visited LA for a photoshoot in 2008.

However, it was an ‘uncomfortable’ meeting and Robbie left after just 10 minutes. Despite the false start, Rock DJ singer Robbie later invited Gary to his home and the pair finally put their feud to bed. “Living with that kind of feud isn’t right,” Gary said, adding: “The Chat was like an exorcism.”

Robbie left the band in 1996 (Getty Images)

In 2009, The Mirror reported Robbie Williams was ready to rejoin Take That – 14 years after his bitter departure. Assuring fans the feud was over, he said: “We’ve matured now. We’d have a laugh.” In 2010 Robbie and Gary announced they were releasing a new song together called Shame and later that year it was confirmed Robbie would be rejoining the band to go on a world tour. Since 2014 Robbie has not performed with the band, but the spat is definitely over.

These days Robbie speaks highly of Gary and has said they would “always be family”. Talking about the feud with his former bandmate, Robbie said: “I did things that I'm not proud of and said things I'm not proud of as a reaction to things that I hope he's not that proud of either. That being said, taking the mickey out of Gary, he didn't deserve that.”

The remaining three members of Take That have also spoken about why they believe Robbie left back in 1995, and in an interview for their In Take That: 30 Years in the Making documentary on ITVX, they blamed a lack of communication for things falling apart between them. “To have someone close to you that you can speak to about your feelings, that’s one of the things we never ever did in the 90s, hence why Robbie left. We never discussed what he was feeling before he left that room,” Howard shared. “We look back at that moment and think we wished we could have talked more. I wonder if it could have saved him leaving. We let him leave the fold and no one looked after him. Robbie was barely 21.“

Harry Rutter