08 November 2023 , 09:00
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He's one of the most famous singers to come out of a '90s boyband but, while he's made a name for himself as a truly talented solo singer, it's Robbie William's love life that has had tongues wagging for decades. A new four-part documentary, Robbie Williams: Raw. Honest. Real makes its debut on Wednesday (November 8) and no doubt it'll have you glued to your screens.
The heartthrob may now have settled down with actress Ayda Field but it hasn't always been plain sailing for the married couple. In the documentary, Ayda reveals how he broke up with her at the start of their relationship because his team was sending him to rehab. She explains: “I understood it because I saw that he was unwell and I remember thinking, ‘I just want you to get better.”
Ayda and Robbie began dating in May 2006 before getting married at his home in Mulholland Estates, Beverly Hills on August 7, 2010. The couple share four kids together – Teddy, nine, Charlie, seven, Coco, three, and two-year-old Beau. Here, the Mirror looks back at Robbie's famous liaisons with leading ladies from Kylie Minogue to Scary Spice.
Nicole Appleton
Robbie and Nicole Appleton embarked on a rocky nine-month romance after meeting on Top Of The Pops in 1997 when she was 22 and he was just 23-years-old. Although they were on and off, Robbie got down on one knee and asked Nicole to marry him but things ended when Nicole fell pregnant and had an abortion. Recalling Robbie's reaction to her pregnancy at the time, she said: "Robbie Williams put his hand on my belly and told me, 'This baby is saving my life.'"
Nicole Appleton talks on the Frank Skinner about how she was forced into a abortion (ITV)Nicole underwent a termination because she claimed she felt pressured by her record company but felt suicidal afterwards. "I couldn't believe what I had done," she said. "I wanted to kill myself. Afterwards, everyone pretended it hadn't happened." Nicole went on to marry Liam Gallagher but they split up when news broke of his secret love child with US journalist Liza Ghorbani. Robbie said she didn’t deserve that. “I’ve very, very fond memories of her. She’s a sweetie,’ Robbie said.
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Melanie Chisolm aka Mel C or Sporty Spice
In the documentary, Robbie mentions how he also dated Mel C, aka Sporty Spice, while receiving help from Alcoholics Anonymous. In the documentary. The singer describes his relationship with the Spice Girl as more than a fling, saying it felt ‘magical’. But while Chisholm was ready for something meaningful, it turned out that Williams wasn't and she took a long time to get over their brief time together.
Mel C on stage at day three of the Godiva Festival 2023 (Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)Things turned sour after Robbie's 'very public marathon bender' at Groucho club in London, with Melanie saying she struggled to 'tame' him. Speaking to Star magazine, she said: "It didn't really work out, it was just a chemistry thing really, sometimes there’s not a major reason. He was busy travelling all over the world and so was I. At the end of the day, you're never going to get Robbie to settle down, are you? You're never going to tame that beast!"
Kylie Minogue
Robbie Williams "messed up" any chance of dating Kylie Minogue because he acted like a teenager whenever she was around him. While he admitted he had a crush on her, he ruined any hopes of a romance by poking fun at her when she stripped off for the video.
Robbie Williams had a big crush on Kylie Minogue (PA)Speaking on ’s Radio 2 show My Life Thru A Lens in December 2022, Williams was asked: “You and Kylie? What was going on there?” Robbie replied: “Not as much as I wanted to be unfortunately. I messed that up by being 13 whenever I was around her. It was like the girl from the year above me. I don’t know how to speak to you! But she’s my crush, my crush of all crushes.”
Nicole Kidman
Robbie recorded a cover version of "Somethin' Stupid" as a duet in 2001 with Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman. And he seems to have revealed that their professional relationships may have turned personal while talking to French mag Paris Match. Asked about having Kylie, 54, and Nicole, 55, “in his life”, Robbie said: “Yes, well, we are repeatedly told that we must be in a monogamous relationship and that love will heal us and fill in the gaps. And that’s what I thought celebrity would do for me. Except that, in both cases (Kylie and Nicole), the reality was disappointing.
“I’m not saying that these women were disappointing, but . . . the relationships you had at 20 are not public, mine are forever.” The surprised interviewer then told she had actually been asking about his professional collaboration with the women. He replied: “Ah darn! I went all alone on slippery ground there. Well then, as Bill Clinton would say, I never had any relationship with any of these women.”
Geri Horner
In the documentary, Robbie opens up about his past relationship with Spice Girl Geri Horner, former Halliwell in 2000 and the reason why he ended it. The pair became close after both leaving Take That and the Spice Girls. Reminiscing in the documentary, Robbie revealed he dumped her because he was told by a paparazzi that she was the reason they were being followed by the paps. It later turned out to be untrue.
Robbie Williams and Geri Halliwell on holiday in St Tropez (Sipa)
Robbie Williams and Geri Halliwell at the Brit Awards in 2001. (DX)Their friendship was so strong that Robbie even wrote his number-one hit single, Eternity, as a tribute to Geri and their time together in France. The single was released in 2001 topping the UK singles chart and reaching number 2 in Ireland. "Eternity" as a solo single reached number one in New Zealand and was a top-10 hit in eight other countries. Speaking about his time with Geri, he says: “It was a very confusing relationship because she’s a girl and I’m a boy. We are very good friends, trying to sort out the wreckage of the past.”
Robbie Williams: Raw. Honest. Real makes its debut on Wednesday (November 8) on Netflix.