13 February 2024 , 08:41
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Robbie Williams turns 50 today and while he was once a troubled megastar, he is now a happily married father-of-four. But the former Take That star could so easily have missed out on his 14-year strong marriage to Ayda Field after he called time on their relationship in the early stages due to his ongoing battle with drugs.
The actress, 44, was dating Robbie when he called her one morning shortly before his 33rd birthday to say his team were sending him to rehab. She said: "He is like: 'I can't be in a relationship, I have to get better and I can't be with you. I have to break up with you.'
"I understood it because I saw that he was unwell and I remember thinking: 'I just want you to get better'," Ayda continued. But the US star was "crestfallen" too, saying: "He was my soulmate and then he was gone."
Robbie has been married to Ayda for 14 years (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
The couple nearly didn't make it when Robbie battled with drug addiction (Dave Benett/Getty Images)Robbie's 2007 trip to rehab came on the back of addiction to speed, acid, heroin, cocaine and "heart stopping amounts" of prescription drugs. "You wouldn't notice his personality change but all of a sudden he would throw up watching TV," said Ayda.
"There was a sense of... It would be better if I passed away," said the Angels singer. "I didn't care and it would be alright. For me to change I'd need to be dying, die or stop what you're doing."
Robbie Williams and wife Ayda Field discuss their 'completely dead' sex life
Ayda says something "cosmic happened" on their first date (Getty Images)
The couple are known for their funny social media snaps (INSTAGRAM)Robbie and Ayda first met in May 2006 when she appeared in a UFO documentary he was working on. They had a "disaster" of a first date but for spiritual Ayda, something had clicked. "I swear to God, something cosmic happened," she said. "In this singular moment I totally understood who he was and he totally understood who I was."
Despite Robbie ending their relationship ahead of entering drug rehab, the couple later reconciled and tied the knot in 2010. They have four children together, Teddy, Charlie, Coco and Beau.