Robbie Williams on his festive special
Robbie Williams on giving festive favourite Michael Bublé a run for his money this Christmas with a new album and his own seasonal TV special
NEW ENTERTAINMENT
Not the Robbie Williams Christmas Show
SUNDAY / ITV / 8PM (UTV, 10.55PM)
Robbie Williams is one of the bestselling British solo artists of all time with 75 million records sold worldwide, 12 No.1 albums in the UK, and an unrivalled 18 BRIT awards.
This week, Robbie will be enjoying another high point in a career he began 29 years ago, aged just 16, as the youngest member of Take That.
Having just released his first festive album, The
Christmas Present, he’s celebrating early with a one-off seasonal
ITV special, Not the
Robbie Williams
Christmas Show.
Filmed at the newly restored Alexandra
Palace Theatre in London, we’re promised a night of sparkling entertainment.
‘I’m so excited to be working with ITV on this very special programme,’ says Robbie, 45, who this time last year was a judge on The X Factor alongside his wife, actor Ayda Field, mum to their three children – Teddy, seven, Charlie, five, and oneyear-old Coco. ‘I’ll be bringing new songs from my Christmas album, The Christmas Present, as well as the classic hits, to this
iconic venue.’
FESTIVE FURY
Celebrity guests on the special will include pop-jazz star Jamie Cullum, who, on the album, duets with Robbie on Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody.
The new Christmas collection, his 13th studio album no less, also sees Robbie join vocal forces with his daughter Teddy and dad Pete, along with music legends Sir Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams and, in a bizarre twist, super-heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury.
The pair met in Las Vegas last year when Robbie was performing a residency at the Wynn hotel, and again when Tyson fought German boxer Tom Schwarz at the MGM Grand in June. According to Robbie, the man they call the Gypsy King has another gift to share with the world…
‘It was such an honour to meet Tyson Fury. But to be able to be in his dressing room pre-fight was mind-blowing,’ says Robbie, who also sings Hey Tiger!, the theme song for C4’s adaptation of children’s classic The Tiger Who Came to Tea this Christmas.
‘In that moment it clicked in – I’ve seen him sing, he’s a huge character, huge personality, got a great voice. I asked him right there and then, and he said yes. His voice has got gravel, grit and personality.
‘The duet makes sense in some sort of universe. The song itself, Bad Sharon, is about a very boozy office party somewhere in the Midlands. To be fair, I think Tyson smashed it.’
SHOWBIZ KING
Such is Robbie’s enthusiasm for all things festive that much-loved Canadian crooner Michael
Bublé, undisputed Showbiz
King of Christmas, may need to watch his crown.
‘This album was going to be called Achtung Bublé!,’ he teases. ‘I love Michael, but it must stop. It must end now!’
His love of Christmas songs and the season stems from happy memories growing up in Stoke-ontrent. ‘My mum worked very hard to create memories for us and she did a fantastic job of it,’ says Robbie, who names The Pogues classic
I love Michael, but it must stop. It must end now!
Fairytale of New York as his favourite festive song. ‘There would be a tree with tinsel and presents underneath, and I would take a razor blade and slit them slightly so I could have a look without anyone knowing.’
These days, December is just as magical, as Ayda, he says, is ‘the embodiment’ of the Christmas spirit. ‘Our house looks like Blackpool Illuminations,’ laughs Robbie. ‘We have nodding reindeers, waving Santas and three Christmas trees!’
Victoria Wilson