Robbie at 50: 'He never liked birthday parties'

Robbie Williams burst onto the music scene with Take That in the 1990s and has since gone on to become a global superstar, selling more than 75 million records.

He is among the best-selling music artists ever and, as the singer turns 50, BBC Radio Stoke has put together a special programme to mark the occasion.

“He never liked birthday parties.”

"I’d say 'are we going to have a party this year?' And he'd say 'no mum'," said the singer's mother, Jan Williams.

As a boy, when asked if he was going to have friends around to celebrate, he would say "as long as there’s no singing", she added.

But if his "lovely" grandma was coming and it was just his immediate family there "then he’d do funny things to entertain you".

BBC Radio Stoke spoke to the Let Me Entertain You singer's parents as well as others for the new documentary.

For his 50th birthday on Tuesday, Ms Williams said her son would have a party but it would be for his children and family.

"He is an absolutely lovely dad and he knows it and that’s what he wanted to be, a good dad," she said.

"He can be a bit strict – and they know when he’s not messing about."

She added she could see characteristics of Robbie in his children and how they behave: "I can almost tell you exactly what they are going to do!"

His father Pete Conway said: "Where has 50 years gone?

"It's been a whirlwind - but what a pleasure. An absolute pleasure."

Mr Conway said Robbie had had "an incredible journey" which he had been lucky enough to be on with him.

His favourite of his son's songs was Angels which he said Robbie sang to him in the car on the way to Nantwich, Cheshire, shortly after writing it.

"That sort of established Rob," he said of the 1997 hit.

The star had six years as member of boyband Take That and shot to superstardom after going solo in 1996.

Looking back at 50 years of his life was a bit strange, his mother said.

“With Robert, from birth until now, there’s always been things going on with him," she said.

“You were never, ever surprised by anything eventually as he grew up.”

When asked to pinpoint moments from his career that made her proud as his mother, Ms Williams said it was that he "always does his best".

"He always gives when he is working. I can’t say there’s anything that’s any better than the other," she said.

Karen McBride was the photographer on the singer's Close Encounters tour in 2006.

She was told there were three criteria to taking the job: she had to love what she did; be a fan of Elvis Presley; and like Robbie Williams for four months.

"And I said 'well I can do for four months!'"

There were two sides to the singer, said Ms McBride.

"There's this really gentle, kind of shy, quiet guy and there's the guy on the stage who just lets it all hang out," she said.

The photographer recalled how she almost got a kiss from the star during the 2006 tour.

"He started rolling around on the stage, came really close to me, singing close to my face," she said.

"I said 'go on, you need to kiss me, I need these photographers to get this shot'"

However he pulled back at the last minute, said Ms McBride.

"But it was close enough for me!"

Robbie Williams was recently named president of his beloved football club Port Vale which he described as "pretty special".

It came after, in 2022, he staged a homecoming concert at the Burslem ground.

Lucy and Matt Champion host a podcast about the singer called Robbie Williams Rewind and were at that gig.

"You can always rely on him for the best concert you will ever go to," said Ms Champion.

He remembered his fan's names and had a "very kind and connected energy", said Mr Champion.

"I think that is part of the Stoke upbringing; everybody we have met from Stoke and his friends have a very similar vibe," he added.

You can listen on BBC Sounds to the full documentary Robbie Williams at 50.

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