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<\/p>\nWhen English singer and songwriter Robbie Williams talks about the M\u0101ori ink on his arm, he doesn\u2019t treat it like just another tattoo \u2013 he believes it helped keep him alive. <\/p>\n
In an interview this week, Williams reflected on the M\u0101ori ta moko he received more than two decades ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a prayer on my arm and my shoulder, that must\u2019ve gone a long way at protecting me because there\u2019s no reason for me to be alive. So I put it down to my tattoo, I put it down to my wife and the kids,\u201d he told Seven Sharp. <\/p>\n
He said he would consider getting more tattoos done when he is in New Zealand later in the year.<\/p>\n
Stardom and troubled times<\/p>\n
Long before he became one of the world\u2019s most famous solo artists, Williams rose to fame at just 16-years-old as part of 1990s boy band Take That. Little did he know, the group would become a global phenomenon, with hits like Back For Good topping the charts in dozens of countries.<\/p>\n
In 2023, Netflix came out with a docuseries, Robbie Williams. The series allowed audiences a candid and real view into his life. In the series, he opened up about the period that led to him walking away from Take That in 1995 and the toll it took on his mental health.<\/p>\n
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Take That posed in London in 1993 L-R Robbie Williams, Mark Owen, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange (Source: Getty)<\/p>\n
Williams described the band\u2019s fame as overwhelming, with an intense and obsessive fanbase. Behind the scenes, things were unravelling, \u201cI\u2019m literally drinking a bottle of vodka a night before going into rehearsals, that\u2019s happening every night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fast-forward to 2026<\/p>\n
Now sober and a family man, he says life looks extremely different, he\u2019s no longer the party boy he once was. \u201cThe diary is not that interesting.\u201d <\/p>\n
Williams also told Seven Sharp about reconnecting with former band mate Gary Barlow, who features on his latest album. <\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t stopped collaborating with him since we became friends after my dramatic fallout with him. Hopefully this won\u2019t be the last of the things we do together, I love him and he\u2019s an incredible person.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Robbie Williams performs on stage in tribute to Ozzy Osbourne during The BRIT Awards 2026 (Source: Getty)<\/p>\n
Williams is set to return to Aotearoa this year in November, bringing his BRITPOP World Tour to Eden Park and Te Kaha Stadium – his first time back performing in Christchurch in 25 years. He will be the first international act to play at the brand-new stadium. <\/p>\n