Robbie Williams hits back at former Take That manager over drug claims in BBC documentary Boybands Forever

The singer, 50, has written an open letter to Take That's former manager Nigel Martin-Smith, hitting back at claims over his drug taking and saying he 'doesn't like' his former boss. Robbie famously quit Take That in 1995 when Nigel and his bandmates Jason Orange and Gary Barlow told him they'd rather do their upcoming tour without him given his drug taking. 

Robbie and his ex manager both appeared as talking heads in the BBC documentary Boybands Forever, charting the history of several UK boybands. The Rock DJ hitmaker took issue with comments Nigel made in the documentary, suggesting Robbie blamed Nigel for his drug use. 

Taking to his Instagram after the documentary aired, Robbie denied this and said he and all the other members of Take That experienced negative side effects from their time in the group. Robbie quoted Nigel saying: “‘He's smart, is Robbie and it's quite clever, you know, 'I did drugs because I was in this band where I couldn't have girlfriends or I couldn't go out. That evil t**t, Nigel, it's his fault that I'm behaving like a w**ker”.

In response, Robbie wrote: “My drug taking was never your fault. My response to the warped world that surrounded me is solely my own. 

“How I chose to self-medicate is and was something that I will be monitoring and dealing with for the whole of my life. It's part of my makeup and I would have the same malady had I been a taxi driver. I just got there quicker due to having the finances while trying in vain to counteract the turbulence of pop stardom's matrix-bending washing machine.”

Robbie then listed the side effects of being in Take That that his fellow bandmates experienced. He wrote that Howard Donald contemplated suicide when the band ended, that Mark Owen also struggled with addiction, that Gary Barlow struggled with bulimia and that what happened to Jason Orange meant he no longer wanted to be part of the band. 

Robbie wrote: “I'm not breaking anyone's anonymity by sharing the side effects of boyband dysphoria that relate to just us lads. I will also remind you that the person acting like a 'w***er' was 16 when he joined the band and 21 when he left. That was the last time I saw you. 

“I hope I have more grace and understanding when and if any of my own four children at such a vulnerable age behave in the same manner. It's OK to admit your shortcomings. No one is going to sue you for not knowing or understand[ing] the psychological effects everything was having on everyone.'

Robbie then quoted Nigel as saying if Robbie walked into the room, he would give his old manager a hug. In response to this, Robbie said: “It is true Nigel, I do love you, but sadly, it is also true that I don't like you. The two, I am coming to find, aren't mutually exclusive. 

'We have not been in the same room since 1995, I think? But in the unlikely event that we ever are, I would ask you to ignore me, it's for the best. I am proud to say I have been with the same management for nearly 30 years now. How it worked is if ever there was a whip to crack it always came from a kind hand.”

Robbie ended the letter by telling his followers to only send Nigel “positivity and love” because despite their differences, he was still behind Take That's success.