Better Man - Official 'Directing the Spectacle' Behind the Scenes Clip (2024) Robbie Williams

Better Man - Official 'Directing the Spectacle' Behind the Scenes Clip (2024) Robbie Williams

Show more

Better Man - Official Regent Street Clip (2025) Robbie Williams

Check out this clip from Better Man, featuring "Rock DJ" performed by Robbie Williams. Better Man is an upcoming movie about British pop superstar Robbie Williams. Better Man stars Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvany, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge, and Anthony Hayes.

Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

Better Man is produced by Paul Currie, p.g.a., Michael Gracey, p.g.a., Coco Xiaolu Ma, Jules Daly, and Craig McMahon. Zhe Chen, Robbie Williams, Markus Barmettler, Philip Lee, Li-Wei Chu, Michael Loney, Thorsten Schumacher, Lars Sylvest, Mark Williams, Gregory Jankilevitsch, Klaudia Smieja, David Ravel, Domenic Benvenuto, Gianni Benvenuto, Zoran Stojkovic, Dean Hood, David Conley, Daniel Fluri, Adrian Grabe, Andres Kernen, Slava Vladimirov, Jared Underwood, and Andrew Robinson serve as executive producers. It is written by Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, and Michael Gracey.

Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey, opens in select theaters on December 25, 2024 and nationwide on January 10, 2025.

When one imagines a musical biopic of storied singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, a CGI chimpanzee in the lead role is not an obvious choice. However, Better Man, in the hands of writer-director producer Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), sees that proverbial ‘performing monkey’, played by Jonno Davies, become key to a poignant tale of dehumanizing celebrity. As Williams puts it, “It is a very special magic trick. It desensitizes and sensitizes you all at the same time. We have deep empathy and compassion for animals, way more than we do for humans.”

In 1990, Williams shot to fame aged just 16 in the British boy band Take That. Better Man documents his early family life, his struggle with celebrity and addiction and his journey to recovery and resolution, set to the sound of his own music. Here, Williams digs into his feelings about the film, his career memories and what he loves to see onscreen.

Related Stories
Robbie Williams wears a suit under stage lights; a CGI chimp in a shirt and tie sings into a mic in a still from 'Better Man'
Robbie Williams Explains Why 'Better Man' Depicts Him As A "Cheeky Monkey"
Better Man movie based on the life of Robbie Williams
'Better Man': Read The Screenplay For The Robbie Williams Musical Biopic With A Chimp As Its Frontman
My Story On Screen

Watch on Deadline
00:00

00:00

[Take That bandmate] Mark [Owen], reached out last week and was like, “Hey, Rob, me and the lads are all going to be in town. Can we see a screening of Better Man?” And I was like, “Yes. I’d love you to.” Which of course I would, but also, I’m terrified because our relationship is so complicated and so healed that returning to the scene of the crime and talking in the way that I talked as a 17-year-old is bound to open old wounds for people. [My ex-girlfriend] Nicole [Appleton] went to see it last week with Natalie, her sister. I FaceTimed them all straight after the film and we all wept together. I don’t know how Liam [Gallagher]’s going to behave about being in the film. It’ll be interesting. The bit I’m most concerned about is my dad because he’s a crucial part of that film. And what doesn’t come across in the film is how charismatic and charming and wonderful to be around my dad is.

Howard Donald, Gary Barlow and Mark Owen of Take That.
Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images
My First TV Lesson

Our first performance on TV was on BSkyB, and I think that about 100 people in Great Britain probably had satellite dishes in their homes at the time. We were in the Granada Studios in Manchester and Michaela Strachan was the host. It was overwhelming and scary. I was already aware that my place in the band wasn’t safe. And the management at the time had made me aware that they were unhappy with my progress, so I was terrified. Normally when you perform, you’re just terrified because of performance anxiety, and then you’re exhilarated because something exciting has happened. But I was exhilarated to be on TV and also sad that my livelihood and my future were in peril.

The Best Advice I Ever Received

To me, this made total sense. It’s embrace the madness. It changed my outlook on my job and what I do. You try and protect yourself and control what is happening to you so much, this overwhelming fuckery that happens, you push back against it so much. And since I’ve seen my job as a job and since I’ve had kids and daddy goes to work, and since I have embraced the madness, my life has got a whole lot better and I’m so grateful. I’m so grateful to be who I am, to have what I have, and to experience what I experience. And the sad thing is that in all of my pomp, I experienced no joy whatsoever. Now there is heaps of joy and heaps of excitement. I get to claim my place in the world, feel comfortable in it and enjoy it. And that is a huge gift.

The Part I Always Wanted

When I was growing up, I thought I was going to be an actor. And I auditioned for a boy band by mistake and got in. And I’ve been playing the part of a pop star ever since. This is me acting as if I am my script writer. I am directing the shit show. But that being said, actual acting, I don’t want to do that. That whole thing about, “And now we shoot from a different angle.” I’m just taking five steps and I turn right and we’ve got to shoot that three different ways to Sunday and we’re going to do it until 3 o’clock this afternoon. When do I get to go and say things? That is 5% of your job. The rest of it is fucking boring.

My Toughest Career Experience

Having a panic attack for two hours in front of 75,000 people in Leeds 2006. It changed my life because it was such a traumatic experience that I had to take evasive action. And from that moment, very slowly, I’m the person that I am today. I went away and retired. It was that huge in my head: This is killing me. Then my brain started to turn to Swiss cheese because I had no purpose. And I realized, this is why people die when they retire. So, I put purpose in front of myself and my first purpose was to figure out how to do this and enjoy it.

The Films That Make Me Cry

I don’t watch films that make me cry. I stay away from them, because I don’t need melancholy because that’s how I feel between my ears anyway. I want escape and silliness. So, anything that’s going to depress me, anything that’s going to make me sad, anything that’s going to make me cry, I avoid as if recoiling from a hot flame. Because of my ‘isms’ that’s where I am anyway. Why do I go down that street? That’s where I’m trying to escape from. Give me Housewives of Orange County. All the Housewives.

The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Bravo / Nicole Weingart / Getty Images
The Most Fun I’ve Had at Work

I’ve got to say that it’s right now with Better Man, it’s truly exciting. I feel like a new artist that’s just been signed. And the excitement of what this new-found world could mean. And I would say that the most fun I’m having is right now is because I may have the opportunity to have another bite out of the apple and experience and derive joy from the gifts that have been given to me. And it feels like with a glint in my eye that that might be about to happen.

The Role I’d Want to Play

Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. That bit where he comes down in the lift and he’s got his suspenders on. “How do you do? I see you’ve met my faithful handyman.” Because it’s fun and it’s silly and it’s dark and it’s stupid and it’s massive and it’s glorious. I am not one of those people that needs or wants to, or ever will, play Othello or Hamlet. But like I said earlier on, I don’t want to do three angles of me opening the door.

The Character That’s Most Like Me

I think they’re all people that I would like to be, not something that reminds me of me. Danny Zuko was like, I want to be that. I want to live in the ’50s, ’60s. I want to go to that school. I want to have that life. I want to be that good-looking with that jaw. And so, I don’t know if there are characters that are, oh, that’s me. It’s all characters that I want to be.

My Most Quoted Lyrics

That doesn’t happen. Not for a long time. There’s not that gathering of fans outside the hotel now. Everybody’s got kids or grandkids. I think they understand the folly of turning up to a stranger’s hotel to go and sing songs at him. Yeah. That doesn’t happen.

Read the digital edition of Deadline’s Oscar Preview magazine here.
My Guilty Pleasure

I don’t have guilty viewing. My viewing is my viewing. I’ll tell you at the moment, I’m very happy that there’s football games, Premier League and Port Vale division two. But I’m unhappy that Big Brother doesn’t broadcast on a Saturday, and Married at First Sight is only on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. With MAFS, cut to the chase and just do the Australian one because that’s the daddy. Their psych tests aren’t so stringent, I think. It’s just amazing to watch human behavior and duplicitous actions. It’s a soap and it’s Shakespearean. It’s wonderful.

Who Would Play Me in My Biopic

Well, we got the perfect person with Jonno Davies in Better Man. But what was that lad’s name with the cheeky face that’s great and he’s from London and he’s about 33? He’s in that film with Harry Styles in it? [Pause] OK, so who I was thinking of isn’t in that film, so I’ll go with Barry Keoghan.

My karaoke playlist

I don’t do Karaoke. It’s not my thing. It’s the equivalent of you saying, “OK let’s have an evening where we all get together and do some journalism. What’s your favorite thing to write about?” I don’t do it. Why? Because it’s my job.

Read More About:
awardsfeature
Better Man
Michael Gracey
Paramount Pictures
Robbie Williams
Cheers to Robbie Williams. The English singer-songwriter who made the leap from boy band to tabloid target to record-breaking solo artist has delivered once again. Better Man is a biopic that folds in hits from across his career — including "Angels," "She's the One," and "Rock DJ" — to bolster the artist’s highs and lows. But Williams — in collaboration with writer/director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) — has done something daring in the space of the music biopic, which has too often proved achingly clichéd, pandering, or downright dull. He's turned himself into a literal dancing monkey.

Better Man unfurls a tale of Williams' hardscrabble youth in Stoke-on-Trent, his bad-boy years in the British group Take That, his substance abuse issues, rocky romance with a fellow pop star, celebrity feuds, and family dramas, all while portraying the singer as a CGI chimpanzee in the vein of the Planet of the Apes reboots. At first, it might seem a cheeky gimmick (or cheeky monkey) meant to hook audiences with the sheer oddness of the choice. But Gracey nurtures this concept, weaving together a collaborative performance with actors and the legendary VFX studio Wētā FX to create a uniquely moving portrait of an artist at war with himself.

While the cadences of Williams' story fall into a familiar pattern, allowing himself to be presented as a literal animal brings a fresh perspective and an enthralling blend of humor and vulnerability. This results in the best music biopic since the rousing splendor of Elton John's Rocketman (which Gracey notably executive produced).

Who plays Robbie Williams in Better Man?
Michael Gracey, Robbie Williams, and Jonno Davies attend the "Better Man" Canadian Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Michael Gracey, Robbie Williams, and Jonno Davies attend the "Better Man" Canadian Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Credit: Monica Schipper / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images for Paramount Pictures
This is a complicated question. Williams lends his voice to the narration, the words of which were penned by Gracey, Oliver Cole, and Simon Gleeson from interviews with the sensational singer. However, in the flesh, English actor Jonno Davies (Hunters) shoulders the role, blending a physicality that is part hulking chimpanzee and part swaggering sex symbol. While everyone around him on set is in period costume, Davies wore a motion-capture suit with a small camera perched above his face to track his expressions. From there, Wētā built chimp Robbie using Williams' own eyes (and various hairstyles) as inspiration. And the final touch: a voice that mixes Davies' and Williams' performances. All this blends seamlessly into a powerful performance that is one of the most surprising yet riveting of the year.

Mashable Games
In the narration, Williams introduces himself with a smirking tone and a slew of insults that have been lobbed against him. Davies picks up that rough exterior with macho posturing, but complicates it with goofball bravado in churlish outbursts, juvenile gestures, and a self-pleasuring bit that's lewdly hilarious. But more than funny, Better Man is riveting because it embraces a warts-and-all approach that doesn't shy away from Williams' darkest moments.

You might think that scenes about drug use, infidelity, and self-harm would be undercut by this furry gimmick. But by the end of the first sequence — in which a young Robert (Jack Sherran) has a rough day at the playground — the chimp device makes sense. The animation Wētā created is so emotive, the performance behind it so grounded, that it just works, not only in moments of drama, but also in truly epic musical numbers.

Mashable Top Stories
Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.
Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter
Enter Email
Sign Me Up
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Better Man is stuffed with showstopping song and dance.
Michael Gracey directs Raechelle Banno on the set of Paramount Pictures’ "Better Man."
Michael Gracey directs Raechelle Banno on the set of Paramount Pictures’ "Better Man." Credit: Paramount Pictures
As in Rocketman, Gracey employs songs anachronistically. For instance, Take That's rise to fame is backed by "Rock DJ," which is a hit from Williams' solo career. This is not a glitch but a feature, as both films focus on the feeling of their story over cumbersome facts. This freedom to play Williams' hits as they make sense in the story (versus when they came in his life) allows for electrifying sequences of joy, agony, and romance.

SEE ALSO:
'Kneecap' review: A welcome middle finger to Oscar-bait biopics

In the case of "Rock DJ," the young band celebrates their record deal by dancing together through several locations, from posh shops and double-decker buses to the streets of Piccadilly Circus, collecting more and more revelers along the way until the whole of London appears to share in their reveling. While this is perhaps the most ambitious musical sequence, among the most moving is "She's the One," where chimp Robbie performs a heartfelt duet while dancing a Golden Era ballroom number and dipping his female partner (Raechelle Banno) with eloquence that is utterly swoon-worthy. Yes, even when the leading man is a chimp.

However, not every song is a celebration. And it's in moments of anxiety that Better Man's monkey gambit is most impactful.

Robbie Williams' self-saboteur is made literal.
Chimp Robbie Williams performs in "Better Man."
Chimp Robbie Williams performs in "Better Man." Credit: Paramount Pictures

Embracing the visual language of music videos (of which Gracey has directed many), Better Man blends realistic settings with surreal scenarios. So a car crash in the rain results in a nightmare sequence where chimp Robbie is plunged underwater, then swarmed by fans who tear at him for mementos and paparazzi whose blinding cameras make his struggle to the surface all the harder. More traditional moments are in the mix, like a montage of Williams' magazine covers and music videos to chart his rising fame. But what might be a barrage of nostalgic or clichéd concert scenes is given fresh blood through bringing more chimp Robbies into frame.

Related Stories
TIFF 2024 preview: 15 movies you ought to know about
'Anora' review: Sean Baker's 'Pretty Woman' is a triumph
Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and Karla Sofía Gascón dazzle in trailer for cartel musical 'Emilia Pérez'
'Kneecap' review: A welcome middle finger to Oscar-bait biopics
'Maria' review: Angelina Jolie sets an opera biopic ablaze
When he looks out into the crowd roaring in appreciation, among them he sees himself, scowling. At first, it's one or two of his own faces staring back at him. But as Robbie's self-doubt grows, his self-saboteur, who hisses he's a failure, a fraud, unlovable, multiplies and becomes legion. The sharp cuts from the dancing chimp with his performative grin to the snarling doppelgängers, all reminders of an embarrassment or failure, hit like a gasp. Even when the world seems to be at his feet, Robbie is running from himself. And this builds to an internal war made external through a brilliantly vicious battle scene that gives Planet of the Apes a run for its money.

This poignant use of CGI animation is also surrounded by a terrific supporting cast. Whether it’s Steve Pemberton as Williams’ conniving deadbeat dad or Alison Steadman as his devoted grandmother, the actors bring a pulsing authenticity that makes this family, broken as it is, feel achingly real. This is all the more impressive considering they were acting opposite an actor wearing all that mo-cap gear. Together, cast and crew build a glorious complex look into the life a world-class entertainer whose arrogance and vulnerability are on balanced display. The result is a film that feels grandiose, outrageous, deeply personal, and joltingly relatable. It’s Billy Elliot meets Rocketman meets Planet of the Apes. And it’s so much more.

Rich in vibrant emotion, body-rocking musical numbers, daring performances, and a scorching tenderness, Better Man more than rocks. It rules.

Better Man was reviewed out of its Canadian Premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The film opens in select theatres Dec. 25, 2024 and nationwide on Jan. 17, 2025.

Topics Film

Mashable Image
Kristy Puchko
Kristy Puchko is the Film Editor at Mashable. Based in New York City, she's an established film critic and entertainment reporter, who has traveled the world on assignment, covered a variety of film festivals, co-hosted movie-focused podcasts, interviewed a wide array of performers and filmmakers, and had her work published on RogerEbert.com, Vanity Fair, and The Guardian. A member of the Critics Choice Association and GALECA as well as a Top Critic on Rotten Tomatoes, Kristy's primary focus is movies. However, she's also been known to gush over television, podcasts, and board games.
Paramount has given new release dates to Better Man and September 5.

Better Man is the new semi-biographical movie about Robbie Williams that portrays the British pop singer as a chimpanzee. The movie was originally going to open in limited theaters on December 25, 2024, and then receive a wider release on January 17, 2025.

Per Deadline, Better Man will still open in select theaters on Christmas; however, it will now expand a little sooner, as it will receive a nationwide release on January 10, 2025.

“Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time,” the synopsis for the movie reads. “Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Robbie’s perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.”

When is the new release date for September 5?
September 5, meanwhile, is a new historical drama about the 1972 Munich Olympic hostage crisis. The film was originally going to open in limited theaters on November 29, 2024, before expanding on December 13, 2024.

Now, September 5 will get a limited theatrical release on December 13, 2024, before it expands across the country on January 17, 2025.

“September 5 unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today,” the synopsis reads. “Set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, the film follows an American Sports broadcasting team that quickly adapted from sports reporting to live coverage of the Israeli athletes taken hostage. Through this lens, September 5 provides a fresh perspective on the live broadcast seen globally by an estimated one billion people at the time.”
Better Man

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Michael Gracey
Written by
Simon Gleeson
Oliver Cole
Michael Gracey
Produced by
Paul Currie
Michael Gracey
Coco Xiaolu Ma
Craig McMahon
Jules Daly
Starring
Robbie Williams
Jonno Davies
Steve Pemberton
Alison Steadman
Cinematography Erik A. Wilson
Edited by
Jeff Groth
Spencer Susser
Martin Connor
Lee Smith
Patrick Correll
Music by
Batu Sener (score)
Robbie Williams (songs)
Production
companies
Sina Studios
Facing East Entertainment
Rocket Science
Lost Bandits
Footloose Productions
Azure Centrum
Partizan Films
VicScreen
Distributed by
Roadshow Films (Australia)
Paramount Pictures (United States/France)
Entertainment Film Distributors (United Kingdom)
Release dates
30 August 2024 (Telluride)
25 December 2024 (United States)
26 December 2024 (Australia, United Kingdom)
Running time 135 minutes[1]
Countries
Australia
China
France
United Kingdom
United States[2]
Language English
Better Man is a 2024 semi-biographical musical film about British pop singer Robbie Williams. It was co-written, produced and directed by Michael Gracey. Williams is portrayed as a chimpanzee with CGI, performed by Jonno Davies using motion capture, and voiced by both Williams and Davies. Steve Pemberton and Alison Steadman also star.

Better Man premiered at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on 30 August 2024, and is scheduled to be released in the United States on 25 December 2024, and in Australia and the United Kingdom on 26 December.

Premise
Better Man tells the life story of pop singer Robbie Williams, but with Williams portrayed as a CGI-animated chimpanzee because, as he puts it, he always felt "less evolved than other people."

Cast
Robbie Williams as himself (voice)
Jonno Davies as young Robbie Williams (voice and motion capture)
Adam Tucker as Robbie's vocals
Steve Pemberton as Peter Williams, Robbie's father
Alison Steadman as Betty Williams, Robbie's grandmother
Damon Herriman as Nigel Martin-Smith, a band manager who handles Take That and later Robbie.
Raechelle Banno as Nicole Appleton, a member of All Saints and Robbie's on-off girlfriend.
Anthony Hayes as Chris Briggs
Kate Mulvany as Janet
Frazer Hadfield as Nate
Jake Simmance as Gary Barlow, a member of Take That.
Liam Head as Howard Donald, a member of Take That.
Jesse Hyde as Mark Owen, a member of Take That.
Chase Vollenweider as Jason Orange, a member of Take That.
John O'May as Terry Swinton
Chris Gun as Noel
Jack McMinn as Luke
Jamie Condon as Paparazzi Member
Production
Development
The project was first announced in February 2021 as co-written and directed by Michael Gracey with Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson also having co-writing credits, and Gracey also producing alongside Jules Daly for Big Red Films and Craig McMahon for McMahon International.[3] Later that year it was reported that funding also came via the Australian government’s Producer Offset and Film Victoria’s incentive programmes.[4] The film is set to be distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Roadshow Films with international sales handled by Rocket Science.[5]

Described as a satirical musical, the project is reported to cover three decades of Robbie Williams' stardom, from his first success in popular music combo Take That through the ups and down of his career. The project was reported to "reinterpret and recontextualise" some of his songs.[6]

Casting
Williams played himself with Jonno Davies playing the younger version. Williams described the filming process as “super odd” because he would find himself “sat in make-up and the lady that’s playing your grandma is sitting next to you, and the people playing your mum and dad”.[7] Williams is portrayed by Jonno Davies as a CGI chimpanzee, using motion-capture technology.[8]

Other cast members include Steve Pemberton, Alison Steadman, Anthony Hayes, Damon Herriman and Kate Mulvany, with Williams' Take That band mates set to be played by Jake Simmance (Barlow), Liam Head (Donald), Jesse Hyde (Owen) and Chase Vollenweider (Orange).[9] VFX was provided by Wētā FX.[10]

Filming
Principal photography took place at the Docklands Studios Melbourne, in May and June 2022.[11][12] Filming of concert scenes from his ‘Live At The Albert’ show in 2001 were filmed at the Royal Albert Hall in London during Williams' concert appearances there on 6 and 7 November 2022. Members of the public could snap up bargain price tickets to attend in evening dress for the gigs.[13] Filming also took place in London in March 2023.[14]

Music
Songs by Robbie Williams reportedly to feature in the film include ‘She’s The One’, ‘Angels’ and ‘Let Me Entertain You’.[15] Gracey said the songs will be “re-sung”, to suit “the emotion of the moment” in the film.[16] The original score was composed by Batu Sener.[17] On 22 November 2024, Williams released the single "Forbidden Road", taken from the film's soundtrack; it peaked at number 20 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart.[18]

Release
Better Man premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on 10 September 2024.[19][20] Additionally, the film opened the 55th International Film Festival of India on 20 November 2024.[21]

The film is scheduled to be theatrically released on 26 December 2024 in Australia by Roadshow Films and in the United Kingdom by Entertainment Film Distributors. It will have a limited theatrical release by Paramount Pictures in the United States on 25 December, before a wider release set for 10 January 2025.[22][23][24]

Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 41 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7/10.[25] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 74 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[26]

Accolades
The song “Forbidden Road” from the film was nominated for Best Original Song at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards.[27] It was initially shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 97th Academy Awards, but was disqualified a few days later after it was found it incorporated material from another song. [28]

Better Man received a record-breaking 16 nominations at the 2025 AACTA Awards.[29]

References
"Better Man (15)". 16 December 2024.
Debruge, Peter (2 September 2024). "Better Man Review: Robbie Williams Biopic Would Be a Snooze, but for the Wild Choice to Depict Him as a Chimp". Variety. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
Fleming, Mike Jr. (21 February 2021). "Singer Robbie Williams Biopic Ready To Rock; 'The Greatest Showman's Michael Gracey Directing For Summer Shoot: Hot EFM Package". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
Dalton, Ben (3 December 2021). "Robbie Williams biopic 'Better Man' to shoot in Australia in 2022". Screen Daily. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
Frater, Patrick (2 December 2021). "Robbie Williams Biopic 'Better Man' to Film in Australia". Variety. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
Shrishty (25 August 2022). "'A Better Man': Docuseries About Former Take That Member Robbie Williams Lands at Netflix". Collider. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
Cairns, Dan (10 September 2022). "Robbie Williams: 'Fame is only ever toxic. None of us are well-rounded'". The Times. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
Lee, Benjamin (11 September 2024). "Better Man review – Robbie Williams monkey biopic is a bananas gamble that pays off". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
"This is the actor set to play a young Robbie Williams in his upcoming biopic 'Better Man'". Thehits.co.nz. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
Bumbray, Chris (11 September 2024). "Better Man (TIFF) Review: Robbie Williams played by a CGI Chimp?". JoBlo. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
Roberts, Kit (30 June 2022). "Robbie Williams film Better Man - latest cast and the plot details". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
Domjen, Briana (1 May 2022). "First pictures: Robbie Williams biopic Better Man filming in Melbourne". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
Rowland-Dixon, Taye (26 October 2022). "Robbie Williams at the Royal Albert Hall – Two Concerts for the Forthcoming Movie 'Better Man'". Verge Magazine. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
Elliott, Louise (29 March 2023). "Filming for Robbie Williams biopic Better Man as Jonno Davies takes star role". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
Reilly, Nick (23 February 2021). "Robbie Williams biopic from 'The Greatest Showman' director is in the works". NME. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
Krol, Charlotte (2 March 2021). "Robbie Williams will reportedly be portrayed by a CGI monkey in 'Better Man' biopic". NME. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
"Batu Sener Scores Michael Gracey's Better Man".
"Official Singles Downloads Chart 29 November 2024 - 6 December 2024". Official Charts. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
Jeremy Kay, "Toronto film festival adds Angelina Jolie, Mike Leigh, Edward Burns, David Mackenzie titles". Screen Daily, 22 July 2024.
Hammond, Pete (29 August 2024). "Telluride Film Festival Lineup Includes 'Saturday Night', 'The Piano Lesson', 'Conclave' & 'Nickel Boys' World Premieres". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
Naman Ramachandran (11 November 2024). "Robbie Williams Film 'Better Man' to Open India's IFFI Fest, Phillip Noyce Set for Lifetime Honor". Variety. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
Stephan, Katcy (28 February 2024). "'Naked Gun' Remake Set for 2025 by Paramount; 'TMNT' and 'Paw Patrol' Sequels Dated for 2026". Variety. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
Frater, Patrick (30 May 2024). "Joel Pearlman to Exit Australia's Village Roadshow After 30 Year Tenure – Global Bulletin". Variety. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
D'Alessandro, Anthony (21 November 2024). "Paramount Tweaks Theatrical Rollout Of 'Better Man' & 'September 5' During Awards Season". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
"Better Man". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
"Better Man". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
Barnard, Matthew (9 December 2024). "NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR 82nd ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBES®". Golden Globes. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
Grein, Paul (20 December 2024). "Robbie Williams Song Dropped From 2025 Oscar Shortlist: Here's Why". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
Jefferson, Dee (6 December 2024). "Robbie Williams biopic Better Man and Boy Swallows Universe lead 2025 Aacta award nominations". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
External links
Better Man at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
vte
Robbie Williams
DiscographyVideographySongsAwards and nominations
Studio albums
Life thru a LensI've Been Expecting YouSing When You're WinningSwing When You're WinningEscapologyIntensive CareRudeboxReality Killed the Video StarTake the CrownSwings Both WaysThe Heavy Entertainment ShowThe Christmas Present
Compilation albums
The Ego Has LandedGreatest HitsThe Best So FarSongbookIn and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990–2010Under the Radar Volume 1Under the Radar Volume 2XXV
Live albums
Live at Knebworth
Video compilations
Live at the AlbertThe Robbie Williams ShowWhat We Did Last SummerAnd Through It All: Robbie Williams Live 1997–2006
Concert tours
Ego Has Landed Tour1999 TourClose Encounters TourTake the Crown Stadium TourSwings Both Ways LiveLet Me Entertain You TourThe Heavy Entertainment Show Tour
Musical theatre
The Boy in the Dress
Related articles
Take ThatWe Sing Robbie WilliamsBetter Man
Portals:
icon 2020s
Film
flag Australia
flag China
flag France
flag United Kingdom
flag United States
Music
Biographies
Categories: 2024 filmsBiographical films about musiciansBiographical films about singersFilms about apesFilms shot in AustraliaFilms shot in LondonFilms shot in MelbourneParamount Pictures filmsAmerican musical films2020s American filmsRobbie WilliamsTake ThatAmerican biographical filmsRoadshow Entertainment filmsAustralian musical filmsAustralian biographical films2020s Australian filmsEnglish-language biographical filmsFilms using motion capture
"Better Man"

Single by Robbie Williams
from the album Sing When You're Winning
B-side
"My Way" (live)
"Rolling Stone"
"Toxic"
Released 22 October 2001
Studio
Master Rock (North London, England)
Sarm Hook End (Reading, England)
Length 3:22
Label EMI, Chrysalis
Songwriter(s) Guy Chambers, Robbie Williams
Producer(s) Guy Chambers, Steve Power
Robbie Williams singles chronology
"Eternity/The Road to Mandalay"
(2001) "Better Man"
(2001) "Somethin' Stupid"
(2001)

Audio video
"Better Man" on YouTube
"Better Man" is a song by English pop singer Robbie Williams, released as the final single from his third studio album, Sing When You're Winning (2000), in October 2001. It was released only in Australia, New Zealand and Latin America. A music video for the Australian release was produced in 2001, reusing scenes from Williams' "Eternity" music video (since the single was not released in that territory), intercut with a live performance of "Better Man" from his The Sermon on the Mount Tour in Manchester, England, in October 2000, overdubbed with the studio version.

Spanish version
Robbie Williams recorded a Spanish version of the song called "Ser mejor" ("To Be Better"). It was included on the Latin American pressings of Sing When You're Winning.[1]

Release and success
In New Zealand, "Better Man" began receiving airplay in late 2000. It eventually peaked at number four on the RIANZ Singles Chart for four weeks in December 2000 and January 2001.[2] The promotional disc of "Ser mejor" was sent to Latin American radio stations in 2001.[3] In Australia, "Better Man" was released as a CD single on 22 October 2001.[4] It appeared on the ARIA Singles Chart the following week, climbing to number eight during its ninth week on the chart and reaching its peak of number six on 20 January 2002, spending four nonconsecutive weeks at that position and remaining in the top 50 for 29 weeks.[5] It sold over 35,000 copies, earning a gold certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).[6]

Track listing
Australian CD single[5]

"Better Man" – 3:24
"My Way" (live) – 4:35
"Rolling Stone" – 3:43
"Toxic" – 3:51
"Let Love Be Your Energy" (video) – 4:18
Credits and personnel
Credits are taken from the Sing When You're Winning album booklet.[7]

Studios

Recorded at Master Rock Studios (North London, England) and Sarm Hook End (Reading, England)
Mixed at Battery Studios (London, England)
Mastered at Metropolis Mastering (London, England)
Personnel

Robbie Williams – writing, lead vocals
Guy Chambers – writing, piano, orchestration, production, arrangement
Dave Catlin-Birch – backing vocals, bass guitar
Steve McEwan – backing vocals
Gary Nuttall – backing vocals
Phil Palmer – 12-string guitar
Neil Taylor – electric guitars
Chris Sharrock – drums
Andy Duncan – percussion
The London Session Orchestra – orchestra
Gavyn Wright – concertmaster
Nick Ingman – orchestration
Isobel Griffiths – orchestral contractor
Steve Price – orchestral engineering
Steve Power – production, mixing, Pro Tools
Richard Flack – Pro Tools
Tony Cousins – mastering
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (2000–2002) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[5] 6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[2] 4
Year-end charts
Chart (2000) Position
Taiwan (Hito Radio)[8] 31
Chart (2001) Position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 94
Chart (2002) Position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 31

Certifications and sales
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[6] Gold 35,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
Sing When You're Winning (Mexican CD album liner notes). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2000. 7243 5 28505 2 5.
"Robbie Williams – Better Man". Top 40 Singles.
Ser mejor (Mexican promo CD liner notes). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2001. 200 1329.
"The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 22nd October 2001" (PDF). ARIA. 22 October 2001. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2002. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
"Robbie Williams – Better Man". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
"ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
Sing When You're Winning (UK CD album booklet). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2000. 7243 5 28125 2 3.
"Hitoradio‧Hit Fm --華人音樂入口指標" (in Chinese). Hit FM. Archived from the original on 18 December 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
"ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2001". ARIA. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
"ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2002". ARIA. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
vte
Robbie Williams singles
Discography
Life thru a Lens
"Old Before I Die""Lazy Days""South of the Border""Angels""Let Me Entertain You"
I've Been Expecting You
"Millennium""No Regrets""Strong""She's the One" / "It's Only Us""Win Some Lose Some"
Sing When You're Winning
"Rock DJ""Kids""Supreme""Let Love Be Your Energy""Eternity/The Road to Mandalay""Better Man"
Swing When You're Winning
"Somethin' Stupid""Mr. Bojangles/I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen"
Escapology
"Feel""Come Undone""Something Beautiful""Sexed Up"
Greatest Hits
"Radio""Misunderstood"
Intensive Care
"Tripping""Make Me Pure""Advertising Space""Sin Sin Sin"
Rudebox
"Rudebox""Kiss Me""Lovelight""Bongo Bong and Je ne t'aime plus""She's Madonna"
Reality Killed the Video Star
"Bodies""You Know Me""Morning Sun"
In and Out of Consciousness
"Shame"
Take the Crown
"Candy""Different""Be a Boy"
Swings Both Ways
"Go Gentle""Dream a Little Dream""Shine My Shoes"
The Heavy Entertainment Show
"Party Like a Russian""Love My Life""Mixed Signals"
The Christmas Present
"Time for Change""Can't Stop Christmas"
Other singles
"Freedom""Close My Eyes"
Featured singles
"My Culture""Goin' Crazy""The Days"
Other songs
"I Wan'na Be Like You""Beyond the Sea"
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
MusicBrainz work
Categories: Robbie Williams songs2000 songs2001 singlesChrysalis Records singlesEMI Records singlesSong recordings produced by Guy ChambersSong recordings produced by Steve PowerSongs written by Guy ChambersSongs written by Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Williams at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival
Williams at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival
Background information
Birth name Robert Peter Williams
Born 13 February 1974 (age 50)
Stoke-on-Trent, England
Genres
Poppop rocksoft rockelectronic dancealternative rock
Occupations
Singersongwriter
Years active 1990–present
Labels
ColumbiaIsland/UniversalVirginEMI/Chrysalis
Member of Lufthaus
Formerly of Take That
Spouse Ayda Field ​(m. 2010)​
Website robbiewilliams.com
Children 4
Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974)[1] is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, launching a solo career in 1996. His debut studio album, Life thru a Lens, was released in 1997, and included his best-selling single "Angels". His second album, I've Been Expecting You, featured the songs "Millennium" and "She's the One", his first number one singles. His discography includes seven UK No. 1 singles, and all but one of his 14 studio albums have reached No. 1 in the UK. Six of his albums are among the top 100 biggest-selling albums in the UK, with two of them in the top 60, and he gained a Guinness World Record in 2006 for selling 1.6 million tickets in a single day during his Close Encounters Tour.[2]

Williams has received a record 18 Brit Awards, winning Best British Male Artist four times, Outstanding Contribution to Music twice, an Icon Award for his lasting impact on British culture, eight German ECHO Awards, and three MTV European Music Awards.[3][4] In 2004, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame after being voted the Greatest Artist of the 1990s. According to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), he has been certified for 20.36 million albums and 9.2 million singles in the UK as a solo artist.[5] Five of his albums have also topped the Australian albums chart, and has sold 75 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He also topped the 2000–2010 UK airplay chart. His three concerts at Knebworth in 2003 drew over 375,000 people, the UK's biggest music event to that point.[6] In 2014, he was awarded the freedom of his hometown of Stoke-on-Trent and had a tourist trail created and streets named in his honour. Williams' latest compilation album, XXV, was released on 9 September 2022.[7][8]

After 15 years, Williams rejoined Take That in 2010 to co-write and perform lead vocals on their album Progress, which became the second-fastest-selling album in UK chart history[9] and the fastest-selling record of the century at the time.[10] The subsequent stadium tour, which featured seven songs from Williams' solo career, became the biggest-selling concert in UK history when it sold 1.34 million tickets in less than 24 hours. In 2011, Take That frontman Gary Barlow confirmed that Williams had left the band for a second time to focus on his solo career, although he stated that the departure was amicable and that Williams was welcome to rejoin Take That in the future.[11] Williams has since performed with Take That on three separate television appearances,[12][13][14] and collaborated with Barlow on a number of projects[15] such as the West End musical The Band.[16]

Early life
Robert Peter Williams was born on 13 February 1974 in Stoke-on-Trent, the son of Janet (née Farrell) and Peter Williams (also known as Pete Conway), who ran a pub called the Red Lion in Burslem before becoming the licensee at the Port Vale Social Club.[17] His maternal grandfather was an Irishman from Kilkenny.[18] He attended St Margaret Ward Catholic School in Tunstall[19] and participated in several school plays, most notably in the role of the Artful Dodger in a production of Oliver![20]

Take That
Main article: Take That
1990–1995: First stint
In 1990, the sixteen-year-old Williams was the youngest member to join Take That. According to the documentary Take That: For the Record, his mother read an advertisement seeking members for a new boy band and suggested that he try out for the group. He met fellow member Mark Owen on the day of his audition/interview with Nigel Martin-Smith. Although the majority of the group's material was written and performed by Gary Barlow, Williams performed lead vocals on their first Top Three hits "Could It Be Magic", "I Found Heaven", and "Everything Changes". Williams' use of alcohol and cocaine brought him into conflict with Martin-Smith over the behaviour rules for Take That members.[21]

In November 1994, Williams's drug use had escalated; he nearly had a drug overdose the night before the group was scheduled to perform at the MTV Europe Music Awards.[22] According to the documentary For the Record, he was unhappy with his musical ideas not being taken seriously by Martin-Smith and lead singer Barlow; his desire to explore hip hop and rap conflicted with Take That's usual ballads. Barlow stated in interviews that Williams had given up trying to offer creative input.

Noting Williams's increasingly belligerent behaviour and poor attendance at rehearsals, and worried that he might leave the group during their upcoming tour, Barlow and Jason Orange took their concerns to Martin-Smith. During one of the last rehearsals before the tour commenced, the three confronted Williams about his attitude and stated they wanted to do the tour without him. He agreed to quit and left the group in July 1995; it would be the last time for twelve years that they were all together. Despite the departure of Williams, Take That completed their Nobody Else Tour as a four-piece. They later disbanded on 13 February 1996, Williams's 22nd birthday.[23]

Shortly afterwards, Williams was photographed by the press partying with the members of Oasis at Glastonbury Festival. Following his departure, he became the subject of talk shows and newspapers as he acknowledged his plans to become a solo singer, and he was spotted partying with George Michael in France. A clause in his Take That contract prohibited him from releasing any material until after the group was officially dissolved, and he was later sued by Martin-Smith and forced to pay $200,000 in commission. After various legal battles over his right to a solo career, Williams succeeded in getting released from his contract with BMG. On 27 June 1996, he signed with Chrysalis Records.

2006–2011: Second stint

Williams performing in Take That's Progress Live tour in 2011. He rejoined the group in July 2010 and is open to another reunion in the future.
By March 2009, Williams had shown interest in rejoining Take That;[24] the band completed their The Circus Live without him. In spite of rumours that Williams was working in New York with Take That in September that year,[25] by the day of the Children in Need charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall in November they were still performing separately. Both did join with the other acts in the final song of the evening, with Williams putting his arm around Gary Barlow and singing "Hey Jude".

On 15 July 2010, Williams reconciled with his former colleagues and rejoined Take That. In November 2010 the Take That album Progress was released, becoming the fastest selling album since 2000 and the second fastest selling album in UK history.[26] The group travelled across the UK on their Progress Live tour, which included eight nights at Wembley Stadium in London,[27] then continued across Europe. The tour was the fastest selling in UK history with ticket hotlines and websites crashing under the demand.[27]

In August 2012, Take That performed at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics. Williams was due to perform with Take That but missed the performance because his wife gave birth at around the same time; the group performed as a four-piece.[28]

Although still officially part of Take That,[29] Williams chose not to return for group's seventh and eighth studio albums and their accompanying tours, focusing instead on his solo commitments. He continued to write music with his colleagues and has performed with the group on several occasions since 2011's Progress tour[30] and planned to return for a full tour to celebrate Take That's 30th anniversary in 2019.[31]

Solo career
1996–1998: Life thru a Lens and I've Been Expecting You
Main articles: Life thru a Lens and I've Been Expecting You
Williams launched his solo career in 1996 with a cover of George Michael's "Freedom", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart.[32] Recordings for Williams's first album began at London's Maison Rouge studios in March 1997. Shortly after his introduction to songwriter and producer Guy Chambers, Williams released "Old Before I Die", the first single from his debut album. The single reached number two on the UK Charts;[32] it was largely ignored on international charts. His debut album, Life thru a Lens, was released in September 1997. The album launched with his first live solo gig at the Élysée Montmartre theatre in Paris, France. The album debuted at number eleven on the UK Albums Chart.

"Angels", the fourth single, is Williams' best-seller in the United Kingdom.[33] The song, apart from becoming a hit around Europe and Latin America, caused sales of his album to skyrocket. The album remained in the British top ten for forty weeks and spent 218 weeks there altogether, making it the 58th best selling album in UK history with sales of over 2.4 million.[34] The album eventually managed to sell over three million copies in Europe.[35]

Williams and Chambers started writing the second album, I've Been Expecting You, in Jamaica in early 1998. The first single, "Millennium", accompanied with a music video featuring Williams parodying James Bond, complete with tuxedo and references to Bond films like Thunderball and From Russia with Love, became Williams' first solo number one single in the United Kingdom.[36] It also became a top twenty hit in many European countries, Latin America and Australia.[37]

I've Been Expecting You was released in late October 1998 and debuted at number one in the UK Albums Chart.[36] The album received more attention outside the United Kingdom, leaving its mark in the European and Latin American markets with hits such as "No Regrets", a collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys' singer Neil Tennant and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon. "She's the One", a cover of a World Party track written by Karl Wallinger, became Williams' second UK number-one single.[36] Williams finished the year with a European Tour late in 1999. I've Been Expecting You sold almost 3 million copies in the UK and was certified 10× Platinum by the BPI.[38] In Europe, the album sold over 4 million copies.[39]

1999–2001: Sing When You're Winning and Swing When You're Winning
Main articles: The Ego Has Landed, Sing When You're Winning, and Swing When You're Winning
In 1999, Williams was signed to Capitol Records in the United States, a part of EMI. He embarked on a United States promotional tour and released his first United States and Canadian single, "Millennium". The compilation album The Ego Has Landed was released in July 1999 in the United States and Canada. In the middle of promotion and the tours in 1999, Williams began work on his third studio album.

Williams in London in 2000, gesturing to a paparazzi photographer
The first single taken from the album was "Rock DJ", a song inspired by Williams's UNICEF mentor, the late Ian Dury. The video created by Fred & Farid[40] showed Williams in an attempt to get noticed by a group of women, first stripping and then tearing chunks of skin and muscle from his body, and caused controversy in the United Kingdom and many other countries. The video was edited by Top of the Pops for its graphic content and many other channels followed suit.[41] The song became an instant hit, reaching number one in the UK (becoming his third number one single as a solo artist) and New Zealand. The song went on to win "Best Song of 2000" at the MTV Europe Music Awards, "Best Single of the Year" at the Brit Awards and an MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects.[42]

When the album, Sing When You're Winning was released in August 2000, it topped the charts in many different countries.[43] In the UK the album was certified 2× Platinum on its first week of release.[44] After the success of his third album, Williams wanted to take another musical direction. He took two weeks off from his tour to record Swing When You're Winning, his fourth studio album. Born from his lifelong love for Frank Sinatra – combined with the success of the track "Have You Met Miss Jones?" that he recorded for the film Bridget Jones' Diary in 2001 – the album was recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles.

Williams took the chance to duet with his long-time friend Jonathan Wilkes, Little Voice star Jane Horrocks, Saturday Night Live star Jon Lovitz, Rupert Everett and actress Nicole Kidman. The first single released from the album was a duet with Kidman, on "Somethin' Stupid". Originally a hit for Frank and Nancy Sinatra, the song became Williams' fifth number one hit in the UK.[45] It eventually went on to become one of the biggest hits of 2001.[46] "Beyond the Sea" was featured over the credits of the film Finding Nemo in 2003 and was also released on the film's soundtrack CD. A DVD, Robbie Williams Live at the Albert Hall, was released in December of that year. So far, it has become one of the best selling music DVDs in Europe, being certified 6× Platinum in the United Kingdom[47] and 2× Platinum in Germany.[48]

2002–2005: Escapology and Intensive Care
Main articles: Escapology (album), Greatest Hits (Robbie Williams album), and Intensive Care (album)
In 2002, Williams signed a record-breaking £80 million contract with EMI.[49] The contract included a number of provisos, including the label ceding greater creative control to the artist and a commitment to breaking Williams into the US market. It remains the biggest music deal in British history. The deal was brokered by Ingenious Media, a UK corporate finance advisory business. Williams began working on what would be his fifth studio album, spending a year in the recording studio. The album heralded a new era for Williams. He had taken a more active role in the making of this album. "One Fine Day", "Nan's Song", and "Come Undone" were the first songs that Williams wrote without the input of Guy Chambers. Most of the songs were recorded in Los Angeles.

"For the first time in my life, I'm speechless."

—Williams addresses the crowd during his three record-breaking concerts at Knebworth playing to 375,000 people, the biggest event in UK music history.[6]
The album's first single, "Feel", written by Williams and Chambers, was recorded as a demo. When they started working on the album and were trying to re-record the vocals, Williams felt dissatisfied with it, so he decided to include the demo version and then release it as the first single. When the single was released in late 2002, it became Williams' biggest international hit, going number one in The Netherlands and Italy and reaching the top ten in many European countries.[50] When Williams' fifth studio album, Escapology, was released in late 2002, it hit number one in at least 10 countries around the world. In the United States, it failed to make such an impact. Escapology sold almost 2 million copies by the end of 2003 in the United Kingdom.[51] On 1–3 August 2003, Williams played three consecutive concerts at Knebworth to 125,000 people each night, making it the biggest event in UK music history.[6] Memorable performances included "Come Undone" where he interjected with "Britain, I'm Your Son", and further interacted with the audience when he brought a girl up on stage.[52] In October 2003, Williams released a live album of the concerts, Live at Knebworth.[53]

In October 2004, Williams released Greatest Hits, a retrospective of his career, which also contained new tracks he had been working on with then-new collaborator Stephen Duffy. "Radio", the compilation's first single, debuted at number one in the UK Singles Chart,[36] becoming Williams' sixth number-one hit. When the compilation was released, it debuted at number one in the UK[36] and was the best selling album of the year in the UK[54] and Europe.[55] Eight years after the release of "Angels", the British public voted it as the "Best Single of the Past Twenty-Five Years" at the 2005 Brit Awards.[56]

After touring Latin America in late 2004 for the promotion Greatest Hits, Williams started working on his sixth studio album. Recorded at his house in the Hollywood Hills, the album was co-written by Stephen Duffy over the course of 24 months. The album Intensive Care was launched in Berlin on 9 October. It became an international hit. In November 2005, Williams took home the MTV Europe Music Award for 'Best Male', but also, entered in The Guinness Book of World Records when he announced his World Tour for 2006, selling 1.6 million tickets in one single day.[57] Williams kicked off his Close Encounters World Tour in South Africa in April 2006; when he finished his European leg of the tour, 2.5 million people had seen the show and, after touring Latin America and Australia, the numbers went up to 3 million.[58]

2006–2009: Rudebox and Reality Killed the Video Star
Main articles: Rudebox and Reality Killed the Video Star
Williams released his much anticipated dance/electro album, Rudebox, on 23 October 2006. It featured collaborations with the Pet Shop Boys, William Orbit, Soul Mekanik, Joey Negro, Mark Ronson, Chris Grierson, and The Orr Boys. It received mixed reviews: Allmusic gave it a four star rating, the NME 8 out of 10, and Music Week and MOJO were equally positive,[59] but it received much weaker reviews from some of the British press. The album sold 2× Platinum in Europe with sales of over 2 million making it the fastest platinum-selling album of 2006.[60] To promote his album, Williams commissioned a series of short films.[61] Goodbye to the Normals was directed by Jim Field Smith and features "Burslem Normals" by Williams.

Williams at a concert in Vienna, Austria, in 2006
In February 2009, it was confirmed that Williams had written material with Guy Chambers and Mark Ronson. A spokesman said that Williams was planning to begin the recording sessions in March and that the new album would be released in late 2009. This will probably be the last Williams album released by EMI.[62] On his official website, Williams confirmed that he was working with producer Trevor Horn on his new album, which would eventually be titled Reality Killed the Video Star,[63] a reference to the song "Video Killed the Radio Star" by Horn's former band the Buggles. The album was released on 9 November 2009 in the United Kingdom.[64]

On 11 October 2009 Williams published a 12-track compilation album, titled Songbook, as a free CD for the newspaper The Mail on Sunday. That same evening, Williams made his "comeback" on The X Factor results show, performing his new single "Bodies" for the first time live.[65] On 20 October 2009 Williams opened the BBC Electric Proms at the London RoundHouse.[66] It was his first live concert for 3 years and was broadcast across 200 cinemas worldwide.[67] Accompanied by a string section, horn section, full band and producer Trevor Horn, Williams performed several new tracks from Reality Killed the Video Star and older tracks.[67]

Reality Killed the Video Star was previewed in the UK on the Spotify music streaming service on 6 November 2009, and official released on 9 November.[68] In a high-profile chart battle, Williams' album was pitted against X Factor 2008 runners-up JLS who released their debut album the same day. JLS beat Williams to the number one spot by 1500 sales. The album was also released in the United States (Williams' first album to be released there since 2002's Escapology). In late November 2009, Williams travelled to Australia to perform at the ARIA Music Awards of 2009.[69]

2010–2012: In and Out of Consciousness and Take the Crown
Main articles: In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990–2010 and Take the Crown

Williams performing at the Sydney Super Dome in 2009
In October 2010, Williams released his second greatest hits album, In and Out of Consciousness: The Greatest Hits 1990–2010, to celebrate 20 years as a performing artist. A single, "Shame", was also released, which was written and sung by Williams and Barlow.

On 21 October 2011 Williams signed with Island Records (Universal Music), following his departure from his previous record label EMI in 2010.[70]

Williams was the opening act at the Diamond Jubilee Concert, which was co-organised by Gary Barlow, held outside Buckingham Palace on 4 June 2012.[71] During the end of August his official website began a countdown to the release of information regarding his latest solo material, with an image of his face and his mind unveiled daily as the countdown expired.[72] Titled Take the Crown, the album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart making it Williams' tenth number one album. It also marked the second time that Williams had a number one single ("Candy") and album at the same time on the chart. The first time was in 2001 when "Somethin' Stupid" and Swing When You're Winning were number one on the singles and albums chart respectively.[73]

The album's lead single, "Candy", premiered on 10 September 2012 and was released on 11 September in most countries and 29 October in the UK. In the UK, "Candy" became Williams' first number one single since "Radio" (2004) and his seventh solo number one single. In its first week the song had sold 137,000 copies becoming the fastest-selling male artist single of the year.[74] On 26 November 2012 Williams announced a 17 date stadium tour of Europe.[75][76] Williams also confirmed that the support act for the tour would be Olly Murs who also duets with him on "Kids". Universal and EMI merged in 2012, bringing Williams' Chrysalis/Virgin recordings full circle to Universal.

2013–2014: Swings Both Ways and Under the Radar Volume 1
Main articles: Swings Both Ways and Under the Radar Volume 1

Williams on stage at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester during the Take the Crown Stadium Tour, June 2013
In September 2013, Williams announced a follow-up to his 2001 swing album, titled Swings Both Ways for release in November. The album features covers and original songs, whilst also including duet recordings with Michael Bublé, Olly Murs, Rufus Wainwright, Lily Allen and Kelly Clarkson.[77] In November 2013, Williams made a

Show less