Robbie Williams has admitted that he feels a sense of "discomfort" when fans approach him in public.
The former Take That star opened up about this in an emotional letter to fans, where he expressed his "gratitude" to them, as well as speaking about his anxieties, particularly when fans approach him for photos him in public, saying: “This isn’t a complaint, it’s context".
Mentioning about a recent domestic flight across the USA, Williams revealed that on the flight, a fan handed him a "lovely note", before asking him for a photo.
“I explained I’d been up since 04:30, had two hours’ sleep, and wrangled four kids through the airport. I’ve got bags under my eyes and I’m dealing with anxiety", Williams wrote. “I explained that if they came and took a photo with me, my anxiety would spike – because then the whole cabin would start wondering who I am".
Williams also claimed that this situation would add more anxiety to his “already thriving” stress.
“These days, I see it as being of service,” he said on posing for pictures with fans. “If it makes someone happy – and I can – then I’ll do my best to facilitate that happiness. I didn’t always see it that way. But I do now. Mostly. Still. I think there needs to be a caveat.” He went on to explain that he felt a pressure to greet all strangers as if he were the “mayor of the best town anyone’s ever visited” to make sure fans walked away from interactions happy".
“Otherwise – you’re a c**t,” he added. “There’s no in-between.” Williams also mentioned he was sure that half the people he met “couldn’t name one of my albums, let alone say they’ve bought a ticket to a show,” but clarified: “If we cross paths in the wild and you are a fan of me, I want you to tell me. That means a lot. I’ll make time. I’ve got gratitude for that. It warms my heart when I feel I’ve warmed yours".
Williams signed off his post by saying that meeting teenagers made him feel some "discomfort".
“I mask it well,” stated Williams. “But social interaction still frightens me. So much so, I didn’t go out for years. I had to relearn how to interact. And I had to do it without drugs or drink. I used to find it impossible. Now I’m… Ok-ish. But still crawling inside".
See the post in full here.
