Robbie Williams gives devastating update on parents' 'precarious' health
At a recent concert, the Angels singer – son of Peter and Janet Williams – revealed that his mother had been battling dementia and no longer knew who he was.
The 51-year-old also said that his dad had been diagnosed with Parkinson's and was unable to leave the house.
Now, Robbie has admitted his parents' health is 'precarious' and he juggles caring for them with his pop star duties.
Taking to his Instagram Story, he wrote earnestly: 'Things at home with my parents? VERY precarious right now'.
'It's real world stuff that deeply affects me and my wife. And if my wife is affected, you can bet I am. So the maths are: Virus + ill parents + stadium tour'.
He continued: 'Every single moment of every single day is in preparation for those 2+ hours on stage. Outside of that? I have nothing'.
'There is nothing to offer. I don't mind stating to those around me, I need protecting. And in return I protect them', concluded Robbie.
Peter and Janet divorced in the 70s when he was just three years old, and his relationship with his entertainer father, who became known as Pete Conway, grew complicated.
However, the star has always been close with his parents, hailing his dad as one of the most 'influential' figures in his life as he supported him throughout his rise to stardom.
Meanwhile, Janet, 84, raised Robbie on her own after her marriage ended, playing a pivotal part in shaping him as a man and an artist.
Now, though, the tables have turned, and Robbie is looking after his family instead, having recently opened up about the upsetting impact of Janet's dementia.
Speaking to fans at a concert in Germany, the Rock DJ singer said: 'My mother has dementia, and she doesn't know who I am anymore.
'She doesn't know where she is anymore.'
He also spoke about his dad's health battles, as per The Sun.
'My dad has Parkinson's, and he can't leave the house,' Robbie shared.
'He used to sing with me every night on stage; he would come out, steal the show, and be charming and then wander backstage for a glass of red wine.
'Now he can't leave the house.'
Unfortunately, the health woes don't end there for Robbie's loved ones, as he said his wife Ayda Field's mother, Gwen, is also poorly.
Robbie, who has been married to the American actress since 2010, spoke highly of her, adding: 'My mother-in-law, who I absolutely worship and adore, has three illnesses.
'She's got lupus, Parkinson's, and cancer. She is the most courageous lady, and she is fighting, fighting, fighting.'
Lupus is a condition that affects the immune system, causing problems with the skin, joints, kidneys, and other organs. The likes of Selena Gomez and Bella Hadid have spoken openly about living with it.
Meanwhile, Parkinson's disease causes parts of the brain to become progressively damaged over many years.
Gwen has faced breast cancer before, but Ayda confirmed last year that her mother's cervical cancer had returned, which she noted was 'a really tough thing' for her to speak about while on Loose Women.
Family man Robbie, who has four children of his own, explained that it's taken a lot of adjusting for him to be the 'adult' now.
'It's a strange place to be, this place we find ourselves, 51 years old; it's very strange to be the grown-up,' he confessed. 'I'm not ready for it.'
Robbie has long spoken about adoration for his mum and dad, stating last December that he 'didn't know' how to cope with their declining health.
The ex-Take That member opened up to The Mirror about the tricky situation: 'The truth is that I'm very busy, and I'm not dealing with the situation as I should. I don't really know how to do it; it's an incredibly complicated thing.
'But I prefer not to go into details, you know, if I say something, they might read it, and then I would have to answer a lot of questions.'
'Let's put it this way: we are all human beings, with our difficulties, and I am trying to deal with mine,' Robbie concluded.
Robbie's late grandmother also had dementia, which was depicted in his biopic Better Man.
Asked last year what his parents thought of the film, Robbie told Hello! Magazine that he was in 'a different part of [his] life right now.'
It comes after he spent much of the Covid-19 pandemic panicking about his parents while he and Ayda isolated in Los Angeles, thousands of miles away.
At the time, Robbie called them 'daily' due to how 'vulnerable' they were.
Despite going through a tough time behind closed doors, the star has continued giving it his all on stage, putting everything aside to appear at the Club World Cup final last Sunday.
Ahead of the game at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey – in which Chelsea beat PSG to take home the trophy – he kicked off proceedings with an emotional performance of Desire alongside Laura Pausini.
He kept his eyes closed as he belted out the poignant final lyrics, embracing Laura while singing: 'To the ones we lost and the souls they saved.' More Trending
The 90s legend delighted the packed-out stadium at the beginning, setting high expectations for a star-studded halftime show.
In a huge shock, Coldplay were met with screams from the crowd in a surprise performance alongside Doja Cat, J Balvin, and Tems.
And in a further twist to normal performances like Robbie's – which are normally staged on the pitch – Global Citizen and Chris Martin crafted a special stage in the actual stands for the occasion.
J Balvin opened the set with Mi Gente, followed by Tems' Love Me JeJe and Doja singing Woman – Coldplay then took to the stage for a special rendition of A Sky Full of Stars with Emmanuel Kelly and their fellow performers.
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MORE: Robbie Williams releasing the album he actually wanted to after quitting Take That
MORE: 'Hidden treasure' music biopic finally arrives on Amazon Prime Video
MORE: Robbie Williams reveals his mum heartbreakingly 'doesn't know who I am anymore'
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Scottish Sun
19 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Shamed Gregg Wallace says ‘I'm no groper, sex pest or flasher,' as tearful star refuses to accept blame for BBC sacking
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FORMER MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has pleaded his innocence, telling The Sun in a tearful interview: 'I'm not a groper, a sex pest or a flasher.' The 60-year-old, sacked by the BBC after a probe into allegations of bad behaviour, said he wanted to clear his name but is 'not looking to play the victim'. 12 In a tearful interview with The Sun, former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has pleaded his innocence Credit: Dan Charity 12 Wallace says he has been unfairly bracketed with sex offenders Jimmy Savile and Huw Edwards Credit: Dan Charity 12 Gregg has also backed axed co-host John Torode, saying: 'he's not a racist' Wallace says he has been unfairly bracketed with sex offenders Jimmy Savile and Huw Edwards, adding: 'That's so horrific.' The ex-MasterChef host spoke out in his first interview since the BBC sacked him following complaints from multiple women over several years. He says: 'There's so much that I want to say, and so much that I want to put right, if I can. 'I'm not saying I'm not guilty of stuff, but so much has been perceived incorrectly. Things that really hurt me and hurt my family.' Wallace — who has not been paid for this interview — adds from his home in Kent: 'I'm not a groper. People think I've been taking my trousers down and exposing myself — I am not a flasher. 'People think I'm a sex pest. I am not. I am not sexist or a misogynist, or any of it. 'There never were any accusations of sexual harassment. 'I have seen myself written about in the same sentence as Jimmy Savile and Huw Edwards, paedophiles and sex offenders. That is just so, so horrific.' He adds from his sitting room, dotted with photos of wife Anna and six-year-old son Sid: 'I have learnt a lot about myself over the past eight months or so, and I'm still learning. 'I know I have said things that offended people, that weren't socially acceptable and perhaps they felt too intimidated or nervous to say anything at the time. 'We'll never work with him again', blast BBC as Gregg Wallace report reveals 'substantial' allegations over 19 YEARS 'I understand that now — and to anyone I have hurt, I am so sorry. 'I don't expect anyone to have any sympathy with me but I don't think I am a wrong 'un.' During our interview, Wallace flips between anger and remorse, and bursts into tears when talking about the fall-out for his family. He also backs axed MasterChef co-host John Torode, saying: 'He's not a racist.' The report into Wallace's conduct, from law firm Lewis Silkin, saw 45 of 83 complaints upheld. In total, 41 people complained. I've worked with around 4,000 people - cast, crew, production - which means 0.5 per cent of people found fault with me Gregg Wallace But he says: 'I've worked with around 4,000 people — cast, crew, production — which means 0.5 per cent of people found fault with me. 'That means in a room of 200 people, one person complained about my knob joke. It sounds a lot, but you have to consider that I don't work in an office.' However, Wallace does accept that this 0.5 per cent is too many. The timeline of allegations does not make for pretty reading. 12 The ex-MasterChef host, 60, was sacked by the BBC following complaints from multiple women over several years Credit: Dan Charity 12 I'm not a groper, a sex pest or a flasher, said Gregg in his first interview since his axe Credit: Dan Charity 12 During the chat, Wallace flipped between anger and remorse, and even bursted into tears Credit: Dan Charity One of the worst, which was upheld, was that he groped a woman. Wallace claims he was attempting to flirt, recalling: 'It was 15 years ago. Me, drunk, at a party, with my hand on a girl's bum. 'This girl told me about an affair she was having with a married man who was part of the Conservative government. I can't remember who it was. 'She gave me her phone number. I considered that to be intimacy. I was single at the time . . . well, I was dating, but I wasn't married. Now, even in the report, it says, 'Gregg believes this contact to be consensual'. So, listen, drag me out into the marketplace and stone me now.' 'Jovial and crude' Wallace is also keen to point out that he isn't a flasher. The moment he paraded around the MasterChef studio with a sock on his willy has been heavily reported. He says: 'Yes, that's one of the three upheld, the one with a sock on. Can I clarify what that is though? That was 18 years ago. The studio is shut, there's no contestants.' He said outside his dressing-room door was a sofa with four of his mates from the show on it, including Monica Galetti. He went on: 'I was getting changed to go to a black tie event, a charity event. I put my bow tie on and my shirt. It's only them outside the door. I put the sock on, opened the door, went, 'Wahey!' and shut the door again. 'The people interviewed were either amused or bemused. Nobody was distressed.' He takes a dimmer view of other allegations, including claims he dropped his trousers in front of a lady named as Alice by a BBC News investigation. He rages: 'That really damaged me. In the investigation, it says this person's story is simply not credible.' Wallace accepts he regularly got changed in front of people, and showed off his six-pack. One of the main threads of the upheld accusations is the use of sexualised or inappropriate language. He accepts all of these - and blames his background. It was 15 years ago. Me, drunk, at a party, with my hand on a girl's bum Gregg Wallace Wallace insists: 'I'm a green-grocer from Peckham. 'I thrived in Covent Garden's Fruit and Veg Market. 'In that environment that is jovial and crude. It is learned behaviour. 'And that's exactly the persona I brought into the workplace. Nobody ever asked me to change. 'MasterChef was a big hit. They gave me Celebrity MasterChef. That's a big hit. They gave me Professional MasterChef. It's a big hit. They gave me Eat Well for Less. They gave me Inside the Factory. I've got five returnable series. 'They're all big hits, and every day I'm giving them what I think they want. It's jokes, it's banter. 'It's relaxing virtually everybody I work with and we're getting good interaction with them.' 12 Gregg, above with The Sun's Clemmie Moodie, says he's been scared to go out since the scandal broke Credit: Dan Charity 12 Wallace pictured at his home in Kent with wife Anna Credit: Dan Charity 12 He accepts the upheld accusations of use of sexualised or inappropriate language, blaming his background Credit: Dan Charity In January Wallace was formally diagnosed with autism, and he admits he is 'learning every day' about it. He sticks by his awkward claim that his refusal to wear underwear was down to that. Devastated by backlash Wallace says: 'I never wear pants', before raising his short- covered leg as if to demonstrate. 'I'm not wearing socks either.' I tell him to keep his leg down. Bemused he adds: 'Somehow everybody has sexualised this as well. It's not sexualised. It's hypersensitivity — that happens with autism.' Autism charities have dropped him, with some saying it is not 'a hall-pass for bad behaviour'. Wallace understands but has been devastated by the backlash. Having spent two-and-a-half hours with him, I believe he is severely on the spectrum. He repeatedly tells me off for interrupting — fair enough — and he is adamant we start the interview his way, which sees him nervously reading scribbled-down thoughts from scraps of paper. I arrived at his home not expecting to like him but left liking him. He peppers every conversation with slightly painful jokes, including: 'What do you call a judge with no thumbs? Justice Fingers!' Another sees him making a curled-finger hand gesture, asking: 'What is this? A microwave!' I know I am odd. I know I struggle to read people. I know people find me weird. Autism is a disability, a registered disability Gregg Wallace I'm still none the wiser. He is like a schoolboy desperate to please without being malicious. I previously wrote about a bruising encounter on a journalists' special of MasterChef in 2014 in which I'd accused him of making me feel deeply uncomfortable. I read out some of my criticism, saying I felt he 'gas-lit' me. Wallace appears confused as he asks me what that means. He replies after a beat: 'I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. "We were playing pantomime roles, I was playing up to it. I had no idea you felt that way, I honestly struggle to read people. 'I know I am odd. I know I struggle to read people. I know people find me weird. Autism is a disability, a registered disability. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not real.' One of the claims that hurt him most — and saw him trolled mercilessly — was when Sir Rod Stewart publicly said he had bullied his wife Penny Lancaster on Celebrity MasterChef four years ago. He says it was not upheld, adding: 'It was us having a disagreement over whether an orchid should stay in a bowl of soup.' Sighing, he goes on: 'I'm actually a Rod Stewart fan. I've been to see him twice. So that hurt me. Somebody like that carries a lot of weight. But there was no bullying and no harassing.' 12 Wallace, who was formally diagnosed with autism in January, says he is 'learning every day' about it Credit: Dan Charity DAVIE WON'T MIX WITH LIKES OF ME By Clemmie Moodie BBC Director-General Tim Davie failed to get in touch with Gregg Wallace after his sacking, he claims. Wallace also hit out at the decision to pay off disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards. And he accused the organisation of being out of touch with working-class people. He said: 'I haven't heard from Tim at all. 'I think people like Tim were told that if they worked hard at school, they wouldn't have to mix with people like me. 'The BBC right now, absolutely everybody's been to Guatemala and nobody's been to Lewisham. 'I don't have an uncle who works for the BBC who's doing me any favours. They gave me big shows and they were all a success. So it was a massive shock to me in 2018 to find that what I was doing could cause problems.' Wallace was dismissed by production firm Banijay and did not receive a pay-out. While not disputing this, he is angry they paid off Edwards. He added: 'Huw Edwards received a £200,000 pay off after he was arrested — I didn't get so much as a pat on the back and a tenner. 'I'm not complaining, I'm pointing out a fact. I'm not looking to play the victim.' There was also a 2018 complaint from his time on BBC One's Impossible Celebrities, where he told a female employee she was 'very bright and very pretty' and was 'rude' to the show's production runners. He says: 'I asked for a healthy lunch and they gave me a packaged sandwich I didn't want so I was a bit cross.' Another complaint referred to him asking a model what she ate in a day to stay so thin. The BBC sent him on a course which was, he claims, like 'telling someone with a heart condition to go and fix their own heart rate'. I'm scared' He adds: 'They told me about how to interact with young people. 'My problem was that I saw myself the same as them, but they weren't perceiving me the same as them. They saw me as a position of authority. So I was being too familiar and I was told I shouldn't try to talk to them about what they might be doing at the weekend or where they're going on holiday because I might be forcing them to converse with me on personal details that they might not want to give. 'And I didn't know I was autistic at the time. So all that did was just confuse the living daylights out of me. So from that point on, I just stopped talking to young people because I realised that I was working in a complaints culture. 'And if I could get in serious trouble for telling a girl she was attractive, what would happen if I went out drinking with people and said something political or sexual? 'So I just stopped talking to young people. In fact, I stopped socialising on MasterChef. It just panicked me.' From then on, there was only one allegation of inappropriate behaviour. Wallace has, he says, spent the past seven years 'hiding behind my sofa reading history books'. My biggest, biggest regret is that I ever went anywhere near a television studio - I was doing just fine as a greengrocer Gregg Wallace Since the scandal broke, he says he has been scared to go out 'in case people, who think I'm a sex pest, abuse me in the street'. He went on: 'The first time I went to the gym afterwards I was shaking. I have been so scared. I go out now in a disguise — a baseball cap and sunglasses, I don't want people to see me. I'm scared.' Wallace also admits a level of guilt for what happened to his Aussie co-star John, who had an allegation of racism upheld against him during the investigation. He storms: 'I've known John for 30 years and he is not a racist. 'And as evidence of that, I'll show you the incredible diversity of the people that he has championed, MasterChef winners, over the years. There is no way that man is a racist. No way. And my sympathies go out to John because I don't want anybody to go through what I've been through.' Following the investigation, Wallace unfollowed John and his wife Lisa Faulkner on social media. He says: 'We never really did get on that well. 'We're two very, very different characters. But we made bloody good telly together for 20 years.' Wallace says that the only positive from this is getting to spend more time with his non-verbal autistic son Sid. He admits he wished he had stayed in his former profession instead of embarking on a TV career. He says: 'My biggest, biggest regret is that I ever went anywhere near a television studio — I was doing just fine as a greengrocer." 12 Wallace also admits a level of guilt for what happened to his Aussie co-star John Credit: BBC 12 Wallace says that the only positive from this scandal is getting to spend more time with his non-verbal autistic son Sid Credit: Rex
Scottish Sun
19 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Gregg Wallace breaks silence on racism claim against MasterChef co-host John Torode
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GREGG Wallace has defended his MasterChef co-star John Torode against racism allegations in an exclusive interview with The Sun. A BBC report which upheld 45 of 83 allegations of bad behaviour against Wallace also upheld a claim that a second person used a racial phrase once several years ago. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Gregg Wallace and co-host John Torode, 59 Credit: BBC 4 He defended his former colleague Torode against racism allegations Credit: Alamy Torode later confirmed to The Sun that this allegation referred to him, but denied that it had ever happened. He followed Wallace in being sacked by the BBC after allegedly using a racial slur when repeating lyrics from rapper Kanye West's hit Gold Digger at an after-work gathering. Read Gregg Wallace's exclusive interview here But in an extensive interview with The Sun - in which Wallace also tearfully addresses the slew of complaints of bad behaviour made against him - the former greengrocer leaps to the defence of his co-star. Gregg exclusively told The Sun: "I'll tell you one thing right now: John Torode is not a racist. "I've known John for 30 years and he is not a racist. 'And as evidence of that, I'll show you the incredible diversity of the people that he has championed, MasterChef winners, over the years. "There is no way that man is a racist. No way. And my sympathies go out to John because I don't want anybody to go through what I've been through.' Wallace was sacked by the Beeb after an investigation upheld 45 out of the 83 allegations made against him. The bombshell inquiry, carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin for production company Banijay, unveiled a litany of complaints against him. John Torode sacked by BBC after being accused of using N-word while singing along to Kanye West song Gold Digger Most of them involved inappropriate sexual language and humour and a further 10 were made about other people - two of which were substantiated. Wallace, who was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder during the seven-month probe, went on to add that he is "relieved the Banijay report fully recognises that my behaviour changed profoundly in 2018". Torode began presenting the BBC cooking contest alongside Wallace in 2005. Gregg and John celebrated the show's 20th anniversary in 2024 with a special dinner at Fishmongers' Hall in London. 4 A report found out of the 83 allegations against Wallace, 45 were substantiated Credit: BBC 4 Allegations against the MasterChef star date back to 2017 Credit: Darren Fletcher - The Sun
Scottish Sun
19 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Marcus Rashford back with ex-fiancee Lucia Loi two years after split as childhood sweetheart joins him in Barcelona
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MARCUS Rashford has rekindled his relationship with former fiancée Lucia Loi — and she was with him when he signed for FC Barcelona, The Sun can reveal. The Three Lions ace, 27, and childhood sweetheart Lucia, 26, were together during a photoshoot before he was unveiled as the Catalan giants' latest signing at the Camp Nou stadium. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Marcus Rashford being unveiled as Barcelona's latest signing at the Camp Nou stadium Credit: Getty 7 The footie ace has rekindled his relationship with former fiancée Lucia Loi Credit: Getty 7 Rashford had proposed to Lucia after a romantic meal at celebrity restaurant Catch LA in 2022 She took his photo, then moved behind him to take another and seemingly checked his shirt before the Man United exile posed beside a traditional red British phone box. Rashford was later seen emerging from the kiosk in a post on FC Barcelona's social media, captioned: 'Hello? Barca? For sure, I'm coming.' The striker has signed a year-long deal with Barcelona, who have an option to buy him next summer for around £26million. Old Trafford boss Ruben Amorim has made it clear he will not play for United while he is in charge. Rashford has been given the No14 shirt previously worn by big names including Johan Cruyff, Thierry Henry and Ronald Koeman. The Sun understands that Rashford has asked calming influence Lucia, who works in PR, to help him settle in to life in Spain so he can focus on his football. But they were not seen together until they were unwittingly snapped preparing for his phone box stunt. A source said the pair have stayed close, despite their 2022 engagement fizzling out, and have grown close again of late. They added: 'Marcus knows that some of the best moments in his career have occurred when Lucia has been at his side. 'They got together when they were very young and have had ups and downs, but a friendship has always remained. Barcelona announce loan signing of Man Utd forward Marcus Rashford 'He knows that she is good for him and she is one of the few people in the world he knows has got his best interests at heart. She is very sensible and helps keep him grounded.' Rashford said of his move: 'I'm very excited. It's a club where dreams come true. 'It feels like I'm at home and it's a big factor in my choice to come here. It's a family club and people are comfortable here.' Rashford, who flew out yesterday with his new teammates for his new club's Far East pre-season tour, and Lucia have been friends for at least a decade. They met at Ashton on Mersey School in Manchester where both were pupils. He was sent there as a teenage United academy player. They were dating when he made his first team debut in February 2016 in a UEFA Europa League match against FC Midtjylland. 7 Lucia takes snap of her man during photoshoot at the Camp Nou Credit: x 7 Lucia lends Marcus a hand by checking his shirt 7 Rashford during Barca's phone box stunt Credit: Facebook. He scored twice in the 5-1 victory at Old Trafford. They split in 2021 after Covid put a strain on their relationship but reconciled the following year. In February 2022, they were seen at the world premiere of Amazon Prime documentary 'Rooney' at HOME cinema in Manchester. Three months later, he proposed to Lucia after a romantic meal at celebrity restaurant Catch LA in West Hollywood, California. He got down on one knee and handed her a £250,000 engagement ring, posting a picture on Instagram of them kissing. Behind them was a large heart made from white flowers. Beneath the picture was the date and a love heart emoji. Lucia, who graduated with first class honours in Advertising and Brand Management, was a regular in the stands at Old Trafford. But in June 2023, sources said Rashford and the former Manchester Metropolitan University student had split after he was seen with a model outside a hotel in Miami. 7 Sources said Rashford and Lucia had split in June 2023 Credit: Getty She was later identified as personal trainer Courtney Caldwell. In November 2023, Rashford and Lucia were seen having dinner at a restaurant in Manchester. He was briefly linked to model and former Love Island contestant Grace Jackson last year, but the relationship ended in December. Back in Spain, meanwhile, Rashford is expected to be on 15 per cent less than the £315,000-a-week he was paid at Man United. He spent the second half of last season at Aston Villa after Amorim made it plain he would not be part of his plans for United's future. Barcelona almost signed Rashford in January, a move the star said he wanted to go through. After the deal was finally signed on Wednesday, club president Joan Laporta said: 'We are very happy because a player of great quality is coming, at a great age. 'We have him as strong as a rock. He came in very motivated.'
