I’ve been a fan of Robbie Williams as a musician and a character for most of my life, which is incredible to think of really. I bought his first single at the age of 11, and he hasn’t had an album that I haven’t bought, listened to and enjoyed in some way since then. Some people would class him as a guilty pleasure, but that’s not where he sits for me. Sure, I happily walk around in my Bowie t-shirts or tag myself at Guns N Roses gigs, but I absolutely don’t mind telling anyone that I love the music of Robbie Williams.

I’ve seen this four-part documentary series getting slammed in the press, and I wonder why this is. I think Mr Williams has always walked a fine line between love and hate with the media. He’s a figure that sells, a bit like certain members of the royal family. This trickles down to readers of whatever media is talking about him, and most people don’t have time anymore to read beyond the headlines.

So, when a review starts with a line saying that this documentary is just Robbie yabbing on in his pants watching a laptop, it does it a great disservice.

Robbie Williams is factually one of the most successful musical performers to come from the UK, and this documantary is a unique look into where he is at in 2023. It references his past but the really interesting thing is what the man feels about his life, as he looks back on his life a few months before he turns 50. And it is absolutely captivating. It’s not a documentary about Robbie Williams recording Angels, or going to rehab, or releasing a comeback album. It’s about what his take on it is now, and that is a really genius framing for a documentary.

If you’ve ever enjoyed the music of Robbie Williams, or Take That, this is an important piece of the puzzle to understanding how he thinks. Don’t let a negative review convince you to not watch it.

You know you want to.