Latest news with #TakeThat
Edinburgh Live
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh crowd goes wild as Michelle McManus join Robbie Williams for special duet
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Robbie Williams' fans were left gobsmacked on Saturday night when Pop Idol sensation Michelle McManus made a surprise appearance on stage with the Rock DJ singer. The unexpected duet took place as Robbie launched his Britpop tour at Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium. Michelle, originally from Baillieston and winner of Pop Idol in 2003, joined her old mate Robbie to perform a duet of Relight My Fire to a crowd of 70,000 at Murrayfield. Their joint performance of the song, famously covered by Take That in 1993, thrilled fans who gave the pair a standing ovation. Robbie's setlist for the evening included all his biggest hits such as She's The One, Feel, Angels and Let Me Entertain You, making it an unforgettable night for his dedicated followers. (Image: Instagram/Michelle McManus) Before her performance, Michelle, 45, admitted she was more nervous about singing in front of Robbie than she had been when she performed for the Pope. She confessed: "My happy place is when I sing, so the singing part is not the problem. "The nervous part is singing to Robbie Williams in front of 70,000 people.", reports the Daily Record. "When we did the Pope's visit in Bellahouston, it was 80,000-but singing for a bunch of cardinals and a Pope was slightly different from singing for Robbie Williams." Back in March, it was revealed that Robbie, 51, had surprised Michelle with an invitation to sing with him during her BBC Scotland Radio show. In a surprising turn during their interview, Robbie popped the question: "Would you like to come and sing with me in Edinburgh?". Michelle was clearly taken aback, as she asked in disbelief: "Sorry... What? What was that?". Without hesitation, she excitedly accepted his invitation, saying: "Yes, I'm saying yes-I would love that. You are amazing. And you are an incredible human being. I meant every word I said before this even came up." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. Following their impromptu duet, Michelle took to Instagram to share a picture from their onstage collaboration, succinctly captioning it: "This diva though." Robbie didn't hold back on social media either, posting multiple images from his electrifying performance that night. He captured a particularly daring moment with the photo showing him suspended headfirst above the audience, accompanied by the caption: "Scotland – I love you. That was an incredible opening night. Until next time. Rob x".
The Courier
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Robbie Williams superfan from Dundee reveals how she got a kiss from idol in front of 70k fans
A Robbie Williams superfan from Dundee has revealed her kiss from the star in front of 70,000 people nearly didn't happen. Debbie Allan, from Lochee, says her 'dream came true' when she received a peck from the singer during his gig at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. It was the highlight of their 10-minute interaction, which was displayed on the big screen on Saturday night. During this time the former Take That superstar sang Proclaimers classic Sunshine on Leith, held Debbie's hand, and even lightheartedly traded swear words with the 42-year-old. Pictures and video of the encounter have gone viral on Facebook and TikTok, with thousands empathising with Debbie's on-screen tears as she got up close and personal with the household name. But the once-in-lifetime meeting so nearly didn't happen, Debbie told The Courier. Debbie has been a Robbie Williams fan for more than 30 years and has seen him perform live around 35 times. These include all his Scottish shows, many in England, and even a gig in Munich, Germany. In the past few tours he has picked out a fan standing at the front to dedicate his song 'She's The One' to. So Debbie, with fellow Dundonian and superfan Paula Williamson, joined the Robbie Williams gig queue first thing in the morning in the hope of being picked out by the 51-year-old Stokie. But on Saturday at 10pm, having been at Murrayfield since 6am, Williams chose another woman standing nearby. 'He actually spoke to another girl first,' Debbie told The Courier. 'But she was from Germany and he wanted someone from Scotland. 'So I shouted 'I'm from Dundee'. 'That's when he came over.' The next 10 minutes were 'crazy', Debbie says. 'He came down, asked me where I was from and then he started singing Sunshine on Leith,' she said. 'He had his hand on my arm and I was holding his arm. 'I was quite happy and could have stood there all day – I wouldn't have cared. 'I was just holding him, looking at him and thinking 'Oh my God, I can't believe this is actually happening'.' After mischievously asking why Hearts fans tend to boo Williams' rendition of Hibs anthem Sunshine on Leith, the focus again turned to Debbie. 'He said to me, 'I never ask a woman how old she is…so what do you weigh?',' she recalled. 'And I told him to f*** off. 'He then cuddled me and said, 'That's why I love Scottish people. You ask them a question and they tell you to f*** off'. 'He gave me a direct kiss on the lips. It was so unexpected and I burst out crying. 'The camera was on me the whole time. 'The crying face was all over the screens. 'It was the most surreal experience ever.' Williams returned to the stage to sing She's The One, which topped the UK charts in 1999. But the spotlight hadn't left Debbie just yet. She explained: 'He dedicates that song to a fan. 'And even during the song he said things like 'wee Debbie'. 'There was still a camera on me the whole time. 'Then he waved at me after he sang it. 'I was crying.' Debbie had only once before made it onto a TV screen through her Robbie fandom. It was in February 1999, when she was asked why she was queuing so early for Williams' only Aberdeen gig. 'It was snowing and reporters were saying 'You can't be out queuing in the snow'. But we didn't care,' Debbie said. The scale of this exposure was minor compared to Saturday's experience. Debbie said: 'I've waited 30 years for a moment like that, it's just unbelievable. 'Every fan wants it to be them, and I hope that girl from Germany gets her moment when Robbie is next over there. 'For it to be me was unbelievable. It was surreal. 'Even after the gig, complete strangers were coming up to me, saying 'It's Debbie from Dundee'. 'It's been so emotional. 'Robbie is one of the best entertainers we have. 'He knows how to work the audience and is just unreal. 'I can't put into words what the guy means to me.' She added: 'I have followed him since I was 10 years old and to have this moment is like a dream come true. It's just amazing. 'Every time I watch the video and talk about it I'm crying. It's mental. 'I'm trying to save all the different videos but every one of them is just amazing. It's crazy.' The Courier's live news reporter James Simpson was among the 70,000 people at Murrayfield for the gig. The Dundonian admits Debbie's interactions with Williams put a lump in his throat. He said: 'Robbie asked if anyone else was from Dundee, and there was a good reaction. 'Robbie then had a bit of banter with Debbie and her pal, who was trying to film it or take pictures. 'Robbie then dedicated 'She's The One' to Debbie. 'It was brilliant. 'She was emotional and gave him a hug during the performance. 'I was delighted that a local person had been picked – she even got a smacker on the lips from Rob. 'Suffice to say, she looked chuffed.'
The Guardian
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Robbie Williams review – dazzling superstar glow from the ‘King of Entertainment'
'Allow me to re-introduce myself,' Robbie Williams declares, with real gravitas. 'This is my band. This is my ART.' Then he holds his mic to his crotch and waggles it. Yep – same old Robbie. After eccentric diversions into film and visual arts, the pop star's grand return to stadium shows begins with a philosophical bent: a sombre video critiques the impact of technology on the pop sphere, replete with a deepfake Elvis, and implies that only one man – perhaps one with a whopping 15 No 1 albums – could possibly save the industry. As campy and braggadocious as he's ever been, after 35 years in the biz Williams crowns himself the 'King of Entertainment' and tonight is not a mere show but a 'journey'. That journey involves: Williams bathing flirtatiously in a handsy audience; T-shirts chucked out during Old Before I Die, of all the songs to choose; belting Take That's Relight My Fire with sparkly guest Michelle McManus. He even dives off a pyro-laden bridge to hang suspended by his ankles, in a visual tribute to his biggest-selling album Escapology. Less fun: the lengthy skits with yet more deepfakes, and some tedious preaching about 'embracing our inner cringe'. Throughout, Williams closely monitors our progress: 'That was really good,' he confirms, with a cocky shrug, after a psychedelic performance of Kids. 'I got goose bumps!' he grins, when the crowd bellows the chorus of Sexed Up. After a flamboyant Rock DJ, with the Broadway-style arrangement from the Better Man soundtrack: 'I'm shitting out hits!' But the meta narrative works best when it goes unsaid. Finishing on My Way, a swinging big-band moment with cacophonous brass, Williams has the superstar glow of a man living up to that regal title. The encore then begins with Feel, a song which stares bleakly at 'the role [he's] been given' and for the first time Williams is utterly sombre. The contrast is genuinely moving. 'Are you not entertained?' he roars gladiatorially, as we karaoke to Angels. Of course we are! Tonight's frenzied, overcompensating maximalism could indicate a dash of insecurity or total, outrageous confidence. As with all things Robbie, it's probably both.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Robbie Williams, Edinburgh review: 'relentlessly likeable'
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Robie Williams, Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh ★★★★ "Are my best days behind me?" asked Robbie Williams from the stage. "Am I still just the fat dancer from Take That?" It's been eight years since he last played this stadium, and although the several thousand people here clearly needed little reminding of a formative teenage crush and one of the most relentlessly good-at-his-job British pop stars of recent decades, at times it seemed like he was getting back into character. Robbie Williams performing at Murrayfield | Lisa Ferguson "I just spotted a fan I slept with back in the '90s," he said, and the camera zoomed in on a bloke in the crowd. Making fun of dated tabloid speculation about his sexuality continued later, as he appeared in a pink suit and feather boa for a bombastic New York, New York and a raw, sexy Kids alongside his entourage of female backing dancers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Williams made constant reference to the apparently traumatising effect of being an ex-member of Take That, uncannily impersonating Gary Barlow and closing a mid-set acoustic medley with a version of Relight My Fire. For this he was joined by Tom Rylance of support band the Lottery Winners and Michelle McManus. Robbie Williams performs at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | Lisa Ferguson He performed with arrogance and swagger, also an essential part of the brand, dashing off Let Me Entertain You, Old Before I Die and Rock DJ - the latter in ludicrous red feather coat and shades - early in the set, and drawing continual attention to his toned 51-year-old triceps. "I'm shitting hits all over the place," he proudly announced, and it was (not literally) true. Love My Life, Strong, Millennium, Come Undone and many more were remembered word-for-word by his audience.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Thousands of Robbie Williams fans flock to Murrayfield on opening night of superstar's major tour
Even some rain showers ahead of the show could not put a dampener on fans' spirits HE'S THE ONE Thousands of Robbie Williams fans flock to Murrayfield on opening night of superstar's major tour Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TENS of thousands of Robbie Williams fans turned out to see their hero perform live at Murrayfield tonight. Many supporters of the former Take That idol wore Stetson hats for the gig in Edinburgh. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 Maxine McCallum and Nikki Johnston are buzzing to see Robbie Williams live at Murrayfield Credit: Duncan McGlynn 3 Nurse Stacey Sutherland and pal Sarah Barker have been Robbie fans for years Credit: Duncan McGlynn 3 Rhiannon Smith and her mum Fran Connor are going to see the superstar as part of a birthday treat Credit: Duncan McGlynn And even some rain showers ahead of the show could not put a dampener on fans' spirits. Nurse Stacey Sutherland, 42, from Leven, Fife, said: 'I have been a fan of Robbie since the nineties. He's ageing like a fine wine, so he is.' And her pal, nail technician Sarah Baker, 36, who is also from Leven, added: 'He's just amazing. I've loved him since he was in Take That. I've always been team Robbie through and through.' Carer Rhiannon Smith, 25, from Kikintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, bought tickets to the gig for her mum Fran Connor, 48. Rhiannon said: 'I absolutely love Robbie and I bought my mum tickets for her birthday.' Fran added: 'I went to see Take That a few times - but Robbie was never there.' Auxiliary nurse Maxine McCallum, 25, from Bo'ness, Falkirk, said: 'I've been a fan of Robbie since I was ten.' Her pal Nikki Johnston, 32, a catering assistant, who is also from Bo'ness, added: 'I'm so excited. I only know his older songs. I'm only here for a good day.' We told previously how Scots singer Michelle McManus will take to the stage with the Angels hitmaker tonight. The Pop Idol winner, 45, revealed how she was more nervous to perform with Robbie than when she sang in front of the Pope. Robbie Williams records new music video in central London Glasgow-born Michelle was interviewing the She's The One singer on her BBC Radio Scotland show when he proposed the shock duet. The pair have known each other since the early 2000s when he offered her advice on coping with fame and the media. Robbie later agreed to be part of her 2023 documentary about talent show winners and even brought her to the London premiere of his acclaimed biopic last December.
