Music icon Robbie Williams has given a candid and emotional insight into the pressures facing his teenage daughter, revealing a heartbreaking late-night text where she expressed her deep-seated fears about the future.
The 2am Message of Fear
Speaking to Scott Mills on BBC Radio 2, the former Take That star disclosed that his 13-year-old daughter, Teddy, sent him a vulnerable message in the early hours of the morning. The text, sent at 2:06am on a Thursday, laid bare her anxieties about a life outside the spotlight.
"She sent me a text the other day," Robbie explained before reading it aloud. "It says... 'Dad, what if I'm not a singer? It's my biggest fear not to be a singer. What if I'm nothing?'" He noted that she had used capital letters for emphasis on the word 'biggest'.
A Father's Understanding and Concern
Robbie, who shares Teddy with his wife Ayda Field, said he could relate to her burning ambition, recalling his own childhood dreams in Stoke-on-Trent of appearing on Top of the Pops. However, he admitted that the desire seems even more "acute" in his daughter.
His initial, light-hearted response was to reassure her by pointing out her status as a 'nepo baby', telling her, "Babe, you're a nepo. You'll be fine." But his deeper concern lies not with her career prospects, but with her personality.
"The only thing that worries me is that she's incredibly sensitive," the Angels singer confessed. "She is worse than me. And I'm worried about what words will do to her." He elaborated that while he can guide her professionally, he fears the impact of "mean people" and the harsh scrutiny that accompanies fame.
Life in the Spotlight and New Ventures
Despite his worries, Robbie also reflected on the positives of a creative life, calling it a "wonderful, wonderful job". Teddy, who has been in the public eye since childhood, is already forging her own path.
She recently made her acting debut in the Christmas film Tinsel Town, playing the daughter of Rebel Wilson's character. She attended the premiere alongside her proud parents, Robbie and Ayda.
The couple are also parents to son Charlie, 10, and two younger children, Coco, 7, and Beau, 5. The family's life, often shared with the public, continues to navigate the complex intersection of private family moments and public celebrity.
