Robbie Williams has opened up about the unique and humorous approach he and his wife, Ayda Field, use to discuss his past struggles with drug and alcohol addiction with their four young children.
Using Humour to Navigate a Difficult Past
The 51-year-old singer, who has been sober for over two decades, explained that gallows humour is a key part of their family's communication. This tactic allows their children to be aware of his wild past during the height of his fame without fully grasping its severity.
In a candid new interview, the former Take That star detailed an 18-month period of acute alcoholism and addiction in the 1990s. His substance abuse included speed, acid, heroin, cocaine and what he described as 'heart-stopping' amounts of prescription drugs, leading to a rehab stint in 2007.
"When I reached rock bottom, I got a spade and dug a basement," Williams told The Sunday Times. "If I had carried on, I would have died."
'Narcissistic Dad' and Family Honesty
Williams revealed that his eldest daughter, 12-year-old Teddy, has him saved in her iPad contacts as 'Narcissistic Dad'. He stated that all his past issues, including addictions, ADHD, dyspraxia and self-obsession, exist in a "very humorous place" within the family.
"My wife’s and my love language is taking the p**s out of each other and we have this gallows humour that the kids are picking up on," he said. The couple are also parents to Charlie, 10, Coco, seven, and five-year-old Beau.
Last year, Ayda Field elaborated on their parenting strategy during an appearance on Loose Women. She confirmed they have age-appropriate conversations with their children about Robbie's history to prevent them from discovering it elsewhere.
"Teddy is aware her father is an alcoholic and a drug addict and that's why daddy doesn't touch these things," Ayda explained. "We always are considered in how we approach it but I think in our house we're very honest."
A Brush with Death and Lasting Recovery
Williams has previously spoken about how close he came to tragedy, admitting he was just '24 hours away from death' at the peak of his addiction. He described taking dangerous cocktails of up to 20 Vicodin in a night alongside Adderall.
In his 2023 Netflix documentary, he reflected on using substances for 'safety' after struggling in Take That. "I'm literally drinking like a bottle of vodka a night before going into rehearsals," he revealed, describing a life that had "spiralled out of control."
Diagnosed with depression in his early twenties, Williams said he turned to drink and drugs to suppress his feelings. He described the immense pressure of performing, comparing it to being trapped in a burning room on the hundredth floor.
Now, with a stable family life and over twenty years of sobriety, Robbie Williams uses openness and humour to ensure his past informs his children's future without casting a shadow over their present.
