The new Robbie Williams documentary on Netflix is one of the most talked about shows of the year and promises to be an incredible insight into his life.
Joining chart-topping boyband Take That in 1990 aged just 16, Robbie has gone on to become the most successful UK solo artist of all time. Trailed by cameras for over three decades, 30,000 hours of footage exists that Robbie himself has never seen… until now. Join the singer on his trip down memory lane in new four-part docuseries Robbie Williams on Netflix. Here's everything we know...
Robbie Williams documentary on Netflix release date
Robbie Williams' docuseries lands on Netflix on Wednesday November 8, with all four episodes available to stream via the service.
What's the docuseries about?
Raw, real and uncensored, Netflix’s docuseries follows the "Angels" and "Let Me Entertain You" singer on a trip down memory lane, as he watches archive material exploring the dizzy heights of stardom with Take That and as a solo artist, his battles with addiction and poor mental health and his triumphant comebacks.
Robbie Williams on Netflix: Who has directed it?
Directing the series is Joe Pearlman, who helmed the critically acclaimed Bros: After The Screaming Stops and Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now, which won Best Documentary at the National TV Awards 2023 earlier this year.
Explaining what intrigued him about the singer, Joe says: "For me, Robbie Williams has always been this cultural figure who was always in the papers and being talked about — but I'm not sure I knew too much about him and he just seemed like an incredibly intriguing character.
"After the Lewis Capaldi documentary, we started talking about who would be next, and Robbie’s name came up. Then I was told that he held an archive of over 30,000 hours of footage going back from the Take That days, all the way to now. Which got me thinking: What’s in that? What can we dig into? What hasn’t been seen before? It just felt like an unbelievable opportunity."
Robbie Williams on Netflix: How does it compare to other docuseries?
In a change to more traditional documentary formats, all four parts of the docuseries are centred on several hours of archive footage from Robbie at home, with loved ones, writing songs, performing on stage... and everything in between! As Robbie surveys the footage in front of him, he lifts the lid on the thoughts, feelings, hardships and triumphs he experienced at that time.
"Robbie said me very early on that he wanted to make something different and we started talking about what we could do with this amazing archive footage," says Joe. "We took the 30,000 hours, an incredible archive team of editors and producers whittled that down to about 10 hours and we structured an interview with Robbie essentially around those 10 hours.
"Nowadays, Rob doesn't really go out; you don't see him in the public eye too much and he keeps very much to himself. Every phone call I ever had with him, he would FaceTime me from his bed. It’s his safe place — so that’s where he sits in the documentary to do the interview!"
Does the doc explore his rise to fame with Take That?
The documentary begins when a young Robbie joined Take That at the tender age of 16 and goes right up to the present day.
"We start with Robbie’s enormous success with Take That and explore how this young boy from Stoke-on-Trent was thrust into the global spotlight. Then we follow his early solo career, during which he had lots of ups and downs along the way," says Joe.
"Being a celebrity, you put yourself out there in the world and it’s considered the deal with the devil you make. You’re living the dream — but what if it’s not what you expected it to be? This documentary explores the price of fame, having too much too young and whether it’s all worth it."
Sounds like it's warts and all...
It IS! The documentary is a behind the scenes look at the man behind the music.
"Throughout the series, Robbie is incredibly honest, funny, and desperate to entertain," says Joe. "He just wants to tell his truth — or discover a new truth, I guess. There were certainly things he found hard to talk about but nothing was ever off-limits."
Robbie Williams on Netflix: Are his battles with addiction and mental health issues explored?
The docuseries includes footage from Robbie's iconic 2003 gig at Knebworth, where he performed to a record audience of 360,000 fans over three nights. However, we learn how negative press coverage was impacting his mental health…
"Robbie’s a character who always listens to the negative," explains Joe. "He intrinsically believes he doesn't deserve success and doesn't have talent, when the reality is, he's standing in front of 365,000 people, giving them the greatest experience of their lives!
"But it’s like there’s these two characters that are constantly working together — and against each other — to create this entertainer for everyone. Rob doesn't consider himself an amazing singer or songwriter but this documentary reminds us he’s actually an unbelievable songwriter. A lot of his songs are ingrained in us and, here, we uncover the truth behind a lot of his lyrics."
By 2006, Robbie’s mental health was in serious decline and the documentary reveals how he secretly suffered a panic attack while performing on stage at Roundhay Park, Leeds, in front of 90,000 people…
"Robbie’s totally smashing his performance but, what people can’t see is, he’s functioning whilst in the worst anguish imaginable," says Joe. "His pain was often dealt with by using drugs and alcohol."
Do we see him at home with his family?
Following a stint in rehab, Robbie got back to health — and back on stage — with the support of his now wife Ayda Field, with whom he has had four children: daughter Teddy, 11, son Charlie, nine, daughter Coco, five, and three-year-old son, Beau.
"It’s lovely that viewers get to see Robbie at home with his family; Ayda’s an amazing person, his kids are incredible and he’s an unbelievable dad," says Joe. "We end on a positive note with Robbie back in his natural habitat: on stage. It’s where he needs to be. It’s where he feels at home.
"Robbie definitely went on a journey making this show; I know a lot of it was difficult for him but it’s testament to how much he gave to the project. It’s not all heavy. There's lots of fun, Rob ‘character’ and beautiful nostalgia. And, of course, great music, too!"
Robbie Williams on Netflix: Is there a trailer?
There sure is! Click below for a four-minute teaser for one of the best docuseries of The Year.
Robbie Williams available on Netflix from Wednesday November 8.
