Robbie Williams writes poignant open letter to former manager

Robbie Williams wrote a poignant open letter to his former manager Nigel Martin-Smith to insist he never blamed him for his drug-taking and personal problems during his early years in Take That.

The pop star has written an open letter to music mogul Nigel Martin-Smith - who brought the boyband together and managed them during their 1990s heyday - after they both appeared in new BBC documentary series 'Boybands Forever' and Nigel seemingly suggested Robbie blamed him for his troubles - but the singer has insisted his substance abuse issues would have happened even if he was working as a "taxi driver".

In the note posted on Instagram, Robbie wrote: "Hey Nige. Hope all is good in your world and life is being kind to you. Just thought I'd jot down a few thoughts about our appearance together as talking heads on the BBC doc 'Boybands Forever'.

"I was equal parts terrified and excited to be sharing a screen with you again. Excited to see where we are on this journey and terrified in case old enemies would be triggered and I'd still be in a place of hurt or fear.

"As it happens, it would appear that time has done its thing and I guess the wisdom it brings has taken its mop to a few nooks and crannies here and there. I guess not every nook has been bleached."

Robbie went on to paraphrase Nigel's words in the documentary, writing: "[Nigel said] He's smart, is Robbie and it's quite clever, you know, 'I did drugs because I was in this band where I couldn't have girlfriends or I couldn't go out. That evil t**t Nigel, it's his fault that I'm behaving like a w*****'."

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He went on to hit back at the claims, writing: "Allow me to respond to your assertion. My drug taking was never your fault. My response to the warped world that surrounded me is solely my own.

"How I chose to self-medicate is and was something that I will be monitoring and dealing with for the whole of my life. It's part of my make-up and I would have the same malady had I been a taxi driver.

"I just got there quicker due to having the finances whilst trying in vain to counteract the turbulence of pop stardom's matrix-bending washing machine."

Robbie went on to insist plenty of boyband stars get ill and suffer heartbreaking personal problems - explaining his Take That bandmates fought their own demons after shooting to fame at a young age - and he reminded Nigel how young he was when he was under his care.

The pop star added: "If you are following this story closely you can't help but notice a pattern emerge. Boys join a boyband. Boys get sick .. Some never mange to untangle the mess of the wreckage of the past ...

"I will also remind you that the person acting like a 'w*****' was 16 when he joined the band and 21 when he left. That was the last time I saw you.

"I hope I have more grace and understanding when and if any of my own four children at such a vulnerable age behave in the same manner."