The British singer has spoken about the 'Kiss You' group in the past and he mentioned how he sees part of his former self in the young group.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Williams said that he likes to keep tabs on the progress of the boyband after performing with them on the X Factor in 2010.

The 'Take The Crown' man added that he is also envious of Harry Styles' alleged romantic deviances. When asked if he still thinks of them like 'showbiz brothers', Williams replied:

"They are. I sang 'She’s The One' with them on The X Factor, so I've seen various stages of their growth. And I've been a member of One Direction, as it were. So I like seeing how they’re doing. Following Harry and his many romances and being slightly envious. Checking out their new tattoos and me showing them my new tattoos. I’m in the One Direction bad tattoo club. I have bad tattoos – so do they."

The ‘Angels’ singer is going back on the road this month for his ‘Take The Crown’ tour, and has found that his physical preparations aren’t coming along quite as easily as they used to.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, Williams said: “There’s no getting away from it, the big 4-0 isn’t far away.

“My back is f***** and I am stretching every day to make sure I’m in shape for the tour. I’m well aware I have gone a bit ‘dad-sized’.’

The Take That star also compared his younger physique with that of a certain One Direction heartthrob: “There was more of a chance of me being Harry Styles when I was Harry Styles’ age. I had a similar body shape to him.”

He added:“But nobody tells you that you carry on getting thicker and thicker, depending on your DNA. I am slowly turning into my father.

“I am like a trunk of some kind, it’s definitely not lithe. That’s not the word for it. This shape doesn’t lend itself to the running-man dance, let’s say, or body-popping, any more.

“Regardless of what I eat, or how much exercise I do, nature is taking its course, and I am becoming my old man. I’m fine with that, I just hope the missus is.”

Check out Williams’ video for ‘Candy’ here:

]]> London Newsdesk http://www.pressparty.com/pg/newsdesk/robbiewilliams/view/78268/ Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:10:42 +0100 http://www.pressparty.com/pg/newsdesk/robbiewilliams/view/78268/ Cheeky hitmaker Robbie Williams has revealed his admiration for boyband Lawson by praising the frontman's good looks and charm.

Both acts performed at Capital FM's Summertime Ball recently and the 'Angels' star told the radio station that he was impressed by how attractive the quartet are and referred specifically to singer Andy Brown:

"I'm currently looking at a picture of Lawson and, geez, that lead singer's good-looking isn't he?"

After the group's set Williams told reporters: "I like Lawson!"

Earlier this week, the Take That artist told Capital FM that he and Olly Murs have been working on a secret project together that is likely to be released later this year: "We've done a bit of business together in the last few weeks that should be coming out towards the end of the year. In one way or another."

Watch Williams' recent Capital FM interview here:

During an interview with Capital FM about the Summertime Ball, the Take That superstar explained that he has "done a bit of business" with 'Troublemaker' Murs over the past few weeks and they plan to release something before 2013 is over:

"We've done a bit of business together in the last few weeks that should be coming out towards the end of the year in one way or another."

Meanwhile, Murs has been confirmed as the main support act for Williams' upcoming tour and the first date will take place this week in Ireland on Friday, June 14.

The two acts performed at the Capital FM Summertime Ball at London's Wembley Stadium on Sunday (June 9) and it seems there was musical inspiration in the air.

Speaking to the radio station before playing the event, Williams said that he met the South Korean hitmaker for the first time backstage.

And it seems he would like to work with the 'Gangnam Style' man on a somewhat surprising collaboration. Williams said:

"I get the feeling that he networks well. I could learn from him - I'd like to be in the studio with him and come up with something, it would be fun!"

The 'Take The Crown' man also revealed a desire to work with fellow Brit Jessie J.

The 'Take The Crown' star is due to head out on a grand European tour this summer with Olly Murs as support.

Williams today (May 29) unveiled footage of his band having a practice before the big dates.

He can be heard rapping over the top of AC/DC's classic track 'Back In Black', whilst he is also seen speaking to his bass player.

As previously reported, Williams poked fun at BBC Radio 1's Nick Grimshaw after the DJ deemed his new material irrelevant for the station.

He said: "I did the Brits and started singing, 'Hey-ho, here we go' to a bunch of industry people and they were all just like, 'F*** off, you're fat and you're old. And Radio 1 don't play you no more – you're fat and you're old'. Isn't that right Nick, you b******?"

As previously reported, the star's single 'Candy' was dodged by the popular radio station because Williams was deemed "irrelevant" to their listeners.

The 'Take The Crown' singer performed at last night's (May 13) Sony Radio Academy Awards, with DJ Grimshaw in the audience.

Williams quipped about the radio rejection, with The Sun quoting him as saying:

"I did the Brits and started singing, 'Hey-ho, here we go' to a bunch of industry people and they were all just like, 'F*** off, you're fat and you're old. And Radio 1 don't play you no more – you're fat and you're old'."

He is then said to have looked at Grimshaw and said: "Isn't that right Nick, you b******?"

Williams, however, added that he has been let back on BBC Radio 1 with his new Dizzee Rascal collaboration 'Goin' Crazy'.

The track 'Goin' Crazy' will feature on the UK rapper's forthcoming new album 'The Fifth'.

Speaking to The Sun, Williams said that the pair bonded during an all-nighter in the US, revealing that he has "never been so urban". The singer said:

"I was expecting Dizzee to come round to my place in LA for an hour. He got round at 6pm, we chatted for hours and he left at 6am. Then he said he wanted the song to sound like Queen. It was a great night."

Williams added: "I have never been so urban. When I heard Dizzee wanted me, I was like, 'F*k* yes!'. He only deals in bangers and life is getting shorter for me. The song instantly sounded like a smash. I love his vibe, his energy and he is a real talent. He seems to be the voice of this generation, so it was a no-brainer."

The duo filmed the video for the song in London on Wednesday (May 1), with the pair riding on scooters.

The pop singer’s comments reveal his attitude towards the British music scene and how acts are failing to reflect the current social climate.

Reminiscing about the ‘90s Williams said: “There has not been that same spirit ever since, I don’t think.”

The ex-Take That band member also made reference to music genres of decades gone by and political music acts he admires: “Once, you’d go from mod to new romantic to punk, and then rave and then guitar, and then... nothing.”

He questioned, “Where are the Billy Bragg’s and The Clashes?”

The ‘Angels’ soloist believes that the present political environment is ripe for inspiring new defiant artists: “I think there is plenty to rebel against right now, especially with what is happening with the world, with how people are being treated by governments and the recession. Normally this is the time of great upheaval and great voices that rise and say, ‘No we are not f***ing having this’.”

However, Williams was aware that his comments may be viewed as hypocritical as he joked: “Not that I’m doing anything about it, I’m in a mansion in Los Angeles. What do I know?”

Robbie Williams was recently confirmed as having joined the line-up at the Capital FM Summertime Ball. The star-studded event takes place on June 9. 

Watch Robbie Williams' video 'Different' below:

The 'Reality Killed The Video Star' singer said, “Her mother’s mental in a brilliant comedienne kind of way. Me and the wife have a good line in being horrible to each other in front of Teddy. I wouldn’t be surprised if she turns out like Saffy from Absolutely Fabulous..."

In spite of this, Williams admited that he sometimes overlooks the fact that he even has a daughter.

He said, “Some days I forget that I’ve got her but fortunately Ayda doesn’t. I can spend a couple of days and think, oh Jesus, I didn’t do bath time for the last two nights!”

Watch Robbie Williams perform 'Candy' at the 2013 BRIT Awards here:

The singer became a father for the first time last year after wife Ayda Field gave birth to baby Teddy.

Speaking to The Sun, the 'Candy' man revealed that he has inked a tattoo of his daughter on one of his arms.

He added that she has helped "save his life" because the birth encouraged him to give up smoking. Williams said:

"I have a little teddy bear with a T on her tummy tattooed on my left arm. I'm not sure how else I've changed but I've given up smoking so Teddy has probably saved my life in more ways than one."

Williams meanwhile is gearing up to tour the UK in a massive stadium tour this summer, which will see pal Olly Murs support.

The 'Angels' hitmaker is only 39-years-old, but explained that his heart is still in Stoke-On-Trent although he is married to an American woman so is confused about where he should end up:

"The thing about Stoke, my heart seems to be there. I have an interesting dilemma. If we stay in Los Angeles and this is our home for the rest of time, I’m not going to want to be buried at Stoke-on-Trent. When I am back in Stoke, my favourite place to visit is my grandma’s grave at Tunstall Cemetery. I have always thought that is where I would end up, at the cemetery."

“But because I now have an American bird as my wife, and I plan to be with her for the rest of time. Ayda’s grandma is in a cemetery over here, in a cemetery just down the road from our house. Her grave is constantly in the sun. It’s a nice place to end up."

During his recent Radio Rudebox podcast he also confessed that he isn't afraid of death, adding: "I don’t feel sad about it for some reason, it’s an inevitability. I may take cremation on board. I always thought I was going to be buried."

Listen to Williams discuss the possibility of UFOs here:

The singer has long been linked to working with the '21' star and it had been mooted that she could appear on his forthcoming new swing album.

However, despite being good friends with Adele's boyfriend Simon Konecki, it seems Williams is too bashful to ask for a duet. He told RTE:

"She and my wife, Ayda, are really good friends and I'm really good friends with Simon [Konecki], her boyfriend. We're good pals, but I wouldn't ask Adele to sing on my record. The whole world wants Adele to sing on their record. I think we'll just leave it as a nice friendship, so that story about a duet is totally made up."

The 'Candy' star, however, added: "I can tell you that Mr Michael Bublé is on the album. Me and Michael on the same record, I'm so excited! We're going to record a song I've written and graciously, he thinks it's a good tune too and wants to be on it...I am a big fangirl of him."

The British singer is due to take his live show around the continent this summer with pal Olly Murs as support.

Speaking to The Sun, Williams suggested that he will showcase some "live sex and nudity" on stage when he performs in Amsterdam in July. The singer joked:

"I plan to do a lot of live sex on stage and I am practising by having a lot of un-live sex, but it didn't work out very well. There is lots of me singing my songs and live sex."

The 'Candy' man continued: "I can promise you nudity and the sex will be with myself. I am not having sex with Olly...I might do if it sells more tickets."

The former Take That star has other plans beside his music career, and has revealed his aspirations in a new interview.

Speaking to the Daily Star, Williams says he'd quite like to have his own talk show after proving he has a way with questioning.

He explained:  “Someone wrote about how annoying it can be when I interview people and don’t let them interview me. But the reasons for this are threefold: firstly, I quite fancy myself as some sort of host or interviewer and like to practise, so it’s something I may do at some point.

Williams added: “Secondly, 99% of interviews are crap, mediocre questions, and thirdly, I’m genuinely interested in people.”

Williams is famed for his outspoken nature and recently slammed February's BRIT Awards for being like a "dentists' convention".