'Candy' hitmaker Robbie Williams has admitted that the success of Take That's reunion came as a shock and he didn't want them to become the superstars they have.

He explained that re-joining the boyband was a great move, but he was conscious of how big they had become because he still had his eye on a solo career revival:

"When the boys first got together, I was pretty much, 'Oh, right, OK…'- then it was, 'They've sold 275,000 tickets... they've done what?!' I was gobsmacked. Gobsmacked in all manner of everything. Sort of, 'Wow, we meant that much to people, that's great. They mean that much to people? S**t!"

"I think it was confusion more than anything. [I was] pleased for the boys - you know not too pleased that I wanted them to take over the joint. It was like, you know, they can have a certain level. Just don't smash the living daylights out of it, like they did."

Williams also addressed his recent popularity and joked: "I think I stand somewhere just above Steps and slightly below Westlife. Not far away from there."

Watch his music video for new single 'Different' below: