ROBBIE WILLIAMS’ new biopic is bound to be juicy with a life story as wild as his.
But he has been forced to tear up some of the script over legal threats by people who are unhappy about how they could come across in the film.
At the first of two huge performances at London’s Royal Albert Hall, Robbie told the audience: “It is a b***h to put a film together.
“You tell all of these stories and then legally you have to pass them to see if lots of people will sue you.
“So I sent the script off to lots of people to see if they would sue me — and it turns out they would.”
Laughing, he added: “At the start of this movie there were at least five villains.
“There were at least five a**holes in the script.
“And now because of legal reasons there is only one a**hole in the movie and you are looking at him.”
Robbie’s film, called Better Man, is being directed by New Zealand filmmaker Michael Gracey and will follow the former Take That singer’s journey to superstardom.
During the sell-out London concert, Robbie opened up about how the pair first met and admitted he thought Michael was tapping him up for The Greatest Showman when he first started working on the film around seven years ago.
Robbie explained to the crowd: “Michael directed a little movie you might know, called The Greatest Showman.
“He once came to my house and said, “I want to pitch you something’.
“He said, ‘Look, I have got this film and it is about an entertainer.
“It’s about P.T Barnum, the greatest entertainer of all time’.
“He showed me the script for the movie and he talked all the way through it.
“I thought, ‘I know what is coming,’ and he played me the songs. They are amazing, right?
“At the end of it he said, ‘I need you to do me a favour? Will you phone Hugh Jackman and ask him to do it please?’
“That’s a true f***ing story. Just think what could have been.”
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EMOTIONAL NICK BOYED BY CROWD
by Jill Robinson
IT was arguably one of the hardest gigs of Nick Carter’s life as he took to the stage less than 24 hours after the death of his brother Aaron.
He had the crowds screaming at the top of their lungs every time it was his turn to take a verse.
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While the dance moves and vocals were as sharp 30 years on from the band’s inception, Nick appeared to struggle with his emotions during ballads such as Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely and Incomplete.
His bandmates Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough, AJ Mclean and Brian Littrell hugged him before they paid tribute to Aaron – who was found dead at his California home aged 34 on Saturday.
Kevin told the sold-out crowd on Sunday night: “Tonight we’ve got heavy hearts because we lost one of our family members yesterday.
“We just wanted to find a moment in our show to recognise him.
“He’s a part of our family and we thank you guys for all your love and support.”
Far from making the show sombre, though, the band kept their spirits high for the crowd – promising they would “party like it’s 1999”.
The biggest cheers came for Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), The One and Larger Than Life, which closed the epic set – with fans cheering loudly for Nick to show them their support.
★★★★☆
RITA WEARS KNIT WELL
WHEN it comes to headgear, Rita Ora has got it covered.
She wore it in the rain – but it probably wouldn’t have been much good at keeping her dry given the scarf was made out of wool.
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And, of course, she had her showbiz shades on too – even though the sun hasn’t come out for days.
This will probably be the most normal and reserved outfit Rita wears this week, though.
She is flying out to Dusseldorf in Germany to host the MTV EMAs with her husband Taika Waititi on Sunday, and I have no doubt she will be putting the wardrobe department to work.
Last time she hosted the event – in London in 2017 – Rita wore 13 different outfits, including a dressing gown on the red carpet because she wasn’t ready in time.
There’s going to be plenty of work at baggage handling when she lands in Germany.
NOEL GETS KICK FROM NEW ALBUM
NOEL GALLAGHER has revealed he will drop his new album in May.
The High Flying Birds frontman spilled the news on Italian radio when asked about watching Manchester City play while he is on tour.
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Noel said: “The team is doing good, we’re having a good season.
“Hopefully we will be in Istanbul around when my new album is out next May, so that would be good.
“It would be absolutely perfect. That’s the time of my birthday so it could well be the best birthday ever.
“I can’t say what the album is called yet though.”
Noel, who released new song Pretty Boy last week, also revealed he has added writing and recording a Bond theme tune to his bucket list.
He said: “I would love to do a James Bond theme tune . . . and maybe some porn movies. I’m up for anything.”
Yesterday Noel and his band were announced as headliners for South Facing Festival in London’s Crystal Palace Park on July 28.
As festival’s go, this one’s really caught my attention as it’s just a short walk from my house, which makes a nice change.
If Noel, or other performers Craig David and Nathan Dawe, fancy joining me for the best pizza south of the River Thames – courtesy of Sicilian maestro Salvo at Baturello in Beckenham –hit me up gents!
Bizbit
Coldplay, Lewis Capaldi, Sam Smith, Tom Grennan and KSI have all been announced for the first night of Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball with Barclaycard.
They will be joined by Mimi Webb, Sigala, Nathan Dawe, Lf System and Eliza Rose at the O2 Arena in London on December 10.
The line-up for the second night on December 11 will be announced during Roman Kemp’s Capital show from 7am today.
RIRI SUPER HYPED FOR THE STUDIO
RIHANNA admits her forthcoming performance at the Super Bowl has encouraged her to “get to work” in the studio.
The Work singer will take to the stage for the half-time show in February but denied it means a new album – which would be her first since 2016’s Anti – is done and dusted.
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She said: “That’s not true. Super Bowl is one thing. New music is another thing. Do you hear that, fans?
“The second I announced this, I said, ‘Oh, my God, they’re going to think my album is coming. I need to get to work.”
Rihanna became a mum in May and said returning to music meant doing something bigger than she’s done before.
Speaking about the half-time show, she told AP: “If I’m going to leave my baby, I’m going to leave my baby for something special. It was now or never for me.
“It was a challenge that I welcomed. It was a stage bigger than anything I’ve ever done.”
BELLA’S AS COMMON AS MUCKLOWE
DAISY MAY COOPER wasn’t exactly considered the height of fashion when she wore an old football shirt as Kerry Mucklowe in hit BBC sitcom This Country.
But perhaps she was on to something after all . . .
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Balenciaga and Adidas have teamed up for a collection featuring an item that looks suspiciously similar – which even top model Bella Hadid is a fan of.
She was pictured in the jersey with the same Adidas stripes down the sleeve, although somehow I doubt Daisy’s character would have paid quite as much as Bella.
It is being sold for a whopping £750 as part of Balenciaga’s Spring ’23 collection.
You’d be better off popping down your local market for one.
Bizbit
THE team behind Gareth Southgate’s waistcoat jumper have launched a range of festive charity knits for the World Cup.
NotJust has created three new pullovers, inspired by England retro football shirts, with 50 per cent of profits going to Football Beyond Borders and Bloomsbury Football.
Since it began, the company has raised almost £100,000.
Other designs have included the faces of Lewis Capaldi and Louis Theroux.
I’ve got mine on order.
N-DUBZ’S BUS IS TOUR-STAR
CHRISTMAS has come early for N-DUBZ fans.
They kicked off their tour last night in Newcastle and now I can reveal they are deep into recording an album.
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I first broke the news that the Noughties hip-hop trio were reuniting in May, before they released comeback single Charmer.
Now the Londoners’ album will be their first since Love.Live.Life in 2010, which peaked at No7 in the charts.
Tulisa, Dappy And Fazer – who also had hit albums Uncle B and Against All Odds – have even installed a temporary studio on their pimped-out tour bus as they travel the country over the next few weeks.
The super-swanky double-decker boasts multiple TVs, an Xbox, kitchen, bunk beds as well as private bedrooms.
A source said: “It’s the first time N-Dubz have toured in over a decade and life on the road can be gruelling.
“But this time around their bus is the best that money can buy. It’s uber-glam and has an amazing built-in sound system as well as a games console and private bedrooms.”
The band’s 23-date tour includes four nights at London’s 20,000-seater O2 Arena.
When N-Dubz decided to call it quits more than a decade ago, the music industry was a totally different landscape.
Nowadays, streaming and social media dominate.
But the group insist they have taken the transformations in their stride – and look forward to fully embracing them in their own style.
Dappy previously said: “Now there’s social media, you can just drop a freestyle. Just watch what we’ve got for you.
“There’s TikTok and that. It’s so exciting.”
Fazer added: “N-Dubz was made for TikTok. The back and forth thing.
“Imagine the recreation videos that are gonna happen. It’s going to be mad.”
JUSTIN’S STAR TURN
JUSTIN BIEBER is looking a bit starstruck with these little stickers on his face.
He was spotted in Beverly Hills with the odd additions.
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But they weren’t the result of Justin getting carried away during an arts and crafts session with wife Hailey.
The stickers are actually pimple patches, which are supposed to cover up and get rid of spots.
Justin is currently taking some time out for his health after postponing the remainder of his world tour.
If he wants to draw attention away from his face, zit’s not doing the trick.
DAN BACKS BAILEY
THE SCRIPT’s frontman Danny O’Donoghue has tipped TikTok star Bailet 333 for global success.
The young singer found fame during lockdown and has a raft of famous fans.
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He was signed by the team behind Hozier and is preparing first album.
Danny has been working with Bailey on the record and in an exclusive chat said: “He is a brilliant young talent that’s set for superstardom.
“He can hang with the best of them in the studio and on stage.
“He’s got an amazing future ahead of him.”