Robbie Williams reveals he’s developed Tourette’s after battling ‘intrusive thoughts’ and says he’s ‘terrified’ to perform live

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Robbie Williams has publicly revealed, for the first time, that he has been privately dealing with Tourette’s syndrome.

As a longtime fan, it’s heartbreaking to hear the pop superstar, 51, describe his Tourette’s as ‘intrusive’. He says he mostly keeps the outbursts bottled up inside, but the thoughts themselves are so incredibly powerful that even standing in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans can’t distract him from them. It’s just… a lot to process, knowing he deals with this even while giving us such amazing performances. It really puts things into perspective.

The singer, who was diagnosed with ADHD and has struggled with various addictions since becoming famous in the early 1990s, has been to rehab several times. These stays have been primarily for treatment related to alcohol and drug abuse.

On the latest episode of Paul Whitehouse and Dr Mine Conkbayir’s podcast I’m ADHD! No You’re Not, released on Thursday, Robbie shared that he recently took an autism test. While the test was negative, it did show he has ‘autistic traits,’ like feeling anxious when he leaves the comfort of his bed – his safe space.

Additionally, during the very candid conversation, the singer confessed that he remains anxious about going on tour, even after performing for packed stadiums and arenas for many years – both as a solo artist and previously, as a member of the band, Take That.

This comes after the success of his Oscar-nominated film, Better Man, which showed Robbie dealing with the difficulties of fame, addiction, and feeling like a fraud. The film uniquely portrayed his character as a CGI chimpanzee to illustrate these internal battles.

Regarding his recent health update, Robbie shared: ‘I recently found out I have Tourette’s syndrome, but my tics aren’t outwardly visible.’

These are unwanted thoughts that pop into your head. I recently realized while walking that these thoughts are actually a part of my Tourette’s, but they stay internal – they don’t manifest as outward tics or actions. It just doesn’t come out.

On top of everything else, you’d expect that having a stadium filled with people expressing their affection for you would at least serve as a distraction, but something within me prevents me from registering it. I just can’t seem to absorb it.

Tourette syndrome is a neurological condition passed down through families. It’s marked by sudden, involuntary sounds and movements known as tics.

This health issue also affected fellow musician Lewis Capaldi, and it contributed to his break from music in 2023. He had to stop a performance at Glastonbury because of uncontrollable tics.

Similar to the Scottish singer, Robbie explains that his mental health has significantly impacted his ability to tour and perform live – and he acknowledges he continues to find the pressures of touring challenging.

He shared that he has a really difficult relationship with touring and performing live. He said people often assume he’s thrilled when he announces a tour, saying things like, “Oh, you’re going on tour? You must be really, really excited!” But that’s not the case at all. He admitted he’s actually terrified, saying it multiple times.

I’m very good at hiding how I really feel – almost like an Olympic athlete. The problem is, I often come across as confident, arrogant, and self-satisfied, using big gestures. This has actually worked to my advantage, getting my face known and keeping people interested. However, behind that facade, I usually feel completely different – the opposite of how I appear.

Robbie explains he experiences something like ‘PTST’ – similar to PTSD – stemming from his time performing with Take That. He recalls his successful period in the 2000s, saying ‘when I reached the peak of my career, it didn’t make me feel better,’ and admits ‘it continues to impact me even now.’

He explains that his wife, Ayda, 46, attempts to comfort him by pointing out, “you might never get to play in a stadium again. How lucky are you?,” but even that doesn’t stop Robbie from feeling anxious.

Robbie and Ayda have been married since 2010 and are parents to four children: Theodora, Charlton, Colette, and Beau. He’s called being a father a ‘beautiful journey.’

The celebrated artist, a record 18-time BRIT Award winner, has revealed he’s received an ADHD diagnosis on three separate occasions. He explains the multiple diagnoses stem from him forgetting he had already been told about the condition each time.

As a lifestyle expert, I often talk about self-discovery, and my own journey started back around 2006. I was browsing the Internet, and I came across information about ADHD. It was a real ‘aha!’ moment – I remember thinking, “all of those things are me!” It was a pretty wow moment, honestly.

Then I began to hear about a medication that had effects similar to stimulants, like speed. Specifically, Adderall.

Okay, so I finally met him, right? And honestly, I was already ahead of him. I was thinking, “I *already* know everything he’s going to say about me, I get it!” So I basically told him that – I said, “I understand who I am,” and then I was like, “Okay, now can I have the thing?” And, oh my gosh, he actually gave it to me! I can’t believe it! It was amazing.

I felt relieved to finally have an official diagnosis, but even more relieved to be getting 200 tablets. I kept hoping the tablets would cure me, because you’re always searching for a solution.

You’re constantly searching for a way to fix the problems in your own mind. That’s why I rapidly progressed from swallowing the pills to breaking them up and inhaling them.

Having become more conscious of his mental well-being, Robbie explains that he recently completed an online assessment to explore whether he might be on the autism spectrum and to identify any related characteristics.

He explained that while he isn’t autistic, he does exhibit some autistic traits. He clarified that these traits primarily relate to social interactions and how he connects with others.

I was really touched when Robbie told me he wanted to truly understand why I struggle with feeling so uncomfortable, especially first thing in the morning when I get out of bed. He genuinely wants to know what it’s like for me, and that means a lot. He said he wants to gauge how I’m feeling, and that’s a really sensitive way to approach it. Understanding my discomfort is important to him, and I appreciate that so much.

He explained: ‘Being in bed is where I feel most comfortable. Everything else feels uncomfortable.’

Things are improving. My twenties were truly terrible, and my thirties weren’t much better. My forties have been a turning point, and I’m generally feeling more positive now. However, I still feel self-conscious and, like I’ve needed medication to help, I’m still trying to figure out the root cause and understand why I felt this way for so long. I’m continually searching for answers.

Robbie being featured on the incredibly popular I’m ADHD! No You’re Not podcast signals both the beginning of a new season and happens to fall during ADHD Awareness Month in October.

The podcast has featured many well-known personalities, such as Stephen Fry, Katie Price, Lee Mack, Denise Welch, and Jimmy Carr, sharing their personal stories and experiences with ADHD.

Comedian Paul Whitehouse, who used to be doubtful about ADHD, developed the idea with his wife, Dr. Mine Conkbayir. Dr. Conkbayir is an expert in neuroscience specializing in early years education and was herself diagnosed with ADHD later in life.

The new season of the podcast will also welcome Sam Thompson, Sara Pascoe, Lucy Beaumont, Theo Pathitis, and Deborah Frances White as guests.

  • I’m ADHD! No You’re Not is available on all podcast platforms every Thursday at 6am

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2025-10-01 12:08