Robbie Williams Reveals He Has Autism

Robbie Williams has publicly shared that he has been diagnosed with autism. The 52-year-old music icon discussed the recent revelation during an intimate Q&A session, shedding light on how the diagnosis has provided him with newfound clarity regarding his lifelong struggles with mental health and his ongoing battle with "intrusive thoughts."

Robbie Williams © Kevin Payravi

Finding Answers at the Hopeium Launch

Speaking to an audience at Flannels for the Autumn/Winter launch of his clothing brand, Hopeium, the former Take That star spoke candidly about his neurological makeup. He explained that discovering he has "a little bit of autism," alongside his previously confirmed conditions, has been a profoundly positive experience for him.

"I have ADHD and I just found out I have a bit of autism as well, which I actually f***ing love because it explains so much," he told the crowd.

Displaying his trademark self-deprecating humour, Williams joked about how the revelation has given him a new perspective on his daily behaviour and eccentricities.

"It is my get-out-of-jail-free card now, and all the weird s**t that I do I just say 'sorry I'm autistic.'"

Channelling Anxiety Through Creativity

Williams went on to detail how his neurodivergence impacts his personal life, noting the extreme contrasts in his attention span and focus.

"With the ADHD you can completely and utterly concentrate on something 1000%, but with absolutely everything else, you just cannot do it. Ask my kids," he said.

To combat the darker side of his hyperactive mind, the singer relies heavily on his artistic outlets. Keeping his mind occupied with design, art, and humour is essential for keeping his anxieties at bay.

"What I'm completely and utterly obsessed with is creating images and making funny things, if I'm creating images and funny things, I'm not thinking about me, because my brain is incredibly creative, and it can be creative about everything in the world that you panic or scared about."

Managing the 'Level of Insanity'

To illustrate the sheer intensity of his racing mind, Williams shared a startling anecdote about a recent flight, demonstrating exactly why he needs to keep his creative instincts constantly engaged to drown out his darker thoughts.

"For example, this is how crazy I am, recently, I was sitting on a plane, and I thought 'what I can have telekinesis and my intrusive thoughts tell the plane to crash itself.' So that's the kind of level of insanity that I'm dealing with, it's best to train my brain to do something better than worrying about having supernatural powers and crashing a plane."

This latest update from the beloved entertainer follows a period of significant personal transparency. In October of last year, Williams revealed to the public that he had been diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome, as well as ADHD.

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Ellis Douglas
Editor, BritRock Heaven