Robbie Williams has admitted he wasn’t in the best place himself to help Zayn Malik, after claiming the former One Direction lad reached out to him.
According to the Take That legend, a member of Zayn’s team asked if he had any words of support or guidance, with the Rock DJ hitmaker saying he was asked whether he might be able to call in a bid to help the Zayn cope with his anxiety and other demons.
However Robbie, who accepts that he was ‘a poster boy for broken people’, said he didn’t have the heart to tell 26-year-old Zayn that things go downhill in showbiz and won’t necessarily get better.
Harsh, but Robbie would know the ins and outs of showbusiness better than anyone.
The 45-year-old singer told GQ Hype magazine: ‘When Zayn was going through it, his people reached out to me to give him a call to help him. And I was thinking, “Help? But I’m f***ed too.”
‘I didn’t want to f***ing phone the kid and tell him there’s no hope. You don’t want me on that phone call going, “Hey, I know you’re only 24 right now but it can only get worse. It is going to get f***ing worse”.’
Looking back, Robbie said he’d now share words of wisdom – should Zayn have asked 18 months later.
He said: ‘I’d take that phone call now, yeah. But at that particular time, you don’t want me on that phone call.’
Robbie has previously battled drug and alcohol abuse but has now been sober for 19 years.
He can remember some of the lowest points of his substance abuse, including how he spent one Christmas Day high on speed whilst visiting sick children with Take That.
The performer said: ‘We went to visit a children’s hospital. I’d been in the pub all night, and I necked a gram of speed and just carried on. I’m in a children’s hospital off my head on speed … and then the dramatic come down. Like a huge, huge comedown later on that day. So that was the Christmas in Take That I remember.’
The Let Me Entertain You singer admitted that living in Los Angeles had put him in the way of temptation but those days are behind him now, especially as he spends a lot of his time at his home in England with his wife Ayda Field and their three children.
Robbie said: ‘Weed is a bit like a chocolate bar. If there’s a Kit Kat in the room, I’m going to eat the damn Kit Kat. In LA, weed is now like having a coffee.’
Metro.co.uk contacted Zayn’s reps for comment.
MORE: Robbie Williams challenges Liam Gallagher to fight, claims they can ‘trounce’ KSI and Logan Paul
MORE: Robbie Williams to duet with Rod Stewart at Royal Variety Performance for Christmas surprise
