HE’S got some time on his hands after pushing back the release of new album Britpop until February.
And after announcing he was planning on opening a luxury hotel in Dubai, Robbie Williams is now working on another madcap idea.
“I want to open a University of Entertainment,” Robbie, right, revealed. “I did notice nobody else is doing it.”
He said of the inspiration behind his dream school: “I grew up as a vaudevillian. That’s what I am. I am cabaret.
“I spent all of my youth watching my dad do cabaret and watching all of the acts that he would bring off and on stage — and how talented and hard-working they were, and how genuinely funny the funny acts were, and how genuinely amazing the vocalists were.”
Robbie, who left Take That in 1995 before launching his hugely successful solo career, added: “I arrived in 1995, after Take That, I want to be Oasis.
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“I want to be Radiohead. Then, when I opened my mouth and my mind, I came out instead and I’m not cool. And you go, ‘OK, so what am I? Oh, I’m all of these people that I loved — Tommy Cooper, The Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise.
‘In a different place’
“The way they made me feel is how I want to make people feel.”
Robbie will be back on stage next year, kicking off a mini-tour in Glasgow on February 4, before playing three more intimate shows in Liverpool, London and Wolverhampton.
And until then, he said he’s going to be busy working on his new plans.
He told the Heretics podcast: “I’ve got so many fingers in so many pies, giving me so much to peruse. My ambition and my want and my need and my desire has not abated. But the oxygen I once had in my career, where I couldn’t miss every time I went to the table, has been taken away from me just because I’m an older pop star now.
“The rise was a long time ago, 1990 till, say, 2010.
“It’s only different as it’s different for everyone else lucky enough to have had my kind of career. I was the most played artist for ten years in a row.
“And, you know, thank you. I’ve had a nice run, but I’m in a different place now.
“And it’s not over. Where does all of that naked ambition and drive go?
“It goes into purpose. It goes into creating.”
If it ever gets off the ground, I’ll make sure to sign up for a night class.
Good friendships in the Mix
THEY may no longer be making music together, but Little Mix are still best of pals.
Pregnant Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock were backstage at the Roundhouse in Camden to support Jade Thirlwall at her gig.
Leigh-Anne shared this sweet snap of them together, and one of my mates spotted them dancing and singing along to Angel Of My Dreams.
Jade, whose debut album, That’s Showbiz Baby, peaked at No3 when it came out last month, is now preparing to head Stateside in the New Year.
Let’s hope she can do what Little Mix couldn’t and crack America.
Jade kicks off a run of 14 shows in San Diego on January 30.
Fergie up fur reunion
IT looks like Fergie can’t decide if she’s too hot or too cold.
The Black Eyed Peas singer teamed this crop-top with a faux fur jacket as she performed at One Musicfest in Atlanta, Georgia.
The I Gotta Feeling singer wowed fans at the event in Piedmont Park, belting out some of her biggest hits including amazing 2006 single London Bridge.
Earlier this year, I revealed that Fergie had created a whole new music video for the track in the capital as part of Lena Dunham’s Netflix series, Too Much.
Fergie left the Black Eyed Peas in 2018, but I told you this summer that discussions are under way about a possible reunion with her bandmates Will.i.am, APL.DE.AP and Taboo.
I’d love to see this happen.
Jovi’s got the Midas Tuchel
I TRIED my hardest to make Jon Bon Jovi a Spurs fan when I hung out with him last week, but his legendary PR Alan Edwards – a die-hard Gooner – persuaded him to follow the reds.
Jon was obviously something of a lucky charm as Arsenal managed a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
He later hung out with England boss Thomas Tuchel and Jason Sudeikis.
It was Jon’s first Premier League game and I bet my last quid it’ll be his last given how rubbish Arsenal are.
You should have watched Spurs instead, Jon.
We battered Everton 3-0.
Is Geri in a bad Spice?
THE Spice Girls were all smiles at the launch of Victoria Beckham’s Netflix documentary this month.
But insiders say those grins were more like grimaces once the cameras were off – and the finger of blame is being pointed at Geri Horner.
A well-placed mole told me that while Mel C and Emma Bunton were together on row D, Geri was placed in a different area with her husband Christian Horner.
And the apparent snub is now the talk of the town.
Our source explained: “All people are still talking about what happened with Geri that night.
“She was seated away from Mel C and Emma, which seems weird given they were there to support Victoria. Inside the party she only seemed to talk to Victoria, too. It all felt rather frosty. No one has seen a photo of the four of them together either.”
Something is definitely up.
Last November, I revealed how Geri was dragging her heels over a new Netflix band biopic.
And last week, The Sun reported the band – completed by Mel B – were planning on implementing a “rule of four”, to allow the show to go ahead even if Geri wasn’t on board.
A telly insider said: “Geri has been dragging her heels for almost a year now and the rest are keen to plough ahead, as next year marks the 30th anniversary of first single Wannabe.”
Get it together, Ginger.
UpBeat
THE BEATLES raked in £31.8million last year – thanks to their “new” final track Now And Then.
With four biopics in the pipeline and a new Disney+ documentary series, The Beatles Anthology, which is starting next month – I reckon this year will also bring even more bumper profits.
Cops get Raye on track
RAYE has revealed the police have found her stolen car – with her songwriting books on the backseat.
The Where Is My Husband! singer was forced to push back her second album after the thieves nicked her motor last year.
But now Raye is busy putting the finishing touches to the record after getting them back.
Appearing on Global’s Big Top 40, Raye, right, said: “It was a rollercoaster journey but what I didn’t tell people is that the police called me two or three months ago and said, ‘We’ve found your car.’
“Not only did they get it back but not one thing had been taken out of the car.
“All my songwriting books were there untouched.
“There was so much important stuff in there and when I was flicking through it I was like, ‘Thank God this has been returned to me’.”
Mark: I still get nervous
MARK RONSON has a load of hits to his name but has admitted he still questions if he’s any good every time he gets into the studio.
On Radio 2’s Tracks Of My Years, which airs all this week on Vernon Kay’s morning show, Mark said: “Every time I get into the studio with somebody for the first time, or even if it’s someone like Dua Lipa, or someone I’ve worked with a lot, it’s that combination of like, before the first day of school meets a blind date, meets every insecurity.
“Am I going to think of an idea? Am I going to be able to deliver?
“I still have that and I know people might be like, ‘That’s ridiculous, you’re good, don’t worry about it’.
“But I think it’s served me well in my career because it’s always made me work extra hard.
“I wouldn’t know what to do if I fully lost that.”