Robbie Williams has furiously slammed the former manager of Take That over comments he made about drug taking.
In a BBC documentary called Boybands Forever, Nigel Martin-Smith, who managed Take That in the '90s when Robbie was a member, belittled Williams for turning to drugs while struggling in the spotlight and felt the singer blamed the band and management for pushing him towards narcotics.
Now the Rock DJ singer has lashed back at Martin-Smith in a lengthy open letter he shared on Instagram, writing, "Allow me to respond to your assertion. My drug taking was never your fault. My response to the warped world that surrounded me is solely my own. How I chose to self-medicate is and was something that I will be monitoring and dealing with for the whole of my life. It's part of my makeup and I would have the same malady had I been a taxi driver.
"I just got there quicker due to having the finances while trying in vain to counteract the turbulence of pop stardom's matrix-bending washing machine."
Williams went on to highlight a pattern where members of boybands often struggle with the pressure of fame and turn to destructive methods to cope.
He also stated, amid the lengthy post, "I will also remind you that the person acting like a 'w*nker' was 16 when he joined the band and 21 when he left. That was the last time I saw you.
"I hope I have more grace and understanding when and if any of my own four children at such a vulnerable age behave in the same manner."
The star insisted he feels love for his former manager - but urged him not to approach him if they ever end up in the same room together.
