Robbie Williams announced that he has been diagnosed with autism.
The solo pop star and former Take That member, who has previously disclosed his ADHD, discussed his autism diagnosis during a recent Q&A session in London.
“I have ADHD, and I’ve just learned I also have autism, which I truly love because it helps make sense of many things,” he said (via Metro).
“It now serves as my get‑out‑of‑jail‑free card, and I can simply explain any odd behavior by saying, ‘Sorry, I’m autistic.’”
Williams added that while ADHD lets him concentrate intensely on a single pursuit, he struggles to focus on other tasks, as his children can attest.
“I’m completely obsessed with creating images and humor; when I’m engaged in that, I’m not thinking about myself, because my brain is highly creative and can entertain itself with anything.”
He illustrated this with an example: while on a plane, he imagined having telekinesis and his intrusive thoughts causing the aircraft to crash.
He said that this level of madness is best addressed by focusing his mind on constructive activities rather than fantasizing about supernatural powers that could cause a plane crash.
Williams has also spoken openly about his past struggles with anxiety and depression. In the previous year, he described experiencing “inside Tourette’s,” a condition that produces intrusive thoughts, according to Vanity Fair.
In a 2024 interview with NME surrounding the release of his biopic, *Better Man*, Williams noted that one of his strengths as an ADHD, neurodivergent individual on the spectrum is that he often says things without filtering, only realizing the impact after others react with surprise, prompting him to ask, “Did I do a thing?”
He further suggested that he might be on the autism spectrum, humorously noting that this trait could be a useful asset for a filmmaker seeking to portray such characteristics.
Williams released his latest studio album, *Britpop*, in January, and it has since enabled him to surpass The Beatles’ record for the most UK number‑one albums, a milestone he says he has pursued more than anything else in his career.