News: February
 
20th February, 2006
Robbie Williams' New Wild-Child Love
He's 'bowled over' by Courtney Love's guitarist... 

Pop star Robbie Williams is enjoying a steamy romance with Courtney Love’s guitarist Lisa Leveridge.

Unlucky-in-love Williams has been seeing the wild-child rocker – who used to date American author Neil Strauss – since Christmas, and friends report the pair have really hit it off.

One tells the Sunday Mirror, “Robbie is completely bowled over by Lisa. Not only is she stunning looking, but she's bright and very straight-talking. They met around Christmas and hit it off immediately.

"He's hoping that he's finally found someone he can have a proper relationship with. She understands the showbiz thing and has been a bit of a wild child, so they have a lot in common."

However, reclusive Robbie still isn't comfortable in the relationship to talk about it.

When confronted about the reports he dead-panned, “Oh God. What? Oh goodness. There's no comment. Thank you so much. Goodbye."
Source: Entertainmentwise.co.uk
 
February 12th, 2006
Robbie Williams voted Britain's modern-day Casanova
Robbie Williams is Britain's modern day Casanova, according to female fans.

The singer was voted the celebrity who best embodied the spirit of the legendary lover.

He has been linked to a string of beautiful women including Anna Friel, Nicole Kidman, Rachel Hunter and former All Saint Nicole Appleton.

Jude Law and David Beckham were in joint second place, followed by Colin
Farrell.

Calum Best, son of former footballing heart-throb George Best, was fifth.

The survey was carried out to mark the release of Hollywood film Casanova.

It stars Heath Ledger as the fabled 18th century romantic who bedded scores of women across Europe but met his match in Francesca Bruni, who is played by Sienna Miller.

Miller will be on the red carpet tomorrow night for the UK premiere in London's Leicester Square.

The 24-year-old actress is single again after splitting with fiance Jude Law.

She has been spotted getting cosy with Star Wars actor Hayden Christensen.

``I've met a few Casanovas that I like and some that I haven't, and I hope to meet a few more,'' she said recently.

The real-life Giacomo Casanova was born in Venice in 1725.

His jobs included violinist, clergyman, secretary and soldier, and he was a prolific writer of plays, novels and poetry.

Casanova's 12-volume autobiography detailed his adventures and ensured his place in history as the world's greatest lover.
Source: Irish Independent 
 
February 12th, 2006
WE WUZ ROBBIED
Tartan Army fear Euro opener against France will be kicked out of Hampden for star's gig

SCOTLAND face being booted out of Hampden for their Euro 2008 opener - by Robbie Williams.

Football chiefs last night admitted the pop star's gig at the National Stadium on September 2 could make the pitch unplayable for France's visit four days later.

Hampden bosses are weighing up a switch to Parkhead or Ibrox.

A spokesman said: "We will be speaking to the SFA next week about the France match. It is our understanding that Hampden could still be the venue."

Ibrox holds just over 50,000 fans while Celtic Park seats 60,000.

The capacity of the National Stadium is 52,000.
Source: wwwdailyrecord.co.uk
 
12th February, 2006
POP STAR ROBBIE'S ONE IN £8 MILLION
Potteries pop megastar Robbie Williams has awarded himself a pay rise of almost £7 million, despite a fall in royalties from his music and tours. Accounts show the Tunstall-born entertainer collected £8.9 million in pay during the 12 months to March last year, up from £2 million in 2004.

This was despite the fact that the company set up to handle the "music writing, recording, performing and touring activities of artiste Robbie Williams" saw royalties fall by more than 30 per cent to £15 million.

And it is almost 60 per cent less than the £35 million royalties he received in 2004 when he signed a reported £80 million deal with EMI and released his hit album Escapology.

The pay rise emerged in the latest filed returns of The In Good Company Co.

Robbie cashed in on sales of his Greatest Hits album, which was the second best-selling record of 2004, and other videos and albums from his back catalogue.

Sales from The In Good Company Co do not include the possible lucrative income Robbie can make from the sale of merchandise, image rights, sponsorship deals as well as property deals.

The figures also come too late for cash generated by sales of his Intensive Care album and the singles Tripping and Advertising Space.

Signal 1 DJ Andy Goulding said: "The pay rise is nothing to worry about if the figures don't take into account his latest album. Before that he hadn't made anything for 18 months because he was concentrating on the creative side of his business.

"Robbie has a big album deal and a massive sold-out tour so he can afford to pay himself a bit extra. The next set of figures are likely to be huge."

Meanwhile, the latest figures also show Robbie's record label EMI, which holds a 25 per cent stake in the company, was paid £1.5 million in dividends.

The latest accounts chart the latest development in Robbie's career.

He first tasted of pop success came with boy band Take That in the early 1990s before breaking into a solo career in 1995. His first album, Life Through A Lens, was a huge hit all over the world. In 2002, Robbie signed a new contract with music giants EMI, which was reported to be in the region of £80 million.
 
12th February, 2006
ROBBIE'S £50K BIRTHDAY BASH IN VEGAS!
Star flies in pals and takes over hotel for secret party

ROBBIE WILLIAMS flew pals to Las Vegas last week for a sumptuous £50,000 secret birthday bash.

The singer took over a restaurant at the lavish Bellagio hotel and guests invited included ANT and DEC and actor MAX BEESLEY partied into the early hours.

A source revealed: "He wanted a quiet affair for close friends but that didn't stop him splashing out.

"He flew over several of the guys who play in his band and other pals too.

"There was no expense spared - the booze was flowing although Robbie stayed on soft drinks. He put them all up in the hotel and everything was paid for."

Vegas is Robbie's kind of town. The superstar, whose albums include Swing When You're Winning, loves to cover the songs of its favourite stars Elvis and Frank Sinatra.

Earlier in the week he sparked rumours of an affair with SHAKIRA when they partied at a JAMES BLUNT gig but she wasn't at his birthday bash.

Robbie, who is 32 tomorrow, kicks off his sold-out European tour in the summer.
Source: People.co.uk

Робби Уильямс приобрел часть акций любимого футбольного клуба

Знаменитый британский поп-певец Робби Уильямс решил вложить деньги в футбол, передает BBC News. Он стал совладельцем клуба третьего английского дивизиона "Порт Вэйл", за который болеет с детства. Уильямс скупил все свободные акции клуба, которые находились в продаже. Финансовые детали сделки не разглашаются.
Однако известно, что на начало февраля на рынке в обращении находились акции "Порт Вэйла" общей стоимостью около 260 тысяч фунтов стерлингов. Уильямс объяснил, что с самого детства болел за эту команду.

"Хотя я не могу часто бывать на матчах клуба, мои инвестиции означают, что мое сердце по-прежнему там, и я их большой болельщик, - сообщил певец. - Я очень рад тому, что мы сможем сделать с клубом в будущем".

Три года назад Уильямс не стал помогать клубу, который тогда испытывал серьезные финансовые затруднения. "Я чрезвычайно доволен и обрадован тем, что Робби вложил деньги в клуб, это говорит о том, что ему не безразличен "Порт Вэйл" и его будущее", - сказал председатель совета директоров клуба Билл Братт.

http://lenta.ru/news/2006/02/27/portwilliams/

Немного поправлю: "Порт Вэйл" находится в первом английском дивизионе, а не в третем, как сообщает этот источник.

ROBBIE WILLIAMS is really taking seriously his status as Stoke-on-Trent’s answer to ROMAN ABRAMOVICH.

The multi-millionaire singer has just bought a second home in Los Angeles . . . because the garden at his present LA gaff isn’t big enough for a full-sized football pitch.

Robbie, whose coffers are bulging with a £85million fortune, splashed out £5million on his latest mansion.

The Hollywood Hills property has big gardens perfect for building his very own Vale Park (home of his team Port Vale for all you non-footie fans).

Robbie will now be able to hold weekly matches with his LA pals on his doorstep.

Former EastEnders star SEAN MAGUIRE, best pal JONATHAN WILKES and JAMES BLUNT are all regulars in Robbie’s celeb XI. And even the singer’s chums at the local Starbucks pull on their boots to join him and the guys for a kickabout on a hired pitch.

A source close to Rob said: “Robbie bought the house just so he could have the football pitch built.

“He loves the game and really misses it when he’s away from his home in England.

“So he bought a huge place so he can have one installed.

“He plays once a week with all his friends. Some of them are locals who work in his favourite shops.”

Robbie will be using his new ground to prepare for a celebrity version of the World Cup this summer. He is England skipper in Soccer Aid — a huge televised tournament leading up to the World Cup Finals proper being held in Germany.

The source added: “Robbie wants to get a lot of practice in ahead of the celebrity World Cup tournament.

“He is a proud captain and wants to win badly.”

Robbie satisfied a boyhood dream earlier this week by investing a six-figure sum in his beloved Port Vale.

I wonder if the star will now be offering his new LA turf to the Midlands club for pre-season training this summer?

I’m sure the players would enjoy a week in Williams Towers . . . or should that be the Millennium Stadium?

Robbie Williams show sold out

By EUNICE del ROSARIO

BAHRAIN fans of British superstar Robbie Williams expressed their disappointment following the news that the singer's debut concert in the Gulf next month has sold out hours after going on sale online and at selected outlets.

Tickets to the Robbie Williams concert in Dubai went on sale last Wednesday at 8am Bahrain time and all 23,000 tickets were sold out by 10.30am, according to sources.

Huge queues were reported at ticket counters at Virgin Megastores and Hallmark outlets in Dubai as early as 5am.

The ticket sales is being noted as probably the fastest sell-out in history in the region by promoters Midas Promotions.

Some ticket holders are reportedly making huge profits by offering Robbie Williams concert tickets on auction websites wwwebay.com and wwwsouq.com.

One seller's two Grandstand tickets, originally bought for BD189.500 have already fetched up to BD950 as of yesterday.

Several Bahrain fans have complained of not being able to buy tickets at outlets here.

"It is not fair why we weren't able to get tickets from outlets in Bahrain," said Bahraini Masouma Mohammed, aged 16, one of the several callers the GDN talked to since Wednesday.

"Dubai gets the coolest concerts and many fans in Bahrain go there to catch these shows.

"When I heard Robbie Williams was coming, I was over the moon!

"But now, I am so depressed."

Reports in Dubai also show that several fans there have also complained of not being able to buy tickets and expressed hope that the organisers would look at selling more tickets at a later date.

Bahrain fan Jerry Wallace tried logging on early last Wednesday to the star's website wwwrobbiewilliams.com and official online ticket distributor wwwboxofficeme.com but had trouble connecting to both Internet sites.

"It was about 10am and already obvious there was a lot of online traffic," he said.

"Next thing I know, tickets were gone.

"I would have loved to see Robbie Williams perform but there is no way I am paying BD950 for two Grandstand tickets!

"I guess I'll just have to catch good ol' Robbie when I am back home in the UK."

The concert is slated for April 21 at Dubai's Nad Al Sheba's Mill Grandstand. This is the first time that Robbie Williams, a former member of British boy band Take That who has made it big as a solo star, is set to perform in the GCC. His Gulf concert will close the first leg of his 2006 tour. Midas Promotions, which has offices in Dubai, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Hong Kong, were yesterday unavailable for comment.

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?A...W&IssueID=28356

У Робби должен выйти новый альбом осенью ЭТОГО года.

Maradona's hand of Rob

By SARA NATHAN
TV Editor

FOOTBALL legend Diego Maradona is to lend Robbie Williams and a host of other stars a hand in the Soccer Aid tournament.

Argentine Maradona, 45, is in talks and is said to be keen to captain a team in the charity event.

Maradona — who cheated England out of the 1986 World Cup with his “hand of God” goal — would join celebs including Robbie, actors Jude Law and Orlando Bloom, TV chef Gordon Ramsay and F1 legend Michael Schumacher.
ITV1 bosses have lined up Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium for the tournament in late May, just a week before the World Cup kicks off. It is hoped it will raise millions for the UN children’s charity charity Unicef.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will manage a team and Robbie’s fellow Unicef ambassador David Beckham has promised to be involved, even though he will not be able to play.

A show insider said: “Soccer Aid is going to be massive. Maradona IS the World Cup — who can ever forget the Hand of God incident?”

Last night a show source confirmed: “We are in talks with Maradona.”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001320...6110507,00.html