Horrific moment Robbie Williams was pushed off-stage and broke down in tears

26 May 2022, 16:09

The Take That star was performing at a gig in Stuttgart, Germany when an unknown man ran on stage and aggressively pushed Williams off the stage and into the crowd.
The Take That star was performing at a gig in Stuttgart, Germany when an unknown man ran on stage and aggressively pushed Williams off the stage and into the crowd. Picture: Sky One/Robbie Williams/Alamy

By Giorgina Ramazzotti

The shocking moment happened when a man slipped past security and pushed Robbie Williams off the edge of the stage at a gig in Germany during the star's Sermon On The Mount Tour.

Few realise that Robbie Williams' life was almost cut short in a violent on-stage attack back in 2001.

The former Take That star was performing at a gig in Stuttgart, Germany when an unknown man ran on stage and aggressively pushed Williams off the stage and into the crowd.

Robbie later cried during an interview, explaining that he landed on top of a fan and was badly bruised, and that the incident had had a profound effect on his fears for his personal safety.

The shocking moment was caught on camera and sees the man run on stage behind Robbie Williams' back
The shocking moment was caught on camera and sees the man run on stage behind Robbie Williams as he sings to the crowd. Picture: Sky One/Robbie Williams
The man then violently pushes Robbie as he runs past him
The man then violently pushes Robbie as he runs past him. Picture: Sky One/Robbie Williams
The star is then seen bracing himself as he tips over the edge of the stage and into the crowd
The star is then seen bracing himself as he tips over the edge of the stage and into the crowd. Picture: Sky One/Robbie Williams

The incident occurred at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle indoor arena on February 21, 2001 when Robbie was on the final leg of his Sermon On The Mount Tour.

The video, filmed from the point of view of Robbie's drummer, shows the star walking back and forward on the edge of the stage as he sings 'Supreme'.

Unbeknownst to Robbie a man runs on stage and runs towards him before pushing him hard on the back.

The singer can then be seen violently pitching forwards and disappearing into the crowd as he abruptly stops singing.

His band members quickly drop their instruments in a panic and rush forwards to the side of the stage to check on their lead singer.

Robbie Williams can then be seen flying forwards and he falls into the crowd as the man pushes him
Robbie Williams can then be seen flying forwards and he falls into the crowd as the man pushes him. Picture: Sky One/Robbie Williams
The video then cuts to Robbie Williams de-briefing his team after the frightening incident.
The video then cuts to Robbie Williams de-briefing his team after the frightening incident. Picture: Sky One/Robbie Williams
"He was a nutter and I don&squot;t know what happened there, do you know what I mean?" Robbie Williams tells his entourage
"He was a nutter and I don't know what happened there, do you know what I mean?" Robbie Williams tells his entourage. Picture: Sky One/Robbie Williams

The video then cuts to a grim-faces Robbie backstage as he and his entourage walk to his dressing room.

The star then turns to his shocked staff and gives them a surprisingly level-headed and reassuring pep talk.

"So, I got pushed off stage," he begins matter-of-factly.

"It’s ok. I don’t know whether to laugh, cry, smile, get angry or sad."

What I don’t want you to do is you lot get sad," he says looks around at his team. "It’s ok. I fell off and I banged my head and it’s alright and we got to the end of the show.

"He was a nutter and I don't know what happened there, do you know what I mean? I really don't know what happened there."

Watch the video of the frightening incident below:

Robbie Williams Gets Pushed Off Stage !

Robbie then goes on to contemplate what caused the man to push him off-stage and joked if it was to do with his – at the time – well-documented feud with Liam Gallagher.

"I don’t know if I offended him with my Liam-isms or whether I’ve sh***** his girlfriend or something. All manner of things were going through my head when I was on stage

"But it’s ok and I don’t want to vibe to be down because I can f***ing milk that f***ing pity." he says as his team start laughing.

The video then cuts to his security team trying to understand what could have happened and then man got on stage, before the camera cuts to a contemplative Robbie Williams speaking on his own to the camera.

“I’m just so lucky that I landed on someone’s head. I did,” he says.

Robbie Williams later speaks to the camera and admits he was 'scared for his life'.
Robbie Williams later speaks to the camera and admits he was 'genuinely scared'. Picture: Sky One/Robbie Williams
The star struggles to hold back tears as he speaks about his fears: "a huge percentage of my life I’m genuinely scared," he reveals.
The star struggles to hold back tears as he speaks about his fears: "a huge percentage of my life I’m genuinely scared," he reveals. Picture: Sky One/Robbie Williams

"My knee's a bit bruised and my arm hurts a little bit and I got back up on stage and I finished the gig. I’m not saying the true showtime adage of ’the show must go on’ but I couldn’t let him ruin the show for everybody else that was out there.

"Because in the past I’ve had stuff thrown at me. Bottles have hit me in the head and stuff like that and I’ve just walked off stage and I’ve not come back on, but I didn’t that time, I stayed on until the end,” he says shrugging.

“I don’t know man. It just throws loads of things like, is this f***ing worth it?” He could have had a knife then, he could have had anything."

The star then starts to get emotionally and his voice breaks as he tries to hold back tears.

"I don’t want to mope into the self-pity of it all, but I'm genuinely scared. And it’s not just tonight I'm scared, it’s a huge percentage of my life I’m genuinely scared."

The incident happened at the height of Robbie's career – just five days later he would win Best British Male at the 2001 Brit Awards (pictured) – and would go on to admit it was a difficult time in his life.
The incident happened at the height of Robbie's career – just five days later he would win Best British Male at the 2001 Brit Awards (pictured) – and would go on to admit it was a difficult time in his life. Picture: Alamy

The incident happened at the height of Robbie's career – just five days later he would win Best British Male at the 2001 Brit Awards – and would go on to admit it was a difficult time in his life.

In incredibly candid and emotional interview with the Sun in 2018, Robbie Williams opened up about his "roller-coaster" lifestyle, comparing himself to George Michael who had died two years previously.

He said: “Fortunately and unfortunately, left to my own devices, I’m inclined to sabotage everything.

“I’ve got a disease that wants to kill me and it’s in my head, so I have to guard against that.

“Sometimes it overwhelms me and sometimes it’s a tool I need to get on stage. Sometimes I live in bliss and it’s wonderful.

Robbie said he empathised with George Michael's struggles, adding: “It was just a dreadful thing to happen and I miss him."