Robbie Williams Looks at his history with Liam Payne.
the previous Take this Member – who mentored Liam and his comrades one direction Bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik When they were competing Factor X in the United Kingdom Back in 2010 – he opened up about his relationship with the late singer in the wake of his death.
“How do we understand the tragedy of Liam Payne?” Robbie began in an Instagram post dated October 18. “Obviously my first feelings about his death were like everyone else’s. Shock, sadness and confusion. And to be honest as I write these words, I’m still here.”
While the 50-year-old noted that he is “in love” with each member of One Direction, he has seen a kindred spirit in Liam over the years as they both struggled with sobriety while grappling with the spotlight.
Because Liam’s “trials and tribulations were very similar to mine,” Robbie said “it made sense to reach out to him” several years ago and “offer what I can.”
The result was a heartfelt email exchange, with Robbie sharing a screenshot in his post.