Singer-songwriter Robbie Williams has described his ex-partner Nicole Appleton as "a complete angel" whilst recalling his on-off relationship with her in the 1990s.
Robbie, 50, delves into experiences from his life in the semi-biographical film Better Man, which has been released this week. It's said to include references to his past romance with All Saints member Nicole, now 49, whom he met whilst working on Top of the Pops back in 1997.
The pair soon began a relationship, which is said to have lasted around nine months and included them splitting up several times. Robbie proposed during the romance, which has been described a 'whirlwind,' but the relationship came to an end in 1999 after Nicole had an abortion.
As previously reported, Nicole wrote about the pregnancy in the autobiography Together - which she released in 2002 with her sister Natalie Appleton - and claimed that a record company encouraged the decision to have an abortion. She wrote: "[Robbie] put his hand on my belly and told me 'this baby is saving my life'. After having my abortion I was in shock. I couldn't believe what I had done."
Robbie, who has spoken about the relationship in the past, has described revisiting the experience as the "most difficult" part of watching the new film. Hello! magazine also reports that Nicole was consulted on the script and invited to an early screening.
Former Take That member Robbie told the outlet: "The most difficult bit is watching Nicole and what we went through, because she was instructed to get rid of our baby." He went on to further discuss their relationship at the time.
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PA)He added in the recent interview: "I didn't make her do that - but I was a f***ing awful boyfriend, like, really awful, and I was in the height of my addiction and alcoholism. And it breaks my heart every time I watch it, because she's a complete angel, and there is still shame attached to who I was then."
Robbie told the outlet that he had a video call with Nicole following the screening of Better Man that she attended ahead of the film's general release. He said that they "both wept" during the conversation and he then added that he's looking forward to "giving her a hug" at the premiere.
Nicole is now married to Stephen Haines, with whom she has a daughter. Following her romance with Robbie, she had a high-profile relationship Oasis member Liam Gallagher, with whom she shares her son Gene Gallagher, 23.
Meanwhile, Robbie has been married to TV personality Ayda Field since 2010. The couple, who appeared together as judges on the X Factor in 2018, have four children together.
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