Singer Robbie Williams says it took nearly dying to change the way he lives. The former Take That star “knows how lucky I am” after a health scare left him close to death in 2017. Williams became seriously ill while backstage at a stadium gig in Zurich and spent seven days in intensive care after doctors discovered “abnormalities” on his brain.

He said: “I’ve refocused my life and all the extremities in it. It’s probably why I am on such good form today. It takes nearly dying for someone like me to change the way they live.

“I’ve always thought I was protected and I’ve gone out of my way to test that hypothesis. Like a cat, I’ve had a billion lives. But this was the closest and scariest.

He said: “I thought weed being legalised and available in LA might be a problem but so far so good. The weed there is so insanely strong. It’s so debilitating and I am far too sensitive. So today I will go to bed and I won’t have had any drink or drugs, apart from Nicorette gum.