Robbie Williams Wishes He Got Sober Later in Life

British pop star Robbie Williams makes no secret of his sobriety and how he sought help for his drug and alcohol addictions—but bizarrely, he wishes he didn't do it so early in life. The former Take That singer says he realized his life was spiraling downhill in his late teens and ended up getting sober for most of his 20s. But he now feels a few more years of a partying before seeking help might not have been a bad thing. ''I regret that it was all over so fast. I regret the fact I was 19 when I realized I was out of control," says Williams. ''I regret the fact I wasn't 29 or 30 when it happened and I'd splodged my way around the world in some sort of alcoholic drug stupor. I spent most of my 20s sober.'' But despite the resources available to him, Williams admits he relapsed several times in his 20s and early 30s before finally getting clean, shortly before meeting his wife Ayda Field in 2006. "In my 20s I was like, 'This is fucking horrendous' but I didn't think I was going to die. The short period in my 30s I thought, 'I'm just about to die and I don't care.' In fact, it would have been a relief," he says. "But that's where your fucking head goes when you're taking loads of things you shouldn't be taking. The only person I knew who understood anything about it was Elton John. After a big bender it'd be [calling] 'Elton'. How weird is that, when the only person you know can help you is Elton John?'' There are added benefits to his sobriety too: the notorious ladies man says being sober keeps him from cheating on his wife. "You know like on anniversaries women expect you to get them flowers and things? I think every fucking night you haven't stuck your cock in someone else, you should be given a gold ring."