Robbie Williams ‘in talks’ to perform at AFL Grand Final – eight years after he reportedly turned down $1M offer
Robbie Williams is in talks to perform at the AFL Grand Final this year.
The League has approached the English singer-songwriter, 48, to front its pre-game or halftime show at the MCG, according to a report in The Daily Telegraph.
While Williams is not yet locked in, sources have told the publication that discussions had progressed on a multimillion-dollar deal to bring him back to Melbourne on September 24.
Robbie Williams ‘in talks’ to perform at the AFL Grand Final – eight years after he reportedly turned down a $1million offer
The AFL has already confirmed the showpiece will be a daytime event despite pressure from broadcasters to host a twilight or nighttime slot to drive ratings.
Last week, Robbie played a surprise private performance at Crown for La Trobe Financial’s 800 guests after sold-out shows here in April and May.
Williams previously turned down an offer of $1million to perform three songs at the AFL Grand Final back in 2014.
While Williams is not yet locked in, sources have told The Daily Telegraph that discussions had progressed on a multimillion-dollar deal to bring him back to Melbourne on September 24
Meanwhile, Robbie is currently in Melbourne filming his biopic Better Man which covers his incredible rise to fame from boy band heart-throb to stadium superstar.
Production on the big budget biopic – billed as ‘a musical fantasy’ – kicked off last month with Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey at the helm.
British actor Jonno Davies, 29, best known for the Amazon Prime series Hunters, will play Robbie as a younger man.
Better Man is billed as ‘a musical fantasy’ and is being made in Melbourne by Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey who directed the box-office smash The Greatest Showman. Pictured: Robbie in Sydney in 2016
Other members of the cast include Australian actors Kate Mulvany (The Great Gatsby), Damon Herriman (Mr InBetween), and filmmaker-actor Anthony Hayes, whose feature film Gold is currently streaming on Stan.
Robbie first rose to fame in the all boy band Take That, before launching a successful solo career in 1996. A string of UK hit singles and albums followed.
In 2006 Robbie made it into the Guinness Book of World Records after he sold 1.6million concert tickets in a single day.
British actor Jonno Davies, 29, will play Robbie as a younger man in the bio-pic. Pictured: Jonno on the red carpet in 2020 for Amazon Prime’s Hunters
The filmmakers have been careful to avoid comparisons to recent musical biopics like the Queen film Bohemian Rhapsody, and the Elton John story, Rocketman.
In an official statement the production said the film was ‘a satirical musical based on the life of a pop star’.
The film will feature ‘re-imaginings’ of Robbie’s hit songs, and stunning visual effects in order to explore the ‘inner demons’ the super star has had to battle both on stage and off.
Robbie rose to fame with Take That who formed in 1989 and went on to achieve 12 number one singles on the UK Singles Chart along with eight number one album (pictured 1994)