'I made a million in Take That and it cost me a million and a half to get out of the deal'
In a radio interview that aired Monday night he revealed he was left owing £500.000 aged just twenty years old after mutually agreeing to leave the band before his contract was up.
He said “I think I made a million or something in Take That and then it cost me a million and a half to get out of the deal.”
The star famously left the band in 1995 after a turbulent relationship with alcohol, drugs and his fellow band members. The decision was made a few weeks before the tour ‘Nobody Else’ was due to begin.
Questioned on whether he was asked to leave or if it was his decision he said "It was a bit of both. At the time I was drinking really heavily - and very young. I said to the boys, 'This will be my last tour.'
He continued "For reasons I can't go into because certain people like suing me - and they like winning - there was a big need for me to get out of my contract and out of that record company."
Robbie revealed he was confronted by member Jason Orange who said 'You're going to leave after this tour and what we've decided is, we think it's best you go now, so we can prove we can do this as a four-piece.”
He concluded with “That was the opening of the door. That's all I needed.”
After Robbie left, Take That stayed together for a further year before announcing their split in February 1996, giving their last performance in April of the same year.
In 2006 the band reunited and released new material without Robbie. In 2010 he rejoined Take That and the band released album Progress. Take That received an Ivor Novello Award in 2012 for their Outstanding Contribution to British Music.