Robbie Apologizes And Pays

Robbie Williams has said sorry and paid undisclosed damages to former manager Nigel Martin-Smith over something the star wrote about him in a song.

The 33-year-old multi-millionaire singer made a December 5 High Court apology to Martin-Smith for lyrics in which Williams seemed to accuse Martin-Smith of stealing from the band. Martin-Smith was Williams’ manager during his time in Take That.

He’s also paid the Manchester-based manager "undisclosed" damages and costs, which most of the U.K.’s daily papers are pitching at being somewhere between £300,000 and £500,000.

The song in question is called "The 90s," a track from Williams’ Rudebox album, although the offending lyrics were altered as soon as Martin-Smith first claimed for damages in October 2006.

"Robbie Williams wishes to make it clear to his fans, and the public at large, that he did not intend these lyrics to be taken at face value or as a serious statement by him of the views which he holds of Nigel Martin-Smith," said David Sherborne, Martin-Smith’s counsel, in a statement read out to the court.

"Specifically, Robbie Williams did not intend to allege that Nigel Martin-Smith has ever stolen any funds from Take That or anyone.

"Robbie Williams wishes now to apologise publicly and unreservedly for the distress that the original publication of those lyrics caused to Nigel," Sherborne said.

Earlier in the week, Martin-Smith told the Manchester Evening News, "Robbie has agreed to make a public apology and will pay damages. That will be the end of the matter.

"I told Robbie I didn’t want damages and that I would happily waive them if he would meet me face to face to chat about what has happened and put all this negativity behind us.

"I said we should just be friends again. But he refused to meet me. It’s a real shame it has come to this."