Robbie Williams’s tale is one of tabloid vitriol, but our dark obsession with celebrity lingers still | Elle Hunt

The documentary series about the troubled singer shows that, while the heyday of the paparazzi is over, pop stars are still prey to intrusion

Netflix's new documentary delivers on its promise of presenting Robbie Williams as you've never seen him before, and not just in showing the era-defining cheeky chappy, now rounding on 50, mostly in bed, lounging around in his pants. Its director, Joe Pearlman, brings together hours of behind-the-scenes archival footage, much of it never seen by Williams, and screens it to him on his laptop for his response.

One of the more harrowing clips is a video diary recorded by Williams in 2007. It shows him apparently alone, drug-addled and reading online commentary aloud. Robbie Williams is music for people who don't feel'," he says, his face grey, eyes sunken. Rob is a showbiz chancer' - yeah, I am ... Robbie Williams is a shit joke'."