Inside Robbie Williams and Nicole Appleton's whirlwind relationship and split

In Better Man singer Robbie Williams is lifting the lid on his life and rise to fame, and is also being candid about his private life like his struggle with substance abuse and his past relationships.

Once such relationship is the romance that the singer shared with Nicole Appleton, a member of All Saints who he first met in 1997 and enjoyed an on-and-off-again relationship with. Their whirlwind romance is dramatised in the movie with certain aspects of it changed for the film, which will no doubt draw attention back to their shared past.

For those wanting to learn more about Williams and Appleton's relationship, here is what you need to know.

How did Robbie Williams and Nicole Appleton meet?

In Better Man, Williams and Appleton are depicted as meeting at a boat party on New Year's Eve, this is not actually how they came across each other for the first time. The pair met in 1997 when they were both appearing on Top of the Pops, the singer's self-titled 2023 Netflix documentary shows him cheekily swapping the labels to his dressing room with All Saints in a bid to meet them.

Read more:

Inside Robbie Williams' complicated relationship with his father Pete Conway

Robbie Williams admits new film Better Man 'throws people under the bus'

Inside Take That's early years ahead of Robbie Williams movie Better Man

The movie depicts their first meeting as a stunning ballroom dance, which charts the ups and downs of their relationship in a tableau of scenes as the would-be couple dance together to the tune of Williams' song She's the One.

A whirlwind romance and a difficult break-up

The movie shows the couple struggling with the pressures of fame, and as Williams' substance abuse worsens so too does his relationship with Appleton. The pair broke up shortly after the All Saints singer was pressured into having an abortion by her record company in order to continue to pursue her career.

Appleton reflected on the moment in her 2002 memoir Together, writing: "Robbie Williams put his hand on my belly and told me 'This baby is saving my life. After having my abortion I was in shock. I couldn't believe what I had done."

The couple got engaged seven months into their relationship but split just one month later, they got back together shortly thereafter but split for a final time in January 1999.

Williams spoke of including his and Appleton's experience after her abortion in the movie, telling Hello! magazine: "The most difficult bit is watching Nicole and what we went through, because she was instructed to get rid of our baby. And that bit in the film, not only that bit, but also absolutely everybody else, I can go: 'Hey, you did a wrong thing, and that's the reason you're going under the bus. You know?'

"But with Nic, I did the wrong thing. It wasn't that bit, wasn't the abortion — I didn't make her do that — but I was a f**king awful boyfriend, like, really awful, and I was in the height of my addiction and alcoholism. And it breaks my heart every time I watch it, because she's a complete angel, and there is still shame attached to who I was then."

Making amends

After their split, Appleton went on to marry Liam Gallagher who she shares son Gene with, the couple divorced in 2014 and she has since married Stephen Haines with whom she shares daughter Skipper.

Williams and Appleton now have an amicable relationship, and Better Man director Michael Gracey shared how important it was for the singer to have Appleton's approval for the way she is depicted in the movie. He told The Mirror: "I think Robbie has a great deal of affection for Nicole and I think he has a great deal of regret that he has for how he behaved at the time.

"He was very protective of her. He didn’t want any part of that story told unless Nicole was onboard. She was asked about the film. I showed her the very first draft of the script. She was involved all the way through. She watched many versions.

"I don’t think it is making excuses... maybe making amends yeah. That is a beautiful way to look at it. I think we have all behaved badly in the past. I think we have all said things we regret. I think the difference is that Rob is willing to put that on the big screen which I think is incredibly brave."

Better Man premieres in UK cinemas on Boxing Day.