Robbie Williams has addressed the viral moment from the World Cup final where a white substance appeared to fall from his nostril during a live interview, explaining it was a Nicorette mint.
During his performance at the World Cup opening ceremony, Williams was later interviewed by pundits. During the exchange, a white fragment was seen falling from his nose onto a microphone, which he then removed and placed on his forehead. The clip quickly gained traction online, leading to speculation.
Williams initially responded humorously on social media, suggesting it was a mint. He later confirmed on Thursday that it was specifically a Nicorette mint. "People think I was off my nut," he stated. "I wasn't."
He further elaborated on social media, calling the incident "MintGate" and noting that his "fake apology" video had garnered over 27 million views and the overall incident had reached 51 million people. Williams described the event as "peak me," adding that he had no knowledge of the mint until the following day. He mentioned finding the situation genuinely funny, partly because he avoided reading most of the comments.
Williams also addressed comparisons drawn between his World Cup performance outfit and the tracksuit worn by the character Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri from "The Sopranos." He called the memes "magnificent" and commented that it would be odd if nothing unusual happened when he appeared on the world stage. He humorously speculated about the possibility of crushing powder as finely as "Bahamian sand," implying he was not new to such things, but reiterated that he was not under the influence.
Despite the online discussion, Williams shared moments of an "idyllic family weekend" with his wife, Ayda, and their children on Instagram. The couple posted photos from a vineyard and of their family enjoying a stroll, alongside images of stylish outfits and days out.
In other news, Williams is reportedly a leading contender to headline Glastonbury. This follows his announcement of a 2027 UK and Ireland tour, with dates scheduled in Limerick and Lytham. A spokesperson for William Hill noted he is currently at even-money odds to headline the festival.
Williams had initially appeared to poke fun at the incident on Monday, posting a video where he offered a "apologies for the object that fell onto the microphone" and stated, "It was deeply unprofessional and people worried about me. But it's okay because I had several more." He then revealed several mints in his mouth.