British singer Robbie Williams, 52, has announced that he was recently diagnosed with autism. The former Take That member shared the news during a Q&A session held in London to mark the launch of the autumn-winter collection from Hopeium, his clothing brand, at the Flannels department store. According to various British media outlets, Williams told attendees that the diagnosis has helped him understand many of his peculiarities. Far from seeing it as a problem, the singer states that he has taken it "with humor," and says it now serves him "as a kind of wildcard to justify his more eccentric behavior."

If Elizabeth Taylor christened Michael Jackson "the king of pop," Robbie Williams proclaims himself "the king of entertainment" at the concerts of the new Britpop tour. And he gives himself a couple of hours for the audience to recognize everything: unbeatable anthems, a handful of covers for karaoke (Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Blur, Ricky Martin, Oasis, etc.) and the self-pity of someone who has said that "he already had mental problems before being cool" (and he already explained it to us: "self aware sound, full of shit sound").