Robbie Williams declares he's a changed man from the last time he was in Australia.
The UK pop star is back with a new album, a committed relationship and a fresh outlook on life after three years out of the spotlight.
Facing the media ahead of an intimate concert in Sydney on Wednesday night and his appearance at Thursday's ARIA Awards, Williams said he was thrilled to be back in Australia for the first time since 2006.
"I'm very relaxed, very happy. I'm genuinely happy just to be here," Williams said.
"When you're in a place that is as relaxed as Australia - and it is probably the most relaxed place in the world, isn't it? - that's gone a long way to dealing with what I've got in front of me."
What Williams is dealing with at the moment is returning to life as a pop star.
His new album, Reality Killed The Video Star, is his latest since his 2006 Rudebox, which had a mixed reception.
He said he felt a lot of pressure ahead of its release.
"More so than any other album and on every other album I've worried myself to death before it's come out," the former Take That singer said.
"It's kind of a crossroads to what's going on with my career and who I am now in the public's eyes."
The album debuted at number one on the Australian charts and number two in the UK.
Williams is very proud of this record and has got back into the groove performing live but won't be rushing into touring again.
Williams said it was his nine-month stretch on the road on the last tour during which he performed for 3.6 million people, that landed him in rehab.
"It's a really unnatural situation to find yourself in," he explained.
"It's such high highs in front of that many people at the stadiums ... and then you go back to the hotel and you go, oh I've eaten the mini bar again and the internet isn't doing what it should do and I'm bored with that.
"After nine months of living in an airconditioned room and just going to the gig you kind of crack a bit. You lose the plot."
Williams battled drug addiction and admits he will probably never be free of it.
"I have that mechanism inside of me that enjoys not choosing life, that has it inbuilt in my DNA to want to get high," he said.
"I don't think that ever leaves. I'm sure it won't."
He said it is one of the reasons he isn't ready to face proper touring again yet.
"There's no plans to do a tour like the last one I did," he said.
"I know what happens to me and where it takes me and which rehab I end up in.
"I will tour again but it won't be anytime soon."
Right now, Williams said he is in a good place in his life, enjoying domestic bliss with actress girlfriend Ayda Field, who has joined him on his Australian trip.
The once famed playboy said he is a changed man.
He said he's coming around to the idea of marriage and the couple even have a potential baby name picked out - Sonny or Sunny, depending on whether it's a boy or girl.
"I've spent three years away and got into a relationship and all of this kind of stuff kind of paled a bit," Williams said.
"I've been doing it for 20 years and when you find somebody and you get on with them really, really well there's more to life than coming up every 18 months and being a big head and doing a bit of singing."
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