Robbie Williams breaks silence on flipping the finger at World Cup: ‘I was signalling a one-minute countdown’

Robbie Williams has addressed flipping his finger at the World Cup Opening ceremony, joking that he was simply signalling a one-minute countdown.

The 44-year-old singer shocked football fans when he swore to a crowd of 80,000 at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium and an estimated one billion TV viewers last Thursday.

Williams broke his silence on the rude gesture, saying he can’t "trust himself" as he was grilled by Phillip Schofield on Tuesday's This Morning.

On seeing footage of himself swearing he said: “I thought to myself, ‘It’s really important at these kinds of things not to cause an international incident’ and you know what, I managed it.

“There was a minute to kick off. I was under a lot of pressure, so I did a one minute countdown. I can’t trust me! The last thing I said to my manager before we sat down on the sofa here, was ‘What could go wrong?’

“I don’t know what I’m going to do at any time. The plan was, sing in key and don’t fall over and 99 per cent of the plan, I pulled off.”

Schofield asked: “Did it just pop into your head?”

He replied: “Nothing actually pops into my head. There is a block between me and sense and then something happens and then five minutes later I’m like ‘did I just do that?’”

His comments raised concern for Schofield who asked him why he allegedly wants to join the X Factor and be a part of live TV shows if he has no control over his actions.

He said: “If there is an X Factor in my future, whether it be this year or next year or never, I’m scared for my own safety and health, but not because of the people out there, the public, Twitter or Instagram – but my wife.

“She is an A+ student from Beverly Hills, incredibly square, she is like ‘why would you do that?’”

Williams is rumoured to be joining this year’s panel alongside his wife Ayda. He admitted to having talks with Simon Cowell, but insisted nothing has been confirmed.

“People are talking nothing has been signed,” he said. “But watch this space. I promise if it is a go ahead and I do it you will be the first people I come and speak to about it. It’s a yes from me.”

This Morning is on ITV, weekdays at 10:30am