Robbie Williams has apologised to fans while announcing that his upcoming concert in Istanbul has been scrapped due to ongoing worries surrounding public safety
Robbie Williams has been forced to cancel a concert amid terror fears. The music legend was due to perform in Istanbul next week, but has told fans the show has been pulled due to concerns surrounding public safety. Robbie has close ties with Turkey, as his wife, Ayda Field-Williams, is of half-Turkish descent.
The 51-year-old was scheduled to perform at Istanbul’s Atakoy Marina, but the company behind the gig made the decision to pull the public due to security risks and public backlash.
His concert was due to take place on October 7, two years after the attacks on Israel by Hamas, during which 1,200 innocent people were killed and 251 people were held hostage in Gaza.
In a statement, Robbie said: “I’m extremely sorry that I will not be able to perform in Istanbul next week. City authorities have cancelled the show in the interests of public safety. The last thing I would ever want to do is to jeopardise the safety of my fans – their safety and security come first.
“We were very excited to be playing Istanbul for the first time, and purposely chose the city as the final show of the BRITPOP tour. To end this epic run of dates in front of my Turkish fans was my dream, given the close connections my family have with this wonderful country.
“To everyone in Istanbul who wanted to join the 1.2 million people who have shared this phenomenal tour this year with us, I am deeply sorry. We were so looking forward to this show, but the decision to cancel it was beyond our control.”
Currently, the Foreign Office is warning Brits against travelling to Turkey, with a warning on their dedicated travel advice page stating that travel insurance could be invalidated if they travel against the advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Fears started to mount after Robbie voiced his support for Israel after the horrific events on October 7. Previously, he had stated that he was raising his four children as Jewish, as this is the religion their mother, his wife, Ayda, follows. He said at home, the family follow Jewish traditions “out of respect.”
During a concert in Tel Aviv in 2023, Robbie said on stage: “I’m raising my kids Jewish and I’m grateful for the Jewish people. My wife is Jewish, so my kids are Jewish.
“I like to keep some of the traditions going in the family, just out of respect for you guys and their history.” He also has the word “Simcha” tattooed on his wrist, which means happiness in Hebrew.
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