Robbie Williams left Take That in 1995 during a period of tension; the band split later, then re-formed without him. In 2010, Williams reunited with Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and Mark Owen to record the album Progress. It was a genuine five-member reunion, but not a permanent return to the group’s line-up.
Williams left in 1995, but the band’s split came later
Williams’s departure and Take That’s subsequent break-up were separate events. The available accounts place his exit in 1995, amid professional and personal strain, but do not establish one single, uncontested reason for it. The Guardian’s 2010 retrospective describes how the former members went on to divergent paths, with Williams’s solo success often compared publicly with the band’s fortunes.
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That comparison became part of the story, but it should not be mistaken for a complete explanation of the relationships among the members. The sources document a difficult period and later public disagreement; they do not settle every private motive or conflict.
Take That addressed the past publicly in 2005
On 16 November 2005, Take That reunited for ITV’s Take That: For the Record. The members discussed fame, success, the band’s split and the group’s post-Williams years. The Guardian later described the documentary as leading to Take That’s reformation.
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The re-formed group initially continued without Williams. That distinction matters: the band’s return was underway before the five original members made music together again.
Williams reunited with the four members for Progress
On 15 July 2010, Williams’s official site announced that he, Barlow, Donald, Orange and Owen had recorded a studio album with producer Stuart Price. Williams called the reunion “coming home.” Owen said that getting all five together had long been a dream, while Orange called it “Flippin’ brilliant, absolutely brilliant.”
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The announcement presented the collaboration as a reunion album and a period of working together. Its members’ enthusiasm did not establish that the five-person line-up would continue indefinitely. Progress is the album most directly tied to this chapter; the announcement connected it to the band’s return.
What the documentaries say—and what they do not prove
Netflix’s official listing describes a three-part documentary series about Take That’s rise, fall and reunion, using archive footage. Its episode summaries mention a shock decision, a press rivalry and a reunion without one original member. That is the series’ framing of the story, not independent evidence of private motives.
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Williams’s site also promoted Look Back, Don’t Stare, a documentary about making the reunion album, and advertised it on DVD and Blu-ray at the time. Current physical availability is not established. Netflix’s listing describes three episodes, but streaming availability can vary by country and change over time.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Robbie Williams back in Take That now?
The 2010 collaboration does not by itself mean Williams is currently a permanent member of Take That. In January 2026, Official Charts reported Gary Barlow saying that a future full reunion could happen and that the group had a new album planned for the end of 2026. Those are reported intentions and possibilities, not confirmation that either event has happened.
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So the clearest account is a sequence: Williams left in 1995; Take That later split and re-formed without him; and all five reunited to record Progress in 2010. Their reunion was real, but it did not make the original five a standing line-up.
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Sources
- The Guardian’s 2010 reporting and interview on Take That and Williams
- Williams’s 15 July 2010 reunion announcement
- Netflix’s official listing for the Take That documentary series
- Official Charts’ January 2026 report on Barlow’s comments
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