Former Take That Star: We Should Have Helped Troubled Robbie Williams

Former Take That hunk Mark Owen is ashamed that he and his fellow bandmates deserted singer Robbie Williams in his hour of need.

Owen, who has since repaired his friendship with the ANGELS singer, admits when Williams left the boy band and turned to drink and drugs to cope, he didn't try to help him.

But Owen, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Jason Orange were sure that Robbie's exit from the PRAY band was a temporary one.

He says, "It could so easily have been me having to deal with those problems. I felt for him. Looking back, I think how difficult it must have been for him to deal with.

"The rest of the band carried on and we had each other to depend on. I still wish I had phoned him the weekend he left the band. I'm not proud of not calling him. I expected him to come back."