The "disturbing and offensive" Robbie

Shoppers at the Bargate Centre in Southampton branded Robbie Williams’ new video “disgusting and offensive” following a showing on the centre’s giant video screens.

The video for “Rock DJ” features the star slowly undressing, then tearing off his own flesh and flinging it to the assembled throng of adoring females.

Shown throughout the day on 92 huge television screens in the shopping centre, the video reportedly alarmed children, some of whom were reported to have run from the centre in tears. 28-year-old mother Lorrayne Nicholson said: “I stood there open mouthed, not believing what I was seeing. I was totally shocked. It’s irresponsible to show it.” However, manager of the shopping centre Andy Merryfield defended his decision to show the video saying, “If he’s happy to make the video, who are we to refuse to show it?”

Robbie Williams bitterly regrets giving away a new song ‘United’ to Pepsi for an advert as it’s better than some of the tracks on his forthcoming album.

A UK tabloid has reported that Robbie thinks he should have released the tune as a single. Instead fans will only get to hear it when they collect Pepsi can ring pulls. A source told the newspaper: “He knows it would have been a massive hit. He’s wishing he hadn’t given Pepsi such a good song.”

Meanwhile, Robbie’s next regular single, ‘Rock DJ’, which is released on July 31st, has already caused some controversy. The singer has been forced to credit the writers of Barry White’s ‘I’m In Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me’ on the record alongside his song-writing partners Kelvin Andrews and Guy Chambers. Striking similarities between the two songs have been identified and the writers of the soul legend’s 1977 hit will now receive a slice of the royalties. The singer will also perform the track live on the programme later this month and looks likely to star in his own Robbie special. This will be the first time that the long-running music show has devoted a whole episode to just one act. If the one-off programme goes ahead it’ll be screened in August to coincide with the albums release. A “Top Of The Pops” spokeswoman told dotmusic that it is set to include exclusive performances of new songs, old favourites and what she described as a “very special interview which really will be one to watch.”