Robbie Williams has apologised to fans after being forced to cancel his final tour gig in Istanbul amid terror fears.
The Angels singer, 51, was scheduled to perform at Istanbul’s Ataköy Marina on Tuesday, October 7, but has announced that the show has been cancelled “in the interest of public safety.”
The organising company cited public backlash and potential security risks as reasons for the cancellation, Turkiye Today reported.
According to the media outlet, Williams — who has a personal connection to Türkiye through his Turkish-born wife, Ayda Field — faced criticism on social media, where some users labelled him a 'Zionist.'
The concert was set to take place on October 7, coinciding with the two year anniversary of the horrific Hamas attack on Israel.
On that day in 2023, around 1,200 people in Israel were killed when Hamas gunmen crossed the border, and 251 others were taken hostage.
The attack triggered a devastating war that has since claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people.
The Foreign Office has advised Brits against all travel to parts of Turkey.
Williams said on social media: "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."
Williams will perform his smallest ticketed gig, at Camden's Dingwalls venue in London on Thursday, running through his upcoming album Britpop, which is yet to be released, in full, with his first solo LP, Life Thru A Lens.
He began the tour in May, performing in cities including London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Helsinki and Athens.
