Take That reveal emotional truths behind Netflix documentary
Take That have described their new Netflix documentary as an emotional and sometimes uncomfortable watch.
Speaking this morning on Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden, Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald reflected on revisiting the band’s history, including the long-discussed period surrounding Robbie Williams’ departure.
The documentary looks back across more than three decades of the band’s career, using archive footage and new interviews to explore both the highs of global success and the tensions behind the scenes that shaped their story.
Howard Donald told the Heart presenters that the film does not shy away from difficult moments, explaining that it includes material the band had to agree to revisit despite feeling uneasy about parts of it.
He said the documentary “hits the nail on the head” when it comes to telling the truth about Take That, adding that watching the sections covering internal conflict was particularly emotional.
Jamie Theakston pressed the band on what made those moments uncomfortable, prompting Howard to point to the dynamic between Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams during the period leading up to Robbie’s exit.
Gary admitted that watching the documentary brought back feelings the band had not had to confront for many years, despite previously discussing those events privately as a group.
Reflecting on the experience, Gary said: “It’s a lovely watch and then the arc of the whole thing it does get dark in the middle. Which I think audiences like, you know, they want to see what’s going on in the background.”
Asked by Amanda Holden whether there was anything he would change looking back, Gary acknowledged regret while accepting that those moments helped define the band they became.
He said: “Isn’t it the way though that you look back and go why did I say that or why did I do that. We sat as a group 15 years ago and talked about what had happened, who said what and all the rest of it.
“Seeing it all again does bring it back up. And of course, there’s a million things you wished you could have changed and so much that it was meant to be like that.”
Amanda responded by suggesting those experiences helped shape who the band members are today, adding that there is little value in dwelling on what could have been different.
The Netflix documentary arrives as Take That continue to reflect publicly on their journey. By allowing cameras into some of the most sensitive chapters of their history, the band have positioned the documentary as an honest account rather than a nostalgic celebration, offering viewers a deeper understanding of the relationships that continue to define Take That today.