Gary Barlow phoned Robbie Williams to complain he came off "worse than Darth Vader in the first 'Star Wars'" when he saw an early draft of his former bandmate's biopic 'Better Man'

Robbie told Deadline: "We had a fractious relationship. In the script, I speak how I spoke and I think how I thought back then.

"We sent him the script and he rang me.

"Gaz phones me, 'Rob, I come off worse than Darth Vader in the first Star Wars.' "

Afterwards, Robbie had to tone down his and Gary's relationship for the film, and the 'Angels' singer has now insisted the only "villain" remaining in the production is himself.

He added: "There were many villains in this movie until we legally couldn't have many villains in this movie.

"Now the only villain in this movie is me. I'm quite happy to be the main villain in this movie."

Robbie previously branded Gary "clueless" and he quit Take That in 1995, before going head-to-head with his then-rival for solo success.

The pair reconciled in 2009 and Robbie rejoined the band in 2010 for their sixth studio album 'Progress', but a year later he left the group amicably.

'Better Man' is also expected to feature footage of Robbie proposing to his ex Nicole Appleton in 1998, and the star has now admitted he feels "great shame" about how he acted during their relationship.

He said: "She didn't deserve the version of me she got.

"I feel great shame I didn't represent myself in the best way possible because she deserves the best and deserves the best me and she didn't get it."