A Robbie Williams Superfan's Viral Moment: Correcting a Scouse Mistake and the Power of Nostalgia
Jemma Williamson, a 48-year-old teacher from Greasby, found herself in the spotlight after a long-forgotten moment from her teenage years went viral. It all started when she was featured in the new Take That documentary, which landed on Netflix last week. In the never-before-seen archive footage, Jemma, then 14, is part of a group of adoring fans outside HMV in Chester in the early 1990s. Seizing her chance in front of camera crews, she reached out to Robbie Williams, sharing her number and saying he could call her at any time.
Fast forward 35 years, and Jemma's message has finally reached the Angels singer. Robbie posted a clip on his Instagram channel trying to phone the number, which has since been viewed over 3.3 million times and counting. This unexpected turn of events has led to articles in numerous magazines, an appearance on Scott Mills' BBC Radio show, and Good Morning Britain.
Jemma's past week has been 'mental' as her viral fame sinks in. She's been doing radio interviews in her kitchen, going to work, and even needing permission from the headteacher to go on Good Morning Britain. Despite the sudden fame, she's been receiving positive comments and messages from people all over the internet.
Jemma grew up in the Wirral and doesn't remember how she first became aware of Take That's album signing at HMV Chester. She believes she read it in Smash Hits and decided to go, taking the bus for an hour and a half. Unfortunately, she arrived to find the signing was already full, but her determination to get a glimpse of the boyband, which also included Gary Barlow, Jason Orange, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald, remained.
Jemma stood around the back, waiting for the boys to come out of HMV. Camera crews were there, and she was included in a fan video they were making. While she remembers being filmed, she doesn't recall saying the iconic call-out that has brought her to the nation's attention.
Robbie Williams failed to get in touch with Jemma on the video posted last weekend. She confirmed he was missing the 0151 area code, and the old landline number is now inactive anyway. Jemma was also keen to correct a Netflix mistake in her chat with the ECHO. She pointed out a misquote in the subtitles of the now-viral video, where she said, 'Robbie is my favorite, he's got gorgeous eyes and a great body.' She clarified that she didn't say 'thighs,' but 'eyes,' and found it funny that Netflix didn't get the Scouse accent right.
As Robbie Williams arrives in Jemma's home region tonight for an intimate show at the Liverpool Olympia, she's hoping for an invite when the Feel singer's tour arrives in her current home city on Monday. Jemma is embracing her viral fame and enjoying the attention, knowing that her 14-year-old self would be thrilled to see her teenage pop hysteria capture the nation's attention over three decades later. She's making the most of it, knowing that next week, everyone will be talking about someone else.
