'I toured with Robbie Williams and there was one thing that surprised me most'

From touring with Robbie Williams to headlining your own stadium gig, this summer really could feel like a lottery win for, well, the Lottery Winners.

The band from Leigh are fresh from a European tour with the iconic former Take That man and are ready to put on a huge show of their own. Following in the footsteps of Elton John and Lionel Richie, the Lottery Winners have announced their huge date at the LSV Stadium next year.

The homecoming gig, which was announced with the help of Robbie earlier this week, marks a huge moment for the Anxiety Replacement Therapy stars. And lead singer Thom Rylance has opened up to the Mirror on exactly how the gig came about and the key things that touring with his new pal Robbie has taught him.

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Chatting to us while getting a rocket tattoo to commemorate his time with Robbie - whom he joked must still get his own version - Thom revealed how the link up first came about and the key moments from their time with the Rock DJ singer, 51, that they will take with them throughout their career.

"Rob, I can call him Rob, you can't. You can call him Robbie," Thom joked, showing off his sarcastic manner that has won over so many new fans at his upbeat shows. "He heard one of our songs on the radio then he said he did a huge deep dive and said he watched every interview and every video and everything and then he got my phone number and just Face Timed me.

"We just sparked a friendship...then he asked if we wanted to go on tour. It sounds syrupy, and it sounds a bit lame, but I feel like I've found a bit of a soulmate kind of character, like we've got so much in common."

Thom admitted there are two versions of the star, too. "Both of them are wildly creative, inspirational, kind funny, beautiful people," he went on. "His creative output is ridiculous. I don't know anybody who makes as many things as he does. It's just constant. It flows out of him, and it's so inspiring to be around.

"But there are two very distinct versions of Rob. There's Robbie Williams with all the bravado and charisma and everybody in the palm of his hand on stage in a stadium. And then there's Rob in his underpants eating crisps, watching Alan Partridge and like chatting, and I love them both equally. So it's nice to have this mentor kind of character who's done everything that I ever aspire to do, and can really tell me about it, and he's got the best stories."

Thom admits one thing Robbie does on tour was a huge surprise to him, explaining it was amazing to see just how much time he dedicates to those around him. "Rob will give everybody a moment," he said. "And that must be so taxing for his time. But he will walk through the venue, and he will fist bump every security, every steward, he'll give people a moment.

"He's so kind with his time. And it's very inspirational. He's inspirational on so many levels. And just how to be human being is one of them."

Describing how he "sponged up" all the situations, Thom admitted he felt the band growing during every show. He also confessed to the one pre-show trait Robbie has that he will take with him into his future gigs. " I really like what Rob does pre-show," he admitted.

"We've always had a little cuddle and a little chat before going on stage, but he has everybody in a room, and he has music on to get everyone up in the mood. Then everyone goes around in a circle, and everybody says something, and then he does, like, this whole thing. I want to do a bit more like that. Like it really sets the the energy of the show up really nicely."

Speaking of their own stadium show, Thom called the band "stupid" for attempting it. "Too bloody ambitious," he said, before confessing the band are "dreamers". And why not? With a huge - and growing - fanbase behind them, as well as a lineup on the night that's littered with fantastic names (including a number of secret special guests) it's sure to be a set to remember.

"We played our first gig in a pub, which is about a three minute walk away from that stadium," Thom revealed. "And I remember saying at that pub gig one day, we're going to play in that stadium. And now here we are.

"Every time we've done something way beyond our means, it's kind of worked. So I'm just hoping this works again."'

When asked how it felt to follow in the iconic footsteps of the musical legends of Elton and Lionel, Thom quickly joked in his usual fashion: "We are the first band to have a headline. They are two solos, aren't they? So we're the first band to ever play there. So I'm having that."

Somewhat downplaying the band's huge success with two number one albums, he added: "While I don't feel like we've got any hit songs, what we have got is authenticity and entertainment and showmanship, and we're going to throw everything behind it, and I think it's going to feel there's going to be a lot of love in that space, and I'm really excited for it."

The Lottery Winners will perform at LSV Stadium in Greater Manchester on May 30, 2026, with support acts including Frank Turner, Reverend & The Makers, Scouting for Girls, The Lilacs and more to be announced.

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