Robbie reveals X Factor blunder

Robbie Williams says the audience were "immense"

Robbie Williams has revealed his first live performance in three years did not go to plan, as his entrance on Sunday's X Factor suffered a malfunction.

He wrote on his blog that the sliding door, which was supposed to open before he sang, failed at the last minute.

"That's enough to throw you right off your stride. I don't know if you saw but I had to wedge it open myself. That wasn't part of the show," he said.

The 35-year-old's performance has been criticised by some tabloid papers.

'Anxiety fest'

The Daily Mail described the singer as "wide-eyed, unblinking and glistening with sweat" during his performance of new single Bodies.

And the Daily Mirror called his song "forgettable" adding that he "didn't look like the superstar he used to be".

Some X Factor fans have agreed with the newspapers.

Commenting on the show's website, one person wrote: "Compared to the other contestants, he was a joke."

And another said he "can't sing and should have mimed".

Rehearsals went well. Though, Bodies isn't the easiest of songs to perform and getting back into the swing of things has felt somewhat alien

Robbie Williams

But most people were supportive of him, with one saying Williams was "very overwhelmed and amazed at how the crowd reacted to him".

The star said that he "wasn't as nervous as I thought I was going to be" but then the door refused to open.

"Rehearsals went well. Though, Bodies isn't the easiest of songs to perform and getting back into the swing of things has felt somewhat alien.

"Back in the dressing room waiting to go on wasn't the dreadful anxiety fest that I thought it was going to be."

Just before he went on, Williams revealed he started singing the Rocky theme tune for "extra confidence", but just before he started singing it all went wrong because the door did not open.

"Now I don't know if you've ever had 10 million (plus) people ready to judge you on your first performance back in three years, but let me tell you, if the door between you and them isn't opening that's enough to throw you right off your stride."

However, after the "bizarrely odd start" he started to "find his feet".

He added: "The audience were immense and the love in the room was palpable. It all felt so electric. Like three years of anxiety leaving my body."

Last year's X Factor winner Alexandra Burke also performed on the same show.

Girl group Kandy Rain were the first act to be voted off the TV singing talent show.