Robbie Williams has added an extra date to his biggest ever live shows after tickets to his Knebworth gig sold out in just seven hours.

Tickets for his 2003 summer dates went on sale on Saturday but such was the demand that the star has decided to add another day to satisfy fans.

Williams beat Oasis' nine hour sell-out record for the venue for their pair of concerts in 1996.

The 28-year-old was already booked to play at Knebworth Park in Hertfordshire on 2 and 3 August but he will now also perform on 1 August.

He will play to about a million fans throughout Europe

A spokeswoman for the singer said: "It's totally unprecedented to put on a third date at Knebworth.

"The tickets have sold even faster than we expected."

Williams will also visit Murrayfield in Edinburgh and Phoenix Park in Dublin as part of a 15-date European tour which will see him perform to about a million fans.

The singer thinks the concerts could be the best of his career.

Downhill

"People should come and see this because I think after this tour and after this album it's all downhill, I genuinely do," he said.

Oasis' career arguably hit its peak after the group's 1996 Knebworth shows, which saw well over two million people try to get tickets for the two dates.

Williams is expected to top the album charts on Sunday with his fifth album, Escapology, which is at the heart of a much-trumpeted �80m deal with his record company EMI.

Robbie Williams says he is not interested in cracking America

It is the biggest amount ever paid for a UK act, and EMI will be expecting the tour to give it a significant return on its investment.

Lucrative

As part of the contract the company will take a stake in his live shows - often the biggest money-spinner for music stars.

But announcing the dates at a press conference in Berlin, Williams insisted he was not interested in cracking the lucrative US market.

"I can't be arsed," he said.

He added: "For me, touring is the ultimate adrenaline rush.

"This is going to be one of my best tours yet. I'm really excited at the prospect of being back on the road."

The tour opens at Murrayfield on 28 and 29 June and winds down at Phoenix Park on 9 August.