Williams has jet on standby during Dublin gig

Pop superstar Robbie Williams has a private jet on standby as he plays a sell-out Dublin concert tonight in case his pregnant wife goes into labour.

The Rock DJ singer also hinted the closely-guarded name of his first child, due any day, will be an old-fashioned one.

“I don’t think she’s going to come today, I think it’s going to be more likely next week,” said Robbie.

“But there’s a plane on standby and if I get that phone call I’ve got to go.”

The 38-year-old former Take That star is performing to a packed O2 Arena in Dublin tonight in a special charity concert.

He promised fans a free show following what he said was a bad show in Croke Park in 2006 when his showpiece finale stalled amid technical faults. Instead, tickets were sold and Robbie pledged to donate all the proceeds to Unicef.

Williams and his Los Angeles-based wife, American actress Ayda Field, have already picked a name for the child, expected to be a girl, but they will not reveal it until she is born.

“There’s no mad celebrity baby name,” said Robbie. “It’s a very steadfast, old-school name.”

The singer also said there was a hint of Irish in the name.

Williams was in Dublin to launch his new clothing line in fashion store Brown Thomas ahead of the show.

The range is named Farrell after his Irish grandfather Jack Farrell, who was renowned for his fashion sense.

Robbie said Jack, originally from Kilkenny, was a navvy and lived in Stoke-on-Trent.

“I’m returning home every time I come to Ireland,” he said.

Williams added that his grandfather, nicknamed Jack the Giant Killer, helped raise him after his dad left his mum when he was just three.

He said he was inspired by his grandfather’s sharp dress sense when he designed the line, but admitted he has made a number of fashion faux pas throughout his career.

He joked the Take That music video for 'Do What You Like' in which he and his bandmates were clad in nothing but leather was a particular low point.

“If you turn up enough times in the public arena you’re going to look awful for a percentage of it, and it’s down to you what that percentage is,” he said.

Dozens of fans piled into the store to watch Robbie launch the collection.

Geraldine Carr travelled almost 255km from Westport, Co Mayo, to see her heartthrob.

“It’s so nice to see him in the flesh,” said Ms Carr.

“It’s nice that he recognises his Irish roots and that he celebrates them, you know.”

Clare Farrell from Dublin said she was hoping Robbie’s firstborn would wait until he had finished the concert.

“I’ve been a fan since Take That. Big, big fan,” she said.

“So fingers crossed he’ll be able to do the show tonight and then we’ll have a nice healthy baby.”