Pete Conway

Quick Facts

Summary

Peter Conway, born Peter Clive Williams, is the father of Robbie Williams. A pub singer from Stoke on Trent, he left Robbie’s mother Jan in 1977, leading to years of limited contact. They later reconciled, performed together on stage and rebuilt their relationship. Conway remains an important figure in Robbie’s life.

Biography

Early family life and roots in showbusiness

Peter Conway was born Peter Clive Williams in Stoke-on-Trent. Alongside his then wife Jan Williams, he was involved in running The Red Lion pub in Burslem, a setting that exposed their son Robbie Williams to live performance from an early age. Music, comedy and informal entertainment were part of everyday life. In 1977, when Robbie was three years old, Peter and Jan divorced, a separation that would shape much of Robbie’s childhood and later creative work.

Career after separation

Following the divorce, Conway pursued entertainment full time. Performing under the stage name Pete Conway, he worked as a singer and stand up comedian and later became an entertainments manager at holiday venues, including Carmarthen Bay Holiday Village in Kidwelly and Holme Lacy House in Hereford. During school holidays, Robbie spent extended periods backstage at these venues, observing performers and learning the rhythms of live entertainment first hand.

Early influence on Robbie

Robbie Williams has frequently credited these experiences as formative. By the age of ten or eleven, he had decided he wanted to perform professionally. Although Conway initially attempted to dissuade him from pursuing showbusiness, he later acknowledged that his son possessed a rare confidence and charisma. Williams has described his father recognising what he later referred to as an “X Factor” quality.

Distance and upbringing

Despite this early exposure, contact between father and son was limited for long periods. Robbie was primarily raised by his mother Jan and his maternal grandmother Betty Williams, who played a central role in his emotional and practical upbringing. Betty’s influence has been repeatedly cited by Robbie as crucial to his development, particularly during years when his father was absent.

Port Vale and family identity

Conway maintained strong ties to Stoke-on-Trent and to Port Vale, a connection that helped foster Robbie’s lifelong support of the football club. In later years, Conway became affectionately known as “Poppa Pete”, a nickname that reflected his re established role in his son’s life.

Reconciliation and public presence

Robbie and his father gradually reconciled after Robbie’s rise to fame in the 1990s. Their improved relationship became visible in public settings, particularly during Robbie’s swing era. Conway joined his son on stage to perform duets including That’s Life, Sweet Caroline, and later Better Man, performances widely seen as symbolic of their repaired bond.

Royal Albert Hall significance

The concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in 2001, marking the success of Swing When You’re Winning, were especially significant. They marked the first time since 1977 that Conway and Jan Williams were in the same room. Robbie later described the moment as emotionally important, representing a form of closure within his family history.

Later life and touring

In 2015, Conway joined Robbie on tour more regularly, appearing nightly to perform a single song together. In his personal life, Conway married Melanie Mills in 2013. The marriage ended in divorce in 2018. In February that year, he also joined Twitter under the handle @poppapete299, briefly engaging directly with fans.

Final recordings and retirement

Conway’s final major musical contribution came in 2019, when he appeared alongside his son on It’s a Wonderful Life, a duet included on the album The Christmas Present. He announced his retirement during preparations for The Robbie Williams Christmas Show, a homecoming concert planned for Stoke on Trent in June 2020. The event was later cancelled due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Health and later years

In 2020, Robbie Williams confirmed publicly that his father had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In subsequent interviews, he spoke candidly about his father’s declining health and the emotional impact this had on him. Conway continues to live in Stoke on Trent.

Better Man portrayal

Conway is portrayed by Steve Pemberton in the 2024 biographical film Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey. The film presents Robbie’s life through a stylised lens, depicting him as a CGI chimpanzee as a metaphor for fame. Conway’s influence is emphasised throughout, particularly in scenes showing Robbie’s early exposure to live entertainment and amateur dramatics. The film received critical acclaim and won nine AACTA Awards, alongside nominations at the Oscars, BAFTAs and Golden Globes.

Legacy

Peter Conway’s story is inseparable from Robbie Williams’ understanding of fame, absence and reconciliation. From early separation to shared stages late in life, his influence runs through both Robbie’s personal narrative and his creative work, reflecting a relationship defined by complexity, forgiveness and a shared love of performance.

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