The fourth year of the BBC Electric Proms will play host to Dizzee Rascal and Dame Shirley Bassey this week — but there’s no doubting who its star attraction was.

Robert Peter Williams, returning to the stage after a three-year hiatus via a shaky X Factor appearance, came to the Roundhouse last night for one of the most eagerly anticipated shows of the year. Outside the venue, the queue, which had a male/female ratio roughly equivalent to that of a closing down sale at Topshop, snaked for miles down Chalk Farm Road.

Inside the Roundhouse, in front of an audience that included Sir Ian McKellen and Dragons Den star Peter Jones, the Robbie franchise was open for business once more.

While he may be rehabilitated from his addiction to prescription drugs, the ex-Take That man is not yet back to full strength as a performer.

Once the confident colossus of pop, the new Robbie is a much nervier proposition: a 35-year-old, “with a few grey hairs”, who has to prove himself once more.

Gallery: Robbie Williams kicks off Electric Proms

Things got off to a shaky start with Bodies, one of many new tracks aired on the night from his forthcoming album, Reality Killed The Video Star (a reference to The Buggles’ 1979 hit, Video Killed The Radio Star). Williams sang and danced self-consciously, looking and sounding like a man still in search of his missing mojo. Where lesser performers might have crumbled, Robbie rallied.

Come Undone proved that his soaring, rough-edged tenor was still intact. The singer subtly changed the words in the chorus to “I’m still your son”, to the delight of women who still want to mother him.

Ever the joker, Williams was full of wisecracks between songs, dedicating Feel to an aunt who’s looking down on him. “She’s not dead; she’s just condescending,” he quipped.

After a brief foray into swing, Williams hit us with the big announcement of the night — dedicating No Regrets to “my new best mate, Gary Barlow”. As well as mending broken friendships with ex-bandmates, Robbie’s found himself a woman. And it was to his new muse, American actress Ayda Field, that he dedicated the horn-heavy soul of Won’t Do That. Following this with the upcoming single, You Know Me — surely a future No 1 with its swinging, singalong chorus and heartfelt lyrics — the Robbie of old was coming into view.

And by the time we reached a gloriously camp cover of Video Killed The Radio Star, via the forever fabulous Angels, he sounded like he might finally be back for good.

WHAT THE OTHER CRITICS SAY:
The Mirror — 3am
‘Robbie Williams is back, cockier and more rock ’n’ roll than ever.’

The Sun — Gordon Smart
‘The pressure was on to prove he’s still got it. I’m relieved to say he certainly has, and maybe a bit more besides.’

The Times — Caitlin Moran
‘He not only aced his core appeal, but introduced about as fine a piece of pop as has been in the Top 10 in the last 10 years.’

The Guardian — Alexis Petridis
‘For a man who now apparently suffers from stage fright so acute that he has no plans to tour for the foreseeable future, he seemed entirely confident.”

The Express — Emily Garnham
‘A confident and at times emotional Williams proved he is as slick a showman as he ever was.’