Some resentments never die, and it seems that East 17's Tony Mortimer has never quite forgiven Take That for being better than them. He's called Take That a "trumped up Village People tribute band", apparently, and implied that they're trading on Robbie Williams fame for publicity: "Would there be that much interest in Take That if they hadn't played the Robbie card?" he's reported to have said.
Given that Take That sold a quarter million tickets in the first half hour that they went on sale for the band's upcoming reunion tour that is to take place without Robbie Williams, it would seem that he's not completely essential to the group's ongoing success. East 17 have sold out one night, as previously reported, at the Shepherd's Bush Empire.