Robbie Williams debuted his new single Candy as he opened his first solo tour in six years.

The 38-year-old pop star is marking his comeback with a series of gigs at intimate venues he played on his first ever solo tour in 1997.

He opened the tour on Tuesday night with a concert for 2,300 fans at Leeds Academy, followed by Glasgow's Barrowland on Wednesday.

The singer admitted he was hoping Candy, which he wrote with Take That bandmate Gary Barlow, would be a chart success. He told the Daily Record newspaper, “I’m in the business of hits now.

“Before, I meandered with no direction, trying to be experimental and interesting and I didn’t manage that bit. Now, I want hits and euphoria in stadiums and I want people to sing the words back to me.

“I think this might be the single to do it.”

Williams, who is expecting his first child with his wife Ayda Field, said he is looking forward to being a dad but admitted that being faithful was a struggle for a pop star who has women throwing themselves at him.

He said, “I’ve been a monk for six years and I intend to carry on being monk-like – but it’s not easy.

“I think every night that I remain faithful to Ayda she should give me stuff – even if it’s just a bag of Minstrels.”

In an interview with Magic FM, Robbie also discussed the extra pounds he has piled on recently which he said were the result of quitting smoking and lifting weights.

He said, “The wife got pregnant, I gave up smoking and I put on a stone-and-a-half and decided to cultivate the wrestler look – and now I’m pushing weights and really enjoy doing it.

“I’ve turned the mountain of fat into muscle mixed with fat.”