Robbie Williams has shut down speculation of a feud with Olivia Rodrigo after listeners pointed out similarities between her new festive track and his 2012 hit Candy.

The 52-year-old singer addressed the comparisons in a lengthy social media post, making it clear he is not interested in taking action against the 23-year-old chart star and believes the music business has become too quick to accuse artists of copying one another.

Robbie argued that similarities between songs are often unavoidable because musicians are working with the same basic building blocks.

He wrote on Instagram: "There's something about the music industry that's been bothering me for a while.

People coming after people because they've spotted a similarity between two songs.

Some of it I completely understand. Some of it is absolutely justified.

Most of it, I think, is complete b*******.

I've had plenty of people come after me over the years because something I've released apparently sounds like something somebody else released.

"And sometimes I listen and think, fair enough, I can hear that.

Other times I think, are you having a f****** laugh?

There are only so many notes. Only so many chords. Only so many ways of putting them together before you inevitably find yourself somewhere somebody else has been.

Music has been around for a very long time."

The former Take That star went on to praise Olivia, revealing he has been a fan of the singer-songwriter for years.

He continued: "We're all going to bump into each other eventually.

"Which brings me to Olivia Rodrigo.

"I love Olivia Rodrigo.

"I've loved her since Brutal. What a f****** record. I wish l'd made it.

"Also, I cannot believe how much she swears on stage. And that's coming from me. I'm a Sweary Mary, but she's making me look like a Victorian schoolmistress."

The Angels hitmaker then addressed the song comparison directly, suggesting Olivia may have unintentionally echoed part of his work but stressing that it did not concern him.

He said: "Anyway.

It sounds to me as though she may have accidentally stumbled across a musical echo of mine in one of her new songs.

And do you know what?

I couldn't care less.

I don't know whether there's technically a publishing issue, a copyright issue, or no issue whatsoever.

And I don't want to know.

I'm not going after her.

Because I think at some point, some f****** sanity has to prevail.

Now, l appreciate I'm in a position in my career where I can afford to take that view. Not everybody is. And genuine theft is genuine theft. Artists deserve to be protected.

But there's a difference between protecting your work and treating every vaguely familiar sequence of notes as a winning lottery ticket.

Some of this stuff has become ambulance chasing.

And I think it's disgusting.

We all stand on the shoulders of people who came before us. Sometimes consciously.

Sometimes without even knowing it.

That's how music works.

If we keep punishing people for accidentally arriving somewhere somebody else has already been, eventually we're going to frighten the creativity out of everyone."

Robbie ended his message with another playful dig at Olivia's colourful language.

He wrote: "Anyway.

Olivia, if you're reading this, I think you're f****** brilliant.

But please stop swearing so much.

It makes me feel like I have to keep up.

And frankly, I'm already swearing far more than is necessary.

Lots of love and Happy Christmas

Rob x (sic)"