Robbie Williams is not afraid to use his fist to express his love

Robbie Williams is on his way back, says Hello magazine. How do they know?

First, they've got a photo of him with the word "Love" badly ballpointed onto his knuckles - what is it with people leaving rehab suddenly writing on their hands? There was Britney with her PUSH (or Pray Until Something Happens, apparently) and now there's Williams having a go with a Bic. Mind you, don't most of the guys on B-wing have LOVE eteched on their fist anyway? The left one, anyway?

But Hello! has more than a hand which may either be sign of placid acceptance of his life, or membership of Big Bertie's Heist Squad to go on. His father Pete has spoken to Robbie, and his auguries are good:

"I always know how Robbie is by his humour, and it's back," a delighted Pete said. "He was making jokes down the phone to me yesterday, they are not quotable, very private and a bit rude. So I would say he is on the mend."

If Robbie not being funny is a sign he's in trouble, the poor bastard must have been in turmoil for at least as long as he's been in the public eye.

We do love that his Dad is going "he told a joke about shagging a nun - how could he possibly still be sucking down xanax cocktails and sobbing himself to sleep every three hours?"