Robbie Williams turns auctioneer, raises $226,000 for charity

LONDON (Reuters) - Pop singer Robbie Williams has turned auctioneer at a charity sale of his belongings and raised some $226,000 for a British children's hospice. The "Let Me Entertain You" singer appeared at London's Bonhams auction house on Wednesday for the "Doing it for the Kids" sale, held to raise money for the Donna Louise Children's Hospice, of which he is a patron. The auction, where fans bid online, by phone and in the room, saw more than 150 lots go under the hammer - including belongings from when Williams was part of boy band Take That - raising 145,000 pounds ($226,475), the hospice said in a statement. To loud cheers, the singer took over as auctioneer to sell his handwritten "Kids" single lyrics, estimated at 2,000–3,000 pounds, for 6,875 pounds. "It's just a set of handwritten lyrics for the popular song from last century, 'Kids' - Robbie Williams featuring Kylie Minogue," the singer told the room as he set off bidding. Popular lots included handwritten lyrics for Williams' 2013 single "Go Gentle", which sold for 31,250 pounds, and a Take That MTV Movie Award, which went for 10,625 pounds. A cream suit Williams wore in the music video for 2004 single "Radio" sold for 5,250 pounds while a set of handwritten lyrics for "Let Me Entertain You" sold for 2,750 pounds, according to the hospice. Williams said it was "a privilege" to auction the possessions to raise money for the hospice. (1 US dollar = 0.6402 British pound) (Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Reuters Television; Editing by Tom Heneghan)