Paul Gascoigne was on the verge of tears during his Good Morning Britain interview on Monday. The former footballer, 58, joined Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley on the ITV breakfast show to promote his new book, Eight, but couldn’t help but become emotional at one point.
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Recalling how intrusion had led to a fallout with his late parents, the former Newcastle United star, who has had a well-documented battle with drink and drugs over the years, admitted that his father having him ‘sectioned’ was the ‘best thing’ he could have done for him then.
He said: “It was only because of the phone hacking. I fell out with me mam and dad for three months. That destroyed me, and I took the drugs and then my dad sectioned me. Within 11 days, there was 22 undercover coppers and they sectioned me for 11 days, I did it cold turkey. I did it, and I was all right after that, you know? I have me ups and downs, more ups than downs, that’s the way I look at things.”
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The sports star joined Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid to discuss his new book (Image: ITV)
Susanna then interjected to remind Paul that he became so ‘paranoid’ during the phone hacking scandal, and he explained: “The only people I spoke to was me mam and dad and it come out in all the newspapers. So I fell out with them and I ended up having six mobile phones, and still using the telephone box outside. I’m thinking ‘Mam, dad, what the f*** are you doing?'”
Immediately realising his language, Paul said: “Sorry for the swearing. But that destroyed me and the drugs had took hold of me and it was only when me dad got me sectioned. That was 11 days, and the best thing that ever happened to me. I miss him still. Then, obviously, like, I’d done crazy stuff. But then I try and look at life in a different way now, you know.”
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Paul also apologised for swearing during the interview but the hosts undestood that it had been an emotional moment for him (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Richard then cut in to apologise for the swearing, but could understand why it had come about. He said: “By the way, we apologise for the language there, but, obviously, it’s very emotional and we understand.” The sports star was also asked about what his relationship with alcohol is like now.
He replied: “Nightmare. I used to be alright, I used to be a happy drunk but now I’m quite a sad drunk really, to be fair.
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Drink doesn’t go with me any more. But I can go months and months without, and then I’ll have a two-day blip, and then the consequences…I don’t like myself for a few days. I just get miserable.
“And then all of a sudden I got to an AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] meeting and just listened. You wonder what it is you, know? It wasn’t until I first went to the AA meetings that I realised I am an alcoholic, unfortunately.”
When asked if it’s impossible to give alcohol up completely, Gazza replied: “Not really. I’ve done five years, I’ve done four years. It’s like anything else.
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“If you’re sit in the barbers long enough you’re going to get a haircut. I did this book, number Eight just to try and help others. It’s not about football, it’s just like what I’ve put myself through. [SIC] I just know number Eight was alright for me when I played football and not alright when I hit the drink.”
In his new book, Gazza details a bizarre story, in which he hit a man with his car while he and a friend were driving some girls home. Speaking in his book, Gascoigne said: “I soon became the hottest property in football with every club in the country wanting me, despite my daft antics off the pitch.
