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Paul Gascoigne gets emotional during interview on memories and an update on his struggles

Paul Gascoigne gets emotional during an interview, recalling memories and gave an update on his struggles with alcoholism and mental health.

The 58 year old appeared on Good Morning Britain, openly discussed his battle, noting periods of sobriety lasting up to five years, though he still experiences relapses.

Gascoigne’s candid autobiography details his struggles, including drinking brandy during a cup final halftime, which he believes enhanced his performance.

Now, he focuses on staying sober and helping others, including collaborating with Prince William on homelessness initiatives.

He finds watching football difficult, believing he could still play, and occupies his time with activities like tennis and fishing.

Asked how he is doing, he replied: “Yeah I’m good. Life’s good at the moment.”

Richard Madeley asked what he is like when under the influence of alcohol. Gascoigne 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.

“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.”

Susanna on what it is about alcoholism that makes it feel like it’s never conquered, Paul said: “Yeah, I’m a bit like that myself. I think I’m ignorant to myself.

“I always think I’ll be alright having one, and sometimes it does work. I’ll just have a couple and leave it. And then maybe a month down the line, I’ll just hit it for two days.

“You know, I used to drink for weeks on end, but now it’s only a couple of days blip. But that’s enough for me really.”

On if it’s impossible to give alcohol up completely, he said: “Not really. I’ve done five years, I’ve done four years. It’s like anything else.

“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. I just know number Eight was alright for me when I played football and not alright when I hit the drink.

Richard: “I talked about your trademark frankness, it’s one of the most honest autobiographies I think I’ve ever read. You don’t hold back. In all the detail, I mean for example you say that when you were playing, you used to be necking Brandy in the dressing room 15 minutes before you went on.”

Paul: “Yeah, it was half time, it was in the cup final, it half time and the man just said he had a drink and I went no. And went go and get one, I went okay.

“So had nine brandies, I went out and scored two in the cup final, got man of the match.

“But I wasn’t allowed to be at the dinner party because I’d already had my drink at half time.

Richard: “Did it affect the way you played?”

Paul: “No, no, it made me play better, I think.”

Richard: “How do you feel looking at these pictures now? Because I know, again, you say in the book that you just can’t watch football anymore.”

Paul: “No, I think it’s hard. so much. Yeah, because I still think I can play when you look at some of the players. I think God, yeah.

“I still think I can play, know, and I find it hard to watch it. And I don’t like the voice thing and stuff like that, know, I’ll be like in football shortly, you know, so I try and take up the time with like bit of tennis, a bit of fishing.”

He talked about watching someone close to him die, recalling a memory back when he was a child, he looked after the younger brother of a friend, who was tragically struck down by a car and killed.

“Yeah, his younger brother wouldn’t go to the boys’ club, and I said I’d look after him. He was only eight and I was 10.

“I ran down and he died in my lap. I thought he was still alive because his lips moved a bit. I went, ‘He’s ok, he’s breathing,’ but he wasn’t. That was his last movement.”

Paul said he picked the young boy up out of the coffin and was startled by how cold he was. He continued: “When the coffin left, I went and stayed with them again, in that same room for a week.

“I was only 10, I was staying in the same room with a coffin, it was horrific.”

Richard asked whether he believes that the experience traumatised him so much that it resulted in multiple issues later on in adult life.

Paul agreed, saying he was taken to a psychiatrist by his mum at the age of 10. He said, “I ended up with noises and twitches, and I said I refused to go and see him anymore. It wasn’t until I really started getting involved with football that it started getting my mind off of everything.”

He also said sorry to viewers after swearing on-air while recalling how he believed his parents were leaking stories to the press while discussing a particular passage in his book.

He commented: “When I first tried it (drugs) it was only because of the phone hacking, I fell out with my mum and dad for three months.

“That destroyed us, I couldn’t hack it and then I took the drugs and then my dad sectioned me.”

Susanna said: “The reason that you are so upset is because you became paranoid, didn’t you? During the phone hacking scandal, because you didn’t know who was spilling the beans.”

He replied: “The only people I spoke to were my mum and dad, and it kept coming out in the newspapers. So I fell out with them. I ended up having six mobile phones. I’m thinking, mum and dad what are you f****ng doing? Sorry for that swearing.”

Richard: “We apologise too for the language there, but obviously it’s very emotional, we understand.”

Paul Gascoinge also appeared on talkSPORT, reuniting with Ally McCoist, and brought up many a story including pranking Gordon Durie with a Trout, nearly snubbing Rangers, and revealed all on the failed Man United move and why he joined Spurs.

Fans reacted as Paul Gascoigne gets emotional during his interview on certain memories and an update on his struggles…

@smithyuk123: @JimWhite @Sjopinion10 so refreshing to hear Gazza’s voice and he seemingly sounds fully functioning and alert. When Gazza speaks, everybody listens. There is not many people that have that effect.

@JetSingh1892: @talkSPORT if white and Jordan can tame Gazza, and just improve his slurring a tad….. biggest asset to any radio station possible!!!!

@PWally_25: Painful listen to @JimWhite “interviewing” Gazza and reminding him of his regrets. Like he hasn’t relived all this before.
– your career could have been better if you signed for Utd
– your reaction to Hoddle not picking you was crazy
– talk us through the tears in Italia 90

@2022BenjiC:
Gazza on tip top form again
What a bloke
What a character

@chris83jones: Loving listening to Gazza on @talkSPORT – but my god, @JimWhite isn’t half reminding him of his demons.

@ElaineUzoamaka: Briefly met Gazza in passing a few months back in Poole. He was friendly and had a lovely, warm smile for us. Wish we’d have chatted and got a picture.

@DavyWatt40: A fantastic talented footballer Gazza! ❤️🫶🙏🔥 The goal against Scotland (World Cup 1998) Dribbled past a few players. Twisted and turned. Ran from end one to another. What a goal! That stands out for me. Looking well Gazza. #GMB

@BL10CBL: I do hope there really are some genuine decent people around Gazza. Its been clear since the day he stopped playing how much he missed it. Its such a shame he didnt move into coaching or management. #Gazza

@PaddyStavros: @talkSPORT @JimWhite @Sjopinion10 @martinkeown5 Fellas, thankyou – this morning with the legend Paul Gascoigne has been a treat, fantastic radio. Brutally honest from all of you, look forward to Pauls book.

@martycruscido: Fantastic hour of Paul Gascoigne on TalkSport with @Sjopinion10. The best I’ll ever see, lucky to have been at the right age to see him, idolise him and try and be him on the pitch. Won’t ever get close to another one like him. Nice that he seems to be doing ok at the mo too.

@Sunlundy: Paul Gascoigne is unbelievable. I wish I was around when he played, one of the very best. He is on top form on @talkSPORT. I bet the execs are sweating every word he says 👀👀 @Sjopinion10 @JimWhite

@HodgeTheYeoman: Whoever is operating the censor button with Paul Gascoigne live on @talkSPORT is earning their money today lol. #Gazza #PaulGascoigne #talkSPORT

@KHullKR: I just spat my fucking drink everywhere. Paul Gascoigne on @talkSPORT talking about a move to united before he signed for Spurs. “You wouldnt have messed about at United” Pauls response “Well Rooney shagged a Granny, Giggsy slept with his brothers wife id have fit right in” 😂

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