GAZZA’S TEARS
Moment emotional Paul Gascoigne chokes up live on GMB speaking about addiction as Susanna Reid looks concerned
PAUL GASCOIGNE choked back tears as he discussed his battle with addiction live on TV.
The England legend, 59, has struggled with alcoholism since his playing days and has often made headlines for the wrong reasons.
Gascoigne – who played 57 times for the Three Lions – has had a number of health scares after admitting he briefly died on the operating table during an 18-day induced coma.
But the ex-Tottenham and Newcastle star now insists he is “the happiest I’ve been in five years” after releasing a new autobiography called Eight.
He talked about the impact of the book during an interview on Good Morning Britain after claiming some fans told him it “saved their life”.
Gascoigne said: “This is probably the happiest I’ve been in five years. Just in general, I’ve got the book coming out, excited about that. Things are up.
“When I played football, you knew what you were doing from Monday until Monday.
“Now when you wake up on a Monday, you think, ‘what am I gonna do?’. But things are looking up and I’m quite happy.
“This book is not about football, it’s different. A lot of people have told me they’ve read it and said its saved their life.”
Gascoigne started to get choked up and had to hold back tears as TV host Susanna Reid looked concerned for him.
The former midfielder’s voice cracked as he added: “If that book can save one person’s life then I’ve done my job.”
When asked about how he was managing with everyday life, he continued: “Every morning, I don’t think about tomorrow. I just try to keep it in the day.
“Some days I find it hard. I just think, ‘right, work on that today’ and I get through the day.
“I know too many addicts have died each week. When people come up to you and say the book has helped them, it means a lot.
“I’ve learnt a lot. I used to wake up and think, ‘what’s wrong with me today?’ It used to be a big battle every day I woke up. Now I have a coffee and plan the day ahead.”
Co-host Ed Balls then quizzed Gascoigne on how he once drank 30 cans of Red Bull a day while trying to ween himself off alcohol.
He added: “I went to the gym and I needed a few red bulls. I was tired so I needed a few more.
“Then I had some more and eventually I was having 30 cans a day. I wasn’t drinking and the withdrawal was horrific.
“I sat on a rock for four days and didn’t move. I said good morning and goodnight, that’s all I did.”
Gascoigne started his career at boyhood club Newcastle before snubbing a move to Man United in favour of Spurs in 1988.
He then played for Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton before rounding off his playing days with Burnley, Chinese side Gansu Tianma and Boston United.
Gascoigne scored ten times for England and was part of the squad that reached the semi-finals at the 1990 World Cup and the 1996 Euros.
Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/39359524/paul-gascoigne-emotional-gmb-susanna-reid-addiction/
