Paul Gascoigne is now back on the booze ahead of his appearance on Italy’s version of I’m A Celebrity.
The former Newcastle, Spurs and England football legend, 53, has battled addiction issues since he hung up his boots in 2004.
And, despite having implants to stop him drinking, the footie icon has now admitted that he’s drinking again.
What did Paul Gascoigne say in the interview?
The star is set to appear on the Italian version of I’m Celebrity.
Speaking with The Sun newspaper ahead of his stint on the reality show, he said: “I’ll always be an alcoholic, but now I can have a couple of glasses of wine — and I have a few beers. Not every day, but when I want to.”
“I only ever drink when… well, put it this way — if I want a drink I’ll have a drink. If I don’t want one I’ll just leave it, which is not the right thing, but I’ve been like that for ages.
“I don’t trust spirits so I keep away from them, but I’m on top of things at the moment. I’m enjoying life.”
Just “wants to be himself”
Gazza also described the vetting process, and claimed that he was turned down for the British I’m A Celebrity because he did not pass psychological tests.
He told the newspaper that the interview he undertook “[bleeped] him off”.
Gazza said that the psychologist asked him why he wanted to do the show, and warned him that people want to see him “in arguments”.
When it comes to the Italian version, he said he “wants to give it a go and be himself”.
£20k on ‘anti-alcohol pellets’
The news will come as a shock to fans who have seen Gazza lurch from one crisis to the next.
In January 2020, he appeared on Good Morning Britain and explained that he spent £20,000 having ‘anti-alcohol pellets’ inserted into his groin in order to stop him drinking.
“[The pellets] mean you can have a beer or a glass of wine and socialise, but you cannot have any more,” he said.
In 2018, he was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault but was subsequently cleared last year.
