Paul Gascoigne almost broke down in tears during an emotional live TV appearance on Wednesday morning, discussing his alcohol addiction.
‘Gazza’, 59, has been open about his struggles and spoke to Ed Balls and Suzanna Reid on Good Morning Britain, tearing up when speaking about how his new book could save lives.
The England football legend’s new autobiography called ‘Eight’ is about the turmoil away from the pitch, his addiction and recovery.
He 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.
Paul Gascoigne almost broke down in tears during his appearance on Good Morning Britain
‘This book is not about football, it’s different. A lot of people have told me they’ve read it and said it’s saved their life.’
The former midfielder’s voice wobbled as he added: ‘If that book can save one person’s life then I’ve done my job.’
‘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.’
Gascoigne, who is one of England’s best loved players and starred for Newcastle, Tottenham, Everton, Lazio, Middlesbrough and Rangers, also said he suffered such horrendous withdrawal symptoms when quitting alcohol that he ended up drinking 30 cans of Red Bull every day.
He continued: ‘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.’
Gazza has experienced a number of health scares over the years, the most recent of which he spoke about in January.
The England legend has struggled with alcohol addiction and mental health problems in the wake of his retirement from football (pictured at Euro 96)
He made the revelation on the podcast Clutch 9 and admitted he had been ‘panicking’ and ‘s****ing’ himself due to the pain as he was treated in hospital.
‘I was hanging something up and I fell backwards. I broke six ribs and I punctured a couple of lungs,’ said Gascoigne.
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‘I go to the hospital and I’m in agony obviously and they give me some pain relief. I just felt my neck getting bigger. I got the surgeon in quickly because I was panicking.
‘I could see my dad in the clouds and I was really panicking. I’ve had 38 operations so this normally doesn’t bother me, but this time I was really s****ing myself.
‘I was saying, “please get the surgeon”. I was crying my eyes out.’
Gascoigne, who won 57 caps for the Three Lions and is regarded as one of the country’s most gifted players of all time was found collapsed in the bedroom of his home in Poole, Dorset, last July.
He had been discovered by his close friend and personal assistant Steve Foster and was stabilised after being found to have been struggling with a throat condition, before later being released.
