Strictly's Paul Merson overcame addiction he said was 'most lonely of places'

Strictly contestant Paul Merson made his name on the football pitch but in recent years it’s his candid discussions of his addiction struggles that have got the most attention.

The footy ace had a huge career, playing for both Arsenal and England, and has also been a manager and a pundit. But Merson has also experienced the darker side of fame and over the years he has been open about problems with substance abuse and gambling.

“Addiction is the most lonely of places and I've had three of the worst types over three decades,” he said on Twitter, which is now X, in 2019.

What has Paul Merson said about his addiction struggles?

The midfielder’s problems emerged in 1994, when he admitted to cocaine and alcohol addiction.

Writing in the Daily Mail about that time, Merson said: "I started going to an all-night pub in Smithfield Market. Drinking on my own and snorting in the toilets. I’d hail a black cab at 8am to take me up to training and even have a couple of big hits sitting in the back.

"I had bookies chasing me, dealers chasing me. I settled one cocaine debt by handing over my Arsenal blazer and reporting it stolen. Paranoia took over."

He hit rock bottom, saying that by November 1994 he was "in crisis" and he had to seek treatment to help him to overcome his addictions.

Gambling troubles

Merson has also revealed that he had been battling a gambling problem for many years, having placed his first bet when he was just a teenager. He admitted that it had cost him millions of pounds over time.

In his Daily Mail piece he explained that he had an “addictive personality”, saying: “I go all-in.”

He also told how he had placed his first bet at 16 and “lost my entire first month’s wages at Arsenal in 10 minutes at William Hill”.

“And I didn’t stop until, eventually, I’d lost everything I’d ever had – close to £7 million, including houses, cars, marriages, my entire pension and my self-respect,” he wrote.

Meron later documented his struggle in the 2021 BBC documentary Football, Gambling and Me and told the BBC that year: "Looking back now, it's not the money lost that you regret.”

"It's the time you've lost,” he went on. “I've got eight kids that I love very dearly."

Describing his gambling addiction at the time, he said: “I've been addicted to alcohol and cocaine, but by far the most destructive and the only one I'm still struggling with today is gambling. If I want to get drunk or high, I have to put something up my nose or down me.

"Gambling's already in you, just waiting constantly, talking to you."

Five years of sobriety

In January this year, Merson told his fans on X that he had been clean and sober for five years. Sharing an old football clip that showed him larking around on the field, he wrote: “That was a long time ago, 5 years sober now.”

In another post he thanked his wife Kate, writing on X: "5 years sober today just want to say a big thank u to my wife for understanding me I love you and to everyone who has helped me on my journey ODAAT (One day at a time).

Paul Merson joins Strictly 2024

Merson’s next challenge is Strictly Come Dancing, where he will be one of the celebs hitting the dancefloor when the new series of the BBC show starts this autumn.

Appearing on The One Show when his name was announced, he said he was relieved to have the Strictly secret out in the open. "I don't like lying," he said. "I used to be really good at it but not anymore. I told my mum the other day."

He has also said of signing up: "Joining Strictly is a whole new ball game for me, but I’m going to tackle this challenge head on. I’m ready to swap the pitch for the ballroom floor, so here’s hoping my two left feet can learn some moves and you never know, maybe I’ll be taking home the Glitterball Trophy!"

Strictly Come Dancing 2024 starts on Saturday 14 September on BBC One and iPlayer.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/strictly-paul-merson-addiction-football-184913673.html