Paul Gascoigne epitomizes the archetype of the troubled youth in English football. Mention Gazza, and the public immediately conjures an image of innate talent marred by self-destructive tendencies fueled by alcohol addiction. Yet, beyond his own indulgences, Gascoigne also falls victim to the sensationalism of the British media.
From where does delusional belief originate?
Imagine this scenario. The figure above materializes and offers you a choice. You could become a famous and wealthy athlete, but in return, you would have no one to trust. How many would dare to nod in agreement? This was the plight of Gascoigne for over a decade.
Gascoigne sought out a psychiatrist, claiming he was being wiretapped. He expected comforting words from the person he paid to confide in. However, the psychiatrist diagnosed Gascoigne with paranoia and insisted he undergo psychiatric evaluation.
At one point, within a month, Gascoigne changed his phone number five times. Moreover, from 2004 to 2006, Gascoigne changed his phone number 60 times, suspecting his devices were bugged for eavesdropping. He even flew alone to Spain to purchase a phone purportedly impervious to wiretapping. Gascoigne also spent up to £80,000 on surveillance countermeasures.
Gascoigne lived in fear, refraining from conversing with any family member in his own home, fearing it would end up in the newspapers the next day. At its zenith, Gascoigne suspected Bianca, his stepdaughter with his ex-wife, of selling information to the press, leading to years of discord between the two.
All of Gascoigne’s behaviors painted a clear picture for outsiders: the former Tottenham Hotspur player was delusional, paranoid, and lacked trust in society. However, ultimately, Gascoigne wasn’t mad; he might have been the most lucid one, realizing a nefarious plot by a group of Mirror journalists.
In the 2015 trial, Gascoigne tearfully expressed: “It’s all been horrific. People don’t understand why I’m an alcoholic, but that’s why. I’ve gone through hell because I knew I was being bugged. I knew 110%, but no one believed me. When I told this to the psychiatrist, he said I was paranoid and told me to undergo psychiatric evaluation. I’ve waited 15 years to be here. That’s 15 years.”
“I feel I can’t bear the media attention anymore, and I seriously contemplated throwing myself in front of a train. I feel like I’m being chased by reporters and paparazzi every day, and I can’t take it anymore.” Gazza’s final statement before leaving the room was truly haunting: “Can I say one last thing? I want to trade my mobile phone for a coffin because those people have destroyed my life.”
The pursuit of justice comes at a minimal cost
Following a protracted legal battle, the court concluded that the group of reporters from the Mirror newspaper (MGN) had unlawfully intercepted Gascoigne’s telephone conversations to produce 18 articles across the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, and The People publications. Gazza became a prime target for MGN from 2000 to 2010 – a period during which the former England midfielder struggled with severe alcohol addiction. Ultimately, MGN compensated Gascoigne with £188,250.
This figure has become a mockery in the eyes of the public, as despite acknowledging the immeasurable value of compensation for emotional distress, it remains woefully inadequate. Even a sum exponentially larger, a hundredfold, cannot buy back time, or more precisely, a human life. Gascoigne was ruthlessly torn apart by the vulture-like media, relentlessly gnawing at their prey to the bone. Even during psychiatric hospitalization, Gascoigne dared not speak to anyone, haunted by the constant fear that those before him had been bought off.
Yet, his greatest regret lies in the venomous words directed at his own family. The former Spurs midfielder ceased communication with any relatives for two years, convinced they had betrayed him. It was only in sobriety that Gascoigne realized the extent of the pain his family endured. “I’m deeply saddened by the turmoil I’ve caused my family, things that cannot easily be repaired,” Gascoigne lamented. “My apologies now cannot turn back the clock or undo what I’ve said to them.”
Was Gascoigne at fault? Throughout his career and life’s descent, Gascoigne’s forgiveness looms large. No snowflake is innocent, and Gazza is no exception. Yet, this does not negate the fact that the British press, the British media, are the adversaries of British players themselves. Time and again, for circulation figures, for views, the British media have callously disregarded ethics to plunge famous figures into the depths. The price paid is too small for crimes no greater could be imagined!