Paul Gascoigne Opens Up About Alcohol Relapse, Reveals He 'Passed Away' In Rehab

'I get texts asking, 'Gazza are you dead?'”
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Paul Gascoigne has opened up about his recent alcohol relapse, after photos were printed in the press showing him covered in bruises with blood on his face.

Speaking to Susanna Reid and Piers Morgan on ‘Good Morning Brtiain’, the football legend revealed he was doing better after what he described as a “blip”, and was once again getting support for his addiction.

Gazza went on to describe his past struggles with alcoholism, explaining: “You mentioned there so many times in rehab but people forget I've been there for Red Bull, I’ve been for Calpol, I’ve been for no reason sometimes. I think I've only been in rehab really seriously three times for the drink side of it you know.”

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Paul Gascoigne appeared on 'Good Morning Britain'
Ken McKay/Rex/ITV

When asked about his most recent stint in rehab, he revealed: “Three years ago, that was when I was in Cottonwood [a rehab centre in Bournemouth] when I passed away apparently. I thought that would be enough, some people get it quite early and get this addiction under hand.

“After that last one [relapse] I said to some, ‘God I’m glad the papers didn’t get hold of it’ and then they sent us a photo and I went, ‘oof’. Sometimes that helps, seeing myself that way… when I’m actually in it, I don’t realise how bad I actually am.”

He also admitted: “I get texts asking, 'Gazza are you dead?'”

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Paul Gascoigne with Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid
Ken McKay/Rex/ITV

Last year, ‘Gazza’, a documentary about Paul Gascoigne’s turbulent life, and his successful footballing career, which he suggested can often be overlooked.

Watch his full interview here:

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Celebrities Who've Gone To Rehab
Ben Affleck(01 of19)
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Who? Ben AffleckWhere? Promises, CaliforniaWhen? 2001Why? AlcoholismAfter the actor checked himself into rehab in 2001, his publicist said: "Ben is a self-aware and smart man who has decided that a fuller life awaits him without alcohol. He has chosen to seek out professional assistance and is committed to traveling a healthier road with the support of his family, friends and fans." (credit:WENN)
Eva Mendes(02 of19)
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Who? Eva MendesWhere? Cirque Lounge, UtahWhen? 2008Why? Anxiety and stressEva denied rumours that she entered rehab to treat cocaine use. Her rep said that the actress had "made a positive decision to take some much-needed time off to proactively attend to some personal issues that, while not critical, she felt deserved some outside professional support." (credit:WENN)
Matthew Perry(03 of19)
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Who? Matthew PerryWhere? UndisclosedWhen? 1997, 2001 and 2011Why? Prescription pills and alcoholAfter two previous spells in rehab, the former 'Friends' star returned again in 2011 as a proactive measure. He said at the time: "I'm making plans to go away for a month to focus on my sobriety and to continue my life in recovery. Please enjoy making fun of me on the World Wide Web.' (credit:WENN)
Kelly Osbourne(04 of19)
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Who? Kelly OsbourneWhere? UndisclosedWhen? On seven different occasionsWhy? PainkillersKelly says she finally faced her demons after realising nobody wanted to work with her. “What changed for me was looking around and seeing that nobody liked me or wanted to work with me,” she told Cosmopolitan magazine in 2013. (credit:WENN)
Zac Efron(05 of19)
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Who? Zac EfronWhere? UndisclosedWhen? 2013Why? Cocaine addictionAfter reports surfaced that the former 'High School Musical' star had completed two stints in rehab, Zac took to Instagram to thank fans for their support, writing: "Hey guys! Just returned from an incredible trip to Peru with my dad and wanted to thank you all for your support these past few weeks...means the world to me. Love you guys! - Z." (credit:WENN)
LeAnn Rimes(06 of19)
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Who? LeAnn RimesWhere? UndisclosedWhen? August 2012Why? Anxiety and stressThe American singer checked into rehab one day after her 30th birthday, saying at the time: "This is just a time for me to emotionally check out for a second and take care of myself and come back in 30 days as the best 30-year-old woman I can be. (credit:WENN)
Chris Klein(07 of19)
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Who? Chris KleinWhere? Cirque Lodge, UtahWhen? 2010Why?AlcoholThe 'American Pie' star checked into rehab for a 30-day alcohol treatment program following an arrest for drink driving - his second in just over five years. He later admitted if he hadn't got sober, 'I would have died'. (credit:WENN)
Britney Spears(08 of19)
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Who? Britney SpearsWhere? Promises, CaliforniaWhen? 2007 (amongst other times)Why? UndisclosedBritney has never revealed the reason behind her stints in rehab, which led to her losing custody of her two sons as well as being placed under the conservatorship of her father. (credit:WENN)
Lindsay Lohan(09 of19)
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Who? Lindsay LohanWhere? VariousWhen? 2007 (three times), 2010 (twice), 2013 Why? Alcohol and drugsAfter her most recent stay in rehab, Lindsay Lohan told Oprah Winfrey: “I feel whole again. And I have such a desire to want to keep this feeling and stay this way. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes…And I really want to be on set, like, that feeds me.” (credit:WENN)
Catherine Zeta-Jones(10 of19)
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In April 2011, the "Chicago" actress checked into rehab to treat bipolar disorder. (credit:Getty)
Demi Moore(11 of19)
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Demi Moore checked into rehab in spring 2012 after a disastrous fallout from ex-husband Ashton Kutcher and hospitalization after allegedly inhaling nitrous oxide, or whip-its. (credit:Getty)
Kim Richards(12 of19)
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"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Kim Richards' battle with alcohol has been well-documented on the show. In December 2012, she checked into rehab again. (credit:Getty)
Robert Downey Jr.(13 of19)
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After years of struggling with cocaine and heroin addiction and serving jail time, the actor is clean and sober. (credit:Getty)
Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino(14 of19)
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It came as little surprise to viewers of MTV's "The Jersey Shore" that star partier Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino checked into rehab in March 2012. The reality star said on his Facebook page that he was seeking treatment for medication used to treat exhaustion. (credit:Getty)
Demi Lovato(15 of19)
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The "X Factor" judge has talked openly about going in and out of rehab when she was in her teens for eating disorders and mental health issues. "Treatment was so difficult at first, I remember walking around saying 'I'm in prison!' They needed to have strict rules for me to understand how sick I was," she said. (credit:Getty)
Gerard Butler(16 of19)
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The gruff Scottish actor revealed in a 2012 article with "Men's Journal" that he hadn't touched a drink in 15 years. "I think, on a basic level, I have a pretty addictive personality. Both good and bad," he said. (credit:Getty)
Charlie Sheen(17 of19)
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In February 2011 Charlie Sheen claimed he was clean of drugs and alcohol, but high on himself. The actor has publicly struggled with addiction for years, but many doubt his claims of sobriety. (credit:Getty)
Drew Barrymore(18 of19)
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Drew was famously an addict as a child. By her own admission she said she had her first drink at 9, began smoking marijuana at 10 and began using cocaine at 12. By age 13 she entered rehab and has maintained her sobriety since. (credit:Getty)
Fergie(19 of19)
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The Black Eyed Peas singer kicked a crystal meth and ecstasy habit. (credit:Getty)

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