BBC Match of the Day pundit just disappeared from TV as he reveals new life
Former Match of the Day pundit Gavin Peacock has opened up on his new life after quitting television to start a very different career.
The ex-footballer enjoyed a successful 17-year playing career, representing the likes of Chelsea, Newcastle and QPR before moving into broadcasting following his retirement from the game. He quickly became one of the most recognisable TV pundits in the 2000s, regularly appearing on Football Focus and Final Score as well as Match of the Day.
Peacock also commentated on the BBC's coverage of major tournaments including the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 - but when the latter came to an end, he decided to hang up his microphone for good and embark on a completely different career thousands of miles away.
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Since he was 18 years old, the former attacking midfielder has been a Christian, having started attending church in his earlier teenage years. While he was wound up by opponents who labelled him a 'Bible basher' on the field, he has always spokenly proudly about his faith and even presented an episode of Songs of Praise for the BBC.
Towards the end of his career, Peacock - who also played for Bournemouth, Charlton and Gillingham - also began preaching in his local church.
However, following Euro 2008, he took a major step and relocated to Canada with his family to undertake a three-year Masters course in divinity in Calgary, with the intention of becoming a minister.
Peacock admitted in a later interview that the transition had been "the hardest few years" of his life, but he enjoyed now being unknown for his footballing exploits, with those in Canada knowing him only as a preacher rather than a sportsman or a pundit.
"I became a Christian at 18 when I was at QPR," he told MailOnline as he recalled his journey into faith. "I was living the dream as a footballer with some money in my pocket and a bit of adulation from fans. But, because football was my God, I questioned why I felt good if I played well and low if I'd done badly.
'We weren't practising Christians at home but one night my Mum said she was going to the local church and I went to keep her company.'Afterwards, I went to a youth meeting. I pulled up in my Ford XR3i and had the mullet to match.
"I walked in thinking I was part of the in-crowd but these other young people had something I didn't," he added. "When they spoke about Jesus Christ and prayed, there was a joy and reality I didn't have.
'I was saved then and everything fell into place. My biggest issue was no longer being adored by the crowd but to be in the right relationship with God. It helped my career. The fears and anxieties dissipated. My happiness was no longer completely dependent on football."
After becoming a pastor in 2012, Peacock served as associate pastor at Calvary Grace Church in Calgary, where he lived with his wife of over 35 years, Amanda, and their two children, Jake and Ava.
However, he returned to England with Amanda earlier this year, having agreed to take up a one-year appointment as pastor of Bethersden Baptist Church in Kent. Jake and Ava, meanwhile, are now grown-up and have stayed put in Canada, with the former now a sports star in his own right, in the martial art of Muay Thai.
"Calgary is a cowboy town. They call it the Texas of Canada," said Peacock as he explained how he adjusted to life in North America. "'When I first met the senior pastor, he walked in with a Stetson and an equally big belt and boots. It's also an oil town but one where I can see the Rocky Mountains from my window.
'The winters are brutally cold. Snow starts at the end of November and stays until March. Our first home was in a little mountain town called Canmore.
"I'm a boy from suburbia who went from Match of the Day to driving into Calgary to study Hebrew and Greek, driving miles without seeing another car."
While his punditry days now seem far behind him, Peacock - who is now invited to conferences around the world and has hosted faith and football evenings across the country - believes his time on television has aided him in his new career.
"My producer on MOTD2 Mark Demuth taught me to think about my first line and a line to come out of VT," he explained. "It's a good way to construct a sermon, a good introduction and conclusion so people are left with the main point."
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