Paul Gascoigne seen in TNT Sports trailer for new Premier League season filmed just weeks before hospital dash
The star-studded advert - filmed mid-June - is believed to be his last public appearance before he was dramatically rushed to hospital last week.
7
7
7
7
The former Spurs, Lazio and Rangers player, 58, appears alongside footballing royalty in the 60-second clip.
Titled 'This is not normal', the trailer also features Chelsea starboy Cole Palmer and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes.
Gascoigne is regarded as one of the greatest playmakers of his generation, with a stellar club and international career - and he plays an equally crucial role in the broadcaster's advert.
Gazza - renowned for his crazy antics both on and off the field - is seen sitting on a sofa next to an eager Paris Saint-Germain fan.
He hilariously calms down the over-excited fan, who is shown celebrating the French club's recent Champions League triumph throughout the night.
Keeping an uncharacteristically straight face, Gazza jokes: "That's not normal, mate".
TNT Sports often have an ad filled with football legends ahead of the season - with former Real Madrid ace Gareth Bale appearing once again in the commercial.
It comes as the footballing great was rushed to hospital last week after he was discovered collapsed by a pal at his home in Poole, Dorset on Friday evening.
Gazza was admitted to an intensive care ward but has now been moved to an acute medical unit where his condition was described as stable.
He remains in a hospital near his home, and is expected to stay there for several days for treatment.
His friend Steve Foster passed on a message for the Spurs legend and said he was in the "best possible place" as he continues his recovery.
Steve said Gazza would 'like to thank everyone for the support he's received so far from so many old friends who wish him well and want to see him back to his best'.
England legend Paul Gascoigne rushed to intensive care unit after he was found collapsed at home by pal
He added: "Paul is in hospital, which is the best possible place for him to be right now.'
Last night, Steve said: 'Paul is stable now but is still very poorly."
He has been posing for selfies with fans while he was recovering.
His pal added: "It shows how popular and loved he still is by fans everywhere.
'I can't walk down the street with him without him being stopped - it's crazy.'
The sad star's plight horrified pal Steve, who found him semi-conscious at 1.30pm on Friday in the bedroom of his home in Poole, Dorset.
Gazza was said to have been 'upset' by a disagreement with a business associate and the shutdown of his company, which he launched to run his public appearance business.
The much-loved icon's family and football pals rallied round to support him as word spread of the medical emergency - said to be the worst he has faced.
His reality star daughter Bianca, his two sisters and ex footballer pals Peter Beardsley, Paul Merson and Vinnie Jones were being kept informed of his condition.
Soccer hero Paul - capped 57 times and a scorer of ten goals for the Three Lions between 1988 and 1998 - is expected to remain in hospital 'for some time.'
Steve told how Gazza has recently taken to spontaneous acts of kindness to cheer himself up.
Days before his collapse, he suddenly decided to help out homeless people he spotted while out walking in Bournemouth near his seaside home.
Steve said: 'He suddenly went to a cash machine, drew out £500 and started handing out money to all the homeless people he could find.
'He said there were a lot of people worse off than him and wanted to help them out. He was given away anything between £20 and £50 at a time saying: 'Get yourself a meal.'
'That's the kind of bloke Paul is and why so many people who know him hope he can get well.'
Another source close to Gazza told the Sun: 'What happened over the weekend was incredibly serious.
7
7
'Thank God Steve found him when he did, because he urgently needed help and intervention at that point.
'There's concern among Paul's friends and family that he won't be well enough to live on his own for a long time - he will certainly need someone at his side for the next few weeks.
'He's going to need a lot of help and support to get over this."
The source added: 'Paul still spends a lot of time out and on the road attending events and meeting fans at boozy dinners and awards nights.
'It's a rollercoaster lifestyle with lots of temptation there. But over the last few months Paul's been doing OK and managing to keep his demons at bay.
'He's got a lot of support and goodwill and unlike in the past, where people were always buying him drinks and egging him on, that simply doesn't happen now.
'The whole world knows that Paul can't be drinking. All his pals are praying he can pull through this."
Gascoigne has been represented for years by booking agent Katie Davies but she has now stepped back from regular involvement in his day-to-day life.
Businessman Mr Foster - who runs a football memorabilia site with links to soccer heroes - now manages Gazza's public speaking dates and drives him to venues.
The personal assistant - who visited the soccer great at Poole Hospital today - told the Sun: 'He's been sleeping a lot of the time but is making progress and has managed to eat something.
'He read The Sun's report and has been given a boost by all the messages of support.
'No date has been set for his hospital discharge yet - he's just taking one day at a time and focusing on getting well.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
14 minutes ago
- The Guardian
BBCNOW/Otaka/Kholodenko review – Rachmaninov fills seats but magic is missing
Sometimes the simple tactics work best. It turns out that if you name a Prom after one of the best-loved works in the classical canon, you don't just get a full house for that piece, but also a near-capacity Royal Albert Hall after the interval for Witold Lutosławski's Concerto for Orchestra. Vivid, gritty, bracing: what the programme hails as the 20th-century Polish composer's 'most successful large-scale work' is many things, but it certainly isn't classical easy listening. And perhaps some of those drawn by the ultra-familiar will now have been set on a voyage of discovery. Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 2 needn't be easy listening either, of course, even if its association with Brief Encounter sealed its status as the last word in impassioned pianism. It's a strange work, full of delicately balanced orchestral textures and vital dialogues between orchestra and soloist. But not in this performance, which was largely driven by Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko, making his Proms debut. After a thrilling crescendo in his opening chords, there was rubato galore (dragging the BBC National Orchestra of Wales forward or holding them back) but minimal subtlety of expression or dynamics. All the notes were there – and many in the hall were clearly delighted to hear them – but with little magic from either Kholodenko or BBCNOW, whose playing lacked the finesse demanded by Rachmaninov's score beyond the biggest of the big tunes. The orchestra fared better in Lutosławski's colourful shifts of timbre and mood. In his final appearance as BBCNOW's conductor laureate after a nearly 40-year association with the orchestra, Tadaaki Otaka commanded both massive, muscular interjections and passages of hushed, finicky counterpoint that stilled the audience, inviting attention. The orchestra continued to sound most comfortable in the loudest tutti passages, where brass was served in lurid splashes. The closest this concert got to genuine subtlety was in its opening piece, the Concerto for String Orchestra by Lutosławski's Polish contemporary Grażyna Bacewicz. There BBCNOW's XL string section produced a rich, generous sound (carefully blended, bowing as one), folk idioms occasionally breaking playfully through Bacewicz's mid-century musical nattiness – all led with energetic precision by Otaka. Listen again on BBC Sounds until 12 October. The Proms continue until 13 September.
Glasgow Times
16 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Rangers vs Viktoria Plzen fixture details announced
The first leg is set to take place at Ibrox on August 5, with a kick-off at 7.45pm. The second leg will be held at the Doosan Arena in Czechia on August 12, starting at 6pm UK time. The Ibrox club advanced after beating Panathinaikos 3-1 on aggregate. Plzen overcame Servette in the second qualifying round. Ticket details for the Rangers supporters wishing to attend the matches will be announced soon. Rangers vs Viktoria Plzen Champions League fixture details confirmed Rangers vs Viktoria Plzen - Tuesday, August 5 - Ibrox Stadium - 7.45pm Viktoria Plzen vs Rangers - Tuesday, August 12 - Doosan Arena - 6pm
BBC News
16 minutes ago
- BBC News
Pre-season: Arsenal and Spurs goalless in Hong Kong
Update: Date: 12:57 BST Title: Not a friendly for Arteta Content: Alex HowellBBC football news reporter in Hong Kong Mikel Arteta is showing his usual intensity on the touchline. He is appealing animatedly for a throw in and he is pacing inside his technical area. Update: Date: 12:55 BST Title: Post Content: Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham Concern for Arsenal with Myles Lewis-Skelly down injured. The physio is on and the issue seems to be with the top of his shin which would suggest an impact injury. Seems to be and the 18-year-old is OK to continue. Update: Date: 12:53 BST Title: Everything you need to know about Kai Tak Stadium Content: The north London derby is usually held at Emirates Stadium or the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But this one is being played at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong. It started being built in 2019 and was opened in March 2025. The capacity is 50,000 and the game has the possibility of breaking the attendance record of 49,704, set by Liverpool and Milan on 26 July. Update: Date: 12:51 BST Title: Post Content: Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham The fans haven't let Mikel Arteta down yet, they seem in great voice. Arsenal have not been shy of going long in the first 20 minutes. With Tottenham pushing up, David Raya has looked to bypass his defenders and midfield to find the Gunners' front three. It has worked pretty well when they've managed to keep themselves onside. Update: Date: 12:48 BST Title: 'A rivalry that provides an opportunity for everyone' Content: Arsenal Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, speaking about of today's game: "It's a great idea. I think to bring football tradition, a rivalry, but at the same time to do it in a completely different country, I think it's brilliant. "I think it's an opportunity for everybody to feel that and for us as well, because for our preparation, [it] increases the competition level again and it brings a different challenge to the game. "We're going to be so lucky to play in this incredible stadium with 50,000 people that I'm sure they're going to be super loud and passionate." Update: Date: 12:46 BST Title: Post Content: Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham There have certainly been some heftier challenges than you'd usually expect in a pre-season 'friendly', Tom... Update: Date: 12:44 BST Title: Get Involved Content: Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say Never seen the north London derby described as a 'friendly' before! Tom, Poole Update: Date: 12:43 BST Title: Surface issue? Content: Alex HowellBBC football news reporter in Hong Kong The pitch seems to be cutting up quite a lot after 10 minutes. You can see bit of the surface built up on the pitch already. Update: Date: 12:42 BST Title: HITS THE WOODWORK Content: Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham First Tottenham corner and so nearly a goal. Pedro Porro's delivery goes all the way through and hits the far post and Richarlison's follow-up is blocked. David Raya claims he was fouled by Mickey van de Ven but nothing was given. That would've counted. Update: Date: 12:40 BST Title: More new corner routines for Arsenal Content: Alex HowellBBC football news reporter in Hong Kong A new set-piece routine from Arsenal. Five players lined up along the edge of the penalty area. Arsenal are know for their creative corner kicks and have set-piece coach Nicolas Jover. Update: Date: 12:39 BST Title: Post Content: Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham Kai Havertz wants a penalty after going down under challenge in the box. The referee waves it away and the offside flag is up in any case. Gabriel Martinelli was beyond the last man from David Raya's long ball over the top. Spurs haven't got going at all yet. Update: Date: 12:37 BST Title: Get Involved Content: Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say Pre-season so far hasn't been great but why would it be? Soon we will be playing Frank-ball and I can see a good cup run coming this season. Expect a draw today as both teams are still getting minutes into the players. Elliott Spurs fan here. So excited about Frank and the team, the young talent we have, the oodles of potential... but also nervous about Arsenal. They've made smart signings. This is going to be a massive test. My under the radar, standout performer prediction goes to Pape Matar Sarr. Watch this space. Dan, Bristol Update: Date: 12:35 BST Title: Post Content: Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham It's been all Arsenal in the early stages. They've kept kept Tottenham pegged back inside their final third and have won a couple of corners. Good delivery from Bukayo Saka from the second of them, it's only half cleared. Martin Odegaard scuffs his shot from the edge of the box but it bounces kindly for Gabriel Saliba, who nods the ball narrowly wide. Update: Date: 12:32 BST Title: KICK-OFF Content: Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham After a countdown on the big screen, Arsenal get things under way in Hong Kong. It's your traditional knock the ball back then lump it long. It nearly works as Martin Odegaard quickly has a shot from the edge of the box that is deflected wide. Update: Date: 12:29 BST Title: 'It's a game we will do everything we can to win' Content: Arsenal v Tottenham (12:30 BST) Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, speaking ahead of his first north London derby: "I think it's a great challenge even besides being our biggest rivals and the first North London derby outside the UK. "It's also right now [against] one of the best teams I must say unfortunately in the world. We need to be honest. "In that way it's going to be a big test. But it's more than a test, as against Arsenal it's not only a friendly. Of course, it's a game we will do everything we can to win." Update: Date: 12:29 BST Title: Post Content: Arsenal v Tottenham (12:30 BST) The teams are out at Kai Tak Sports Park and kick-off is just a few moments away... Update: Date: 12:27 BST Title: Arsenal fans in good voice Content: Arsenal v Tottenham (12:30 BST) Alex HowellBBC football news reporter in Hong Kong Both teams are out warming up on the pitch. The crowd is cheering every time a player from Arsenal scores a goal past the keeper in the warm up. It feels like there are a lot more Arsenal fans in the stadium than Tottenham supporters. Update: Date: 12:23 BST Title: Get Involved Content: Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say Right, Arsenal and Spurs fans, nothing quite like a North London derby to get a lively discussion going is there? What have you made of your pre-season so far? What are your thoughts on the transfer window? What business do you still need to do? Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say. Update: Date: 12:20 BST Title: Post Content: Arsenal v Tottenham (12:30 BST) Yep, the man Arsenal supporters want to see is in the squad. But they will have to wait for their first glimpse of Viktor Gyokeres in a red and white shirt. The £55m Sweden striker is on the bench for Mikel Arteta's side. Update: Date: 12:17 BST Title: Team news: Gyokeres and Son on the bench Content: Arsenal v Tottenham (12:30 BST) Alex HowellBBC football news reporter in Hong Kong Arsenal fans are going to have to wait a little bit longer to see their new signing in action. Viktor Gyokeres is on the bench. Mikel Arteta names a strong side with new signing Christian Norgaard starting in midfield. Fellow summer signing Martin Zubimendi will join Gyokeres among the substitutes. Arsenal starting XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Rice, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Havertz Subs: Setford, Rojas-Fedorushenko, Mosquera, Gyokeres, Zinchenko, Trossard, Nwaneri, Merino, Nelson, Lokonga, Zubimendi, Copley, Kabia, Nichols, Harriman-Annous, Salmon. Thomas Frank names a strong team for his first north London derby as Spurs boss, with eight of the team having started May's Europa League final victory. Son Heung-min is on the bench as speculation surrounding his future continues. Tottenham starting XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergvall, Odobert, Kudus, Richarlison. Subs: Kinsku, Austin, Danso, Son, Bissouma, Tel, Gray, Min-Hyeok, Johnson, Davies, Donley, Abbott, Vuskovic.
