PAUL MERSON: FOOTBALL, GAMBLING & ME

BBC1, 9pm

ARSENAL legend Paul Merson’s drive for success and his all-or-nothing attitude made him one of the greatest players of his generation.

But those same risk-taking traits can be seen in his addictive personality. The 53-year-old, who played 21 times for England, admits: “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.

“Gambling is the killer and it’s not going away. And that’s the scary thing.” Now a pundit with Sky Sports, Paul says he has lost more than £7million to betting.

He lives in a rented home with his wife Kate and their three children – she manages the finances, giving Paul pocket money.

As this documentary begins, it has been nine months since Paul last had a bet. And in a soul-searching journey, he sets out to understand why his life has been so badly blighted by his addiction.

He explores the relationship between betting and football, and talks to old friends, scientists and psychologists as he searches hopefully for answers.

He says: “In order to really move on, I need to understand why I do it and why it’s the one addiction I can’t seem to shake off.”

It’s an emotional start as Paul meets old Arsenal apprentice Wes Reid. When they received their first pay cheques as Gunners’ trainees, Paul and Wes went to the bookies and Paul lost his entire week’s wages in 15 minutes. Breaking down, he says: “It’s in my brain, I have it every day of my life. That compulsion is there all the time.”