Gazza, who disclosed exclusively to the Mirror his struggle with alcohol addiction, encountered a peculiar incident with law enforcement in the US in 2013 on his way back from rehab. The trigger for this encounter was his fondness for Beef Jerky.
Having purchased 20 packs of the dehydrated meat snack to bring back to the UK, Gazza found himself surrounded by police at the Arizona airport. Reflecting on the ordeal, he mentioned, “It was an amusing end to the rehab. I am a fan of beef jerky, so I bought 20 packs to take with me.”
Upon arrival at the airport, he was stopped by the police who instructed him to get down. Sniffer dogs were brought in, suspecting him of carrying drugs, but their actual target was the beef jerky in his bags. Gazza’s father was awaiting his arrival at Heathrow Airport, but due to his fear of flying, he had taken an excessive amount of pills intended to help him cope with his phobia, leading to an unexpected detour to Mexico with a fellow rehab attendee.
“I had to contact my father to explain, but I was disoriented about my whereabouts,” Gazza added. Not long ago, Gazza suffered a broken left knee cap and underwent emergency surgery due to stomach ulcers caused by heavy consumption of neat gin, leaving him with a sizable scar above his belly button.
Known for his tattoos dedicated to Regan, stepchildren Bianca and Mason, both reality TV personalities, Gazza now finds solace in engaging with fans through live appearances, replacing the thrill of playing on the field. He recounts his England career from 1988 to 1998, including his time under manager Glenn Hoddle and his prime years.
In the aftermath of Italia 90, Gazza’s fame reached extraordinary heights, with encounters with notable figures like Pope John Paul II, Princess Diana, Elton John, George Clooney, and Dustin Hoffman. The book “Paul Gascoigne Eight,” published by Reach Sport, will be available for purchase on October 23rd, with preorders open on Amazon.
For further details and online orders, visit the Amazon link: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paul-Gascoigne-Eight-Gazza-Revealed/dp/1916811434](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paul-Gascoigne-Eight-Gazza-Revealed/dp/1916811434).
