Vinnie Jones recounts his lowest moment in a new Netflix documentary, detailing the aftermath of biting a journalist's nose and contemplating suicide, shedding light on his battles with alcoholism and mental health.
Football ace Vinnie Jones now leads a quiet life on a farm in West Sussex with his girlfriend Emma Ford. But many will remember him being part of Wimbledon's FA Cup-winning 'Crazy Gang' in the 1980s, before going on to become a 'hard man' in Hollywood action movies.
But behind his hardman persona, the star, 61, has faced many hardships, including alcoholism, mental health struggles, and the loss of his wife Tanya. In a new Netflix documentary titled Untold UK: Vinnie Jones, the former footballer recalled having suicidal thoughts after his 1995 assault on journalist Ted Oliver. The incident happened in a Dublin hotel following an abandoned England-Ireland football match.
The footballer suddenly grabbed Daily Mirror journalist Ted Oliver, put him in a headlock, and clamped his teeth around the reporter's nose. He explained to the shocked newspaperman: 'I only do that to people I like.
' The renowned journalist then requested a photographer and splashed the story on the front page the following morning. Vinnie was also reported to the FA. At the time, Vinnie was also working as a columnist for News Of The World, which Piers Morgan was the editor of. Piers had sent Vinnie over to Ireland to report on the 1995 match between England and the Republic of Ireland.
Following a party before the game, Vinnie thought he could report on the match from just watching it in the bar. However, due to a riot caused by Combat 18, the game was abandoned.
'I mean when's the last time an international game gets abandoned? How's my luck?
' Vinnie said. 'I'm having a beer in the hotel. Before you know it, now... You're pretty p****d up.
And I'll be totally honest, I don't really know what was said or what happened because of the booze. And then the next minute, I was front page, not the abandoned game.
' 'F***! What have you done,' he added. Vinnie defended his actions, claiming that the bite was a 'prank that went wrong'.
However, when he asked Ted not to publish the story, he firmly replied: 'You should have thought about all that.
' Oliver wrote a detailed, front-page exposé and documented Vinnie's other erratic behavior from that night. This included throwing toast at Gary Lineker, pouring orange juice on another reporter, and disputing a hotel bill. In the documentary, Vinnie recalled the dark aftermath.
'I took the gun. Walked up the wood, and then... All stupid things go through your head,' he said. Sharing his version of events, Piers said: 'He got very drunk. and he got into a fracas, it was described to me, with a guy called Ted Oliver.
And he bit half his nose off.
' Despite remaining strong in front of the public, Vinnie was suffering with his mental health from the fallout. Speaking on his behaviour, former Wimbledon manager Bobby Gould said: 'I could tell that this is not right. The way he was talking and the way he was behaving. The alcohol was doing something way out of order.
You know, it affected him much deeper, this one.
' Vinnie explained that it was not the culture at the time to get somebody to give you help. 'So I go back to the booze again,' he added. Due to the public backlash from the incident, Piers ultimately had to sack Vinnie due to his actions, despite him releasing a mea culpa.
'I didn't want to fire him. I loved Vinnie. Personally, I loved him. Professionally, he was a brilliant columnist.
But I underestimated just how much it got to him,' Piers said. Vinnie then found himself in a mentally vulnerable position. He explained: 'I was on the bed and was just curled up in the, you know, in like, the baby position. I was just curled up like that.
And I was like... Enough. Can't keep doing this to people. Can't do it to the family.
So, I thought I'd go for a walk up the wood. I took the gun. Walked up the wood, and then... All stupid things go through your head.
And the easiest thing to do was just stop it right there and then. That would have been it. And then I sort of came round. It's like being knocked out, I suppose, like in a boxing ring, and you come round and there's all the screaming, the shout, and it's all muffled and everything else, slow motion.
And it just goes... . And you're kind of back and you go, 'Right, f*** this.
' This raw account highlights the intense pressure and stigma surrounding mental health in the world of professional sports and Hollywood fame. Vinnie's story is a cautionary tale of how addiction and grief can spiral into life-threatening despair if left unaddressed. The documentary aims to shed light on these struggles, encouraging open conversations about seeking help. Today, Vinnie lives a peaceful rural life, tending to his farm and reflecting on his past.
He credits his current partner Emma and the support of friends for helping him turn his life around. The incident that could have ended his life has become a turning point, leading him to advocate for mental health awareness. His journey from the Crazy Gang to Hollywood action heroes and then to a quiet farm is a remarkable transformation, proving that even the toughest exteriors can hide deep vulnerabilities.
The documentary not only covers the assault but also explores his career highs and lows, his marriage to Tanya, and her tragic death from cancer. Vinnie's resilience is a testament to the human spirit, showing that recovery is possible, but it requires facing one's demons. The Untold UK series profiles such complex figures, offering an unfiltered look at their lives beyond the headlines.
Vinnie Jones' story is particularly compelling because it bridges the worlds of sports and entertainment, revealing the common threads of pressure, addiction, and redemption. As he continues his quiet life, he remains a symbol of both toughness and fragility, reminding us that everyone has a story beneath the surface
Vinnie Jones Mental Health Alcoholism Assault Incident Netflix Documentary
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