Paul Merson's well-documented struggles with gambling and alcohol could stem from anxiety as a child, the footballer reveals in new BBC documentary, Paul Merson - A Walk Through My Life. In the hour-long-film, Paul talks candidly about the battles he has faced throughout the course of his life and how they were inadvertently affected by his childhood. Armed with a selfie stick and 360 degree camera, Paul walks through North Yorkshire, reflecting on life, career and faith.
"I was a very nervous kid", said Paul, 54, as he recounts memories of his childhood. He explains that when he was younger, his mother took him to the doctors as he used to get heart palpitations. Doctors warned the former footballer away from the sport as they thought that it triggered his anxiety. You need look no further than the history books to see that Paul avoided the advice and had a successful career in football.
In the film, Paul talks about how he used gambling as a form of escapism for his football anxieties. “I never bet to earn loads of money, it was just the way it felt”, he said, justifying his erratic decisions.
