Weekly news Update 14

My story this week comes from the Daily Mail, and it tells the story of Former Arsenal player and ex- England defender Kenny Sansom. Kenny Sansom appeared on Jeremy Kyle on Friday 22^nd January 2016, and was intensely interviewed by Kyle about his early life as a child, his football career, and then of course the subject that everyone wanted to know about, his addiction to alcohol and gambling. Kenny is currently in the middle of a long battle with alcoholism has lasted more than three decades.  

When Kyle began by asking Sansom about his early life, he was visibly emotional when he was talking about his late mother, and how she did everything she could to ensure that Kenny would keep playing football. The story of his battle with alcohol then came into conversation and Kenny stated that by drinking a bottle of wine, it took the pain and the anger away temporarily.  Jeremy Kyle began to get angry with Kenny when Kyle continuously asked if he wanted to get better and Sansom ignored the question.

After sometime talking to Kenny, along side psychotherapist Graham Stanier, Kenny was taken backstage and a car was waiting for him. This car would take him to a residential rehab centre for 12 weeks in order to begin his road to recovery before it would be too late for Kenny to stop drinking. When Kenny saw the car, his body position changed and fear was visible across his face, Kenny stated numerous times ‘I can’t do it, I can’t’ until Jeremy Kyle had had enough and walked off saying ‘I’m done’.

Kenny did not go to rehab and his family and friends were devastated because they know how much he needs this help and support.

I found story interesting because I actually watched the episode when it was aired and I didn’t know who Kenny Sansom was but I was instantly attracted to his story, because I find it very sad that such an iconic football player can end up in the state that Kenny was in. I also find it extremely interesting that the way this article is written, is a very one sided opinion, and being written in the first person, creates an automatic negative opinion towards Kenny Sansom.