Vinnie Jones has revealed that he experienced suicidal thoughts after biting a journalist's nose during a 1995 altercation in Dublin. The incident, which occurred at a hotel following an abandoned England-Ireland football match, left the former footballer grappling with deep mental health struggles.
The Assault on Ted Oliver
During a night of heavy drinking, Jones approached Daily Mirror journalist Ted Oliver, placed him in a headlock, and bit down on his nose. He reportedly told the shocked reporter, 'I only do that to people I like.' Oliver later requested a photographer and the story made the front page the next morning, prompting the FA to investigate Jones.
In the upcoming Netflix documentary Untold UK: Vinnie Jones, the 61-year-old reflects on the incident, describing it as 'a prank that went wrong.' He admitted, '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.'
Piers Morgan's Role
At the time, Jones was working as a columnist for the News of the World, edited by Piers Morgan. Morgan had sent Jones to Ireland to cover the match, but after a riot broke out, Jones ended up watching from a bar. Morgan later recalled, 'He got very drunk and got into a fracas with Ted Oliver. He bit half his nose off.' Despite Jones issuing a public apology, Morgan felt compelled to sack him due to the backlash.
Mental Health and Suicidal Thoughts
Behind the tough exterior, Jones was suffering. Former Wimbledon manager Bobby Gould noted, 'The alcohol was doing something way out of order. It affected him much deeper, this one.' Jones explained that seeking help was not the norm at the time, so he turned back to drinking. He described a moment of despair: 'I was curled up in the baby position. I thought I'd go for a walk up the wood. I took the gun. The easiest thing to do was just stop it right there and then. But then I came round, like being knocked out in a boxing ring, and I thought, "Right, f*** this."'
Life After Football and Sobriety
After leaving football in 1999, Jones reinvented himself as a Hollywood actor, playing tough-guy roles. In 2013, he quit drinking following a public incident with a Russian singer. He entered therapy and wrote in his autobiography, 'That is the lowest I've seen Tans in all the time we have been together. I have virtually given up drinking alcohol.'
Untold UK: Vinnie Jones is set to premiere on Netflix on May 26. For confidential support, contact the Samaritans at 116123 or visit samaritans.org.
