Mr Gascoigne – known as Gazza – made the comments in the final episode of Channel Four’s reality TV series Scared of the Dark, aired on Thursday (April 20).

In a conversation with actor Chris McCausland, Mr Gascoigne, aged 55, talked candidly about his previous struggles with alcohol addiction that led him to go in and out of rehab.

He told Mr McCausland that he went to rehab “for Calpol”, after going to pharmacies in Newcastle and claiming to have nine children for whom he needed the medicine.

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Calpol has “1% of alcohol and I thought if I buy ten bottles, that’s like nearly having a pint”, he said.

“I was going round chemists and saying, ‘Listen, I didn’t want to tell anyone but I’ve got nine kids, I need Calpol’”, he added.

“Eventually I was barred from all the chemists, I think, in Newcastle,” Mr Gascoigne said.

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The former footballer added that he “stopped going to rehab for stupid reasons”, saying it was “the addict side” of him.

Midfielder Mr Gascoigne, who made his debut for Newcastle United in 1985 and played for England as well as several local clubs, has been called “one of England's brightest talents in the 80s and 90s” by the National Football Museum.

“Widely recognised as the most naturally talented English footballer of his generation, [he] has openly talked about how his alcoholism has affected his professional and personal life”, the Museum said.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact Pharmacist Support by emailing [email protected] or calling 0808 168 2233/0808 168 5133 for free