Vinnie Jones has revealed he’s seeing a psychologist three times a week to help him cope with his grief after losing wife Tanya to skin cancer in 2019.
The actor, 62, spoke candidly about seeking counselling in an interview with The Sun on Friday, as he detailed his struggle following the one-year anniversary of Tanya’s tragic death.
Explaining that things began to weigh down on him and impact his mental health, he said: ‘I thought I was doing OK, and then the anniversaries of Tans’s death and our daughter Kaley’s birthday were approaching and it was like somebody just drained the life out of me.’
Seeking out help: Vinnie Jones revealed on Friday that he is seeing a psychologist three times a week to help him cope with his grief following wife Tanya’s death
Of how counselling has helped, he said: ‘What I’ve learnt with grief management is that you can’t hold it in. It’ll eat you alive. It will destroy you if you don’t let it out.’
Vinnie went on to say that it was important to ‘give yourself a couple of hours’ when feeling overwhelmed, because ‘otherwise it’s going to break you.’
‘You get told, “When the oil light’s on in your car, you stop and get it checked”. That’s what people have to do when dealing with grief,’ he explained, using a car analogy.
The former footballer had been with Tanya for more than 27 years before her tragic death in July 2019, and he claimed he was ‘99.9 per cent sure’ he would never marry again as he’d ‘won the lottery’ with Tanya.
‘It will destroy you if you don’t let it out’: Vinnie claimed he decided to get help after the one year anniversary of Tanya’s death as it felt ‘like somebody just drained the life out of me’
In July Vinnie revealed that he ‘still cries every day’ one year after losing his wife, as he said he lives his life with her ‘guiding hand on his shoulder’.
Speaking ahead of the heartbreaking anniversary, Vinnie told the Mirror: ‘I still cry every day. I’ve only just lost her. It’s the celebration of her life on Monday, and to be honest I hope I never stop crying.
‘I’m not rolling around on the floor bawling my eyes out but what’s happened has brought out emotions in me that maybe I didn’t think I had.
Advice: Vinnie went on to say that it was important to ‘give yourself a couple of hours’ when feeling overwhelmed, because ‘otherwise it’s going to break you’
‘Sometimes during the day something strange will trigger it. It’ll be a jolt, and my eyes will water up. She’s with me all the time, I know she is. I feel I’ve got a guiding hand on my shoulder. That’s how I’ll continue to live my life.’
In 2013 the hardman revealed that he and Tanya had both been diagnosed with melanoma – the most serious form of skin cancer.
The couple both initially beat it but Tanya’s cancer later returned and she passed away at the couple’s Los Angeles home last year aged 53.
Candid: In July Vinnie revealed that he ‘still cries every day’ one year after losing his wife, as he said he lives his life with her ‘guiding hand on his shoulder’
Tanya had a daughter, Kaley, from her first marriage, and Vinnie had a son, Aaron, from his former relationship with Mylene Elliston.
In June, Vinnie shared a heartfelt tribute to his late wife on what would have been their 26th wedding anniversary.
He took to Instagram with sweet throwback snaps of the loved-up couple by the pool during their French honeymoon back in 1994.
‘I think of you every night in bed’: Last month, Vinnie shared a heartfelt tribute to his late wife on what would have been their 26th wedding anniversary
‘I think of you every night in bed. You were always the only one that could look inside my head’, the X-Men: The Last Stand actor sweetly wrote in an accompanying message.
In the flashback photos, the pair looked happier than ever as they relaxed at their resort in Antibes.
Reminiscing about their time together, Vinnie penned: ‘Today is our 26th Anniversary.
Tragic: Tanya passed away at the couple’s Los Angeles home last year aged 53, the couple had been together for 27 years (pictured in 2007)
‘I remember our honeymoon in Juan-Les-Pins ; a honeymoon of happiness from two children having fun in our not so torn rags [sic].’
The media personality also spoke of moments he wished he could share with his beloved partner.
He continued his touching post: ‘Where do you go to my lovely, I think of you every night in my bed, are there diamonds and pearls still in your hair, I wish I could be buying you a racehorse for Christmas and keeping it just for fun for a laugh ahaha.
‘just look into my face little Tans and i’ll remember just who you are, and i’ll go on and remember you forever because we will always have our beautiful star, deep inside yes we will.
‘I know where you go to my lovely, when im alone in my bed, you know the thoughts that surround me, because you were always the only one that could look inside my head. xxx Vin.’ (sic)
Vinnie is now set to release a new book, Lost Without You, which he penned to help others cope with bereavement and grief.
Moving: In his tribute during their wedding annivesary, Vinnie wrote: ‘ Where do you go to my lovely, I think of you every night in my bed’