Paul Gascoigne made a dramatic arrival as he launched out of a helicopter for the first day of the Italian take on I’m A Celebrity called L’Isola dei Famosi on Sunday.
The former footballer, 53, who used to play for Italian team Lazio in the 90s, went shirtless as he showed off his famous inkings, including a design of daughter Bianca’s, 34, face.
Paul appeared to be getting stuck into his filming duties and bonding with his co-stars as they shot scenes on a remote desert island which is believed to be Cayos Cochinos, Honduras, in Central America.
Debut: Paul Gascoigne made a dramatic arrival for the first day of the Italian take on I’m A Celebrity called L’Isola dei Famosi on Sunday
The former footballer made a dramatic debut as he arrived via a helicopter where he had to jump into the ocean from a height while wearing a life vest and swim to the island.
Paul was joined for the first day by his L’Isola dei Famosi, the Island of the Famous, co-stars including actors Gilles Rocca, Simone Paciello, Vera Gemma, Akshay Kumar, Roberto Ciufoli, Angela Melillo and Francesca Lodo.
Also pictured was DJ Daniela Martani, business owner Ferdinando Guglielmotti, model Drusilla Gucci and presenter Elisa Isoardi.
Paul appeared to have already struck up a friendship with Italian actor Gilles, 38, as they were seen hugging on the beach after their dramatic arrivals.
Wow: The former footballer made a dramatic debut as he arrived via a helicopter where he had to jump into the ocean from a height while wearing a life vest and swim to the island
Inkings: Paul, 53, who used to play for Italian team Lazio in the 90s, went shirtless as he showed off his famous inkings, including a design of daughter Bianca’s, 34, face
The former footballer went shirtless in a pair of black swimming shorts where he showed off a collection of his tatttoos.
Paul famously visited a tattoo parlour five days in a row in 2013 as he underwent a series of inkings, including daughter Bianca’s face, at Bournemouth Ink studio.
The former England star has previously said that he had turned to tattoos as a way of battling his alcohol addiction.
He previously told the Daily Star over the summer: ‘It’s my new addiction. I’m off booze. I’m getting tattoos because I love them and I’ve got f****** nothing else to do.’
Happy: Paul appeared delighted to get stuck into the first day of his filming
Busy: Paul appeared to be getting stuck into his filming duties and bonding with his co-stars as they shot scenes on a remote desert island which is believed to be Cayos Cochinos, Honduras, in Central America
Pals: Paul appeared to have already struck up a friendship with Italian actor Gilles Rocca, 38, as they were seen hugging on the beach after their dramatic arrivals
Co-stars: Paul was joined for the first day by his L’Isola dei Famosi, the Island of the Famous, co-stars including actors Gilles, Simone Paciello, Vera Gemma, Akshay Kumar, Roberto Ciufoli, Angela Melillo and Francesca Lodo
Daredevil: The former footballer leapt from a helicopter into the ocean where he had to swim to the island
After his arrival, Paul was later seen getting stuck into a challenge with his team as he had to dive into a muddy sandpit.
It is believed that the former footballer is hoping to use the 100,000 euros prize money, if he wins, to honour his late nephew Jay Lennon Gascoigne who tragically died from an overdose in 2016.
Paul’s sister Anna has since launched a mental health appeal and is aiming to raise £100,000 for the charity in Jay’s name.
Co-stars: Also pictured was DJ Daniela Martani, business owner Ferdinando Guglielmotti, model Drusilla Gucci and presenter Elisa Isoardi
Stuck in: After his arrival, Paul was later seen getting stuck into a challenge with his team
Team: The former footballer he had to dive into a muddy sandpit during the task
The former footballer told Italian magazine TV Sorrisi e Canzone: ‘If I win, I will give the prize money to a charity founded by my family in memory of my nephew.’
It comes after it was reported that Paul had missed the birth of his first grandchild while starring on the Italian take on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
According to reports from The Sun on Sunday, the former professional football player was unable to attend the birth as he was waiting to appear on the reality show.
Paul’s adopted son Mason, 31, and his partner Jaimee Wyatt, 23, are said to have welcomed a son, weighing 8lbs 9oz, on Friday.
Shirtless: The former footballer went shirtless in a pair of black swimming shorts where he showed off a collection of his tatttoos
Tattoos: The former England star has previously said that he had turned to tattoos as a way of battling his alcohol addiction
Family: It is believed that the former footballer is hoping to use the 100,000 euros prize money, if he wins, to honour his late nephew Jay Lennon Gascoigne who tragically died from an overdose in 2016
A source speaking to the publication claimed: ‘Paul’s been very excited about the thought of becoming a granddad and this news has come at just the right time for him.
‘He’s in a good place and is looking forward to getting on with his other campmates. Becoming a granddad will be a really proud moment for him.
‘It’s terrific news. Everyone is really pleased. All England fans will hope the tot turns out as good a player as his granddad!’
MailOnline contacted Paul’s representatives for further comment at the time.
Charity: Paul’s sister Anna has since launched a mental health appeal and is aiming to raise £100,000 for the charity in Jay’s name
Sweet: The former footballer told Italian magazine TV Sorrisi e Canzone: ‘If I win, I will give the prize money to a charity founded by my family in memory of my nephew.’
Paul had been self-isolating in a Milan hotel ahead of jetting off to Hondouras to take part in Italy‘s take on the show called Isola de Famosi – which is not affiliated with ITV’s UK version.
Paul, who arrived in Honduras earlier this month told The Sun he reckons he can use his skills to win over his fellow celebrities.
Paul has long been a keen fisher and is hoping his days spent by the waterside will come in handy when the show kicks off on March 15.
Asked what he can offer his 14 fellow campers, Paul said: ‘I’m good at fishing,’ before adding: ‘My best quality is that I can make people laugh and I’m always laughing.’
A source said: ‘Paul is in top form. He told producers he has spent lockdown in England keeping fit by running and cycling, and it’s certainly paid off.
Missed: It comes after it was reported that Paul had missed the birth of his first grandchild while starring on the Italian take on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!
Family: According to reports from The Sun on Sunday, the former professional football player was unable to attend the birth as he was waiting to appear on the reality show
Grandfather: Paul’s adopted son Mason, 31, and his partner Jaimee Wyatt, 23, are said to have welcomed a son, weighing 8lbs 9oz, on Friday
‘He looks phenomenal and has a physique any man half his age would be proud of.’
Paul, who passed a series of mental and physical tests for the show, recently claimed he was banned from joining the cast of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Here! after failing a psych test back in 2009.
He told The Sun: ‘I did interviews for I’m A Celebrity in the UK but they pre-judged me. They wanted to sign me for the show, but when it came to speaking to the psychiatrist they really p***ed me off.
‘She asked me, ”Why do you want to do the show?” and I said, ”I want people to see the real Paul Gascoigne”. But she said, ”People don’t want to see that, they want to see you in arguments”. That really p****ed me off.
‘I wasn’t happy about that. And the questions she asked me were ridiculous. She was asking me if I knew where I was, and I said London, and ‘whereabouts, what can you see’. I’m not dealing with stupid questions like that.’
Isolating: Paul had been self-isolating in a Milan hotel ahead of jetting off to Hondouras to take part in Italy ‘s take on the show called Isola de Famosi – which is not affiliated with ITV’s UK version
Skills: Paul, who arrived in Honduras earlier this month told The Sun he reckons he can use his skills to win over his fellow celebrities
Waterside: Paul has long been a keen fisher and is hoping his days spent by the waterside will come in handy when the show kicks off on March 15
Joker: Asked what he can offer his 14 fellow campers, Paul said: ‘I’m good at fishing,’ before adding: ‘My best quality is that I can make people laugh and I’m always laughing.’
The sportsman’s interview comes after he revealed that he’s back on the booze amid his battle with alcoholism, confessing: ‘I’ll always be an alcoholic.’
Former England player Gazza admitted he now enjoys having ‘a couple of glasses of wine… and a few beers’.
Paul told The Sun: ‘If I want a drink I’ll have a drink. If I don’t want one I’ll just leave it, which is not the right thing, but I’ve been like that for ages. I don’t trust spirits so I keep away from them, but I’m on top of things at the moment. I’m enjoying life.’
In January 2020, Paul appeared on This Morning where he told Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid: ‘I had a relapse at Christmas, which I was gutted [about], but I’ve just got back on the straight and narrow again.’
The same month, he told The Mirror: ‘I’ve been to Australia, and spent £20,000 including all the travel, to get an operation that stops me drinking.
Banned: Paul, who passed a series of mental and physical tests for the show, recently claimed he was banned from joining the cast of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Here! after failing a psych test back in 2009
‘You get pellets in your stomach and it makes you feel sick if you have too much. It means you can have a beer or a glass of wine and socialise, but you cannot have any more.’
His admission came after it was reported that Paul was studying Italian ahead of his stint on his upcoming reality show.
A source told The Sun: ‘Paul has a basic grasp of Italian and he can make himself understood. But what we really want to avoid is having subtitles too often as that would ruin it.
‘The idea is to get him up to a good conversational level so he can talk with the other competitors. We are expecting some exciting TV from Paul.’
The insider added: ‘The women on the island are all very attractive and range in ages from 22 to 53 — the same age as Paul — and most of them are single.’
Italian: It was reported that Paul was studying Italian ahead of his stint on his upcoming reality show
A source told The Sun: ‘Paul has a basic grasp of Italian and he can make himself understood. But what we really want to avoid is having subtitles too often as that would ruin it.’
Excitement: ‘The idea is to get him up to a good conversational level so he can talk with the other competitors. We are expecting some exciting TV from Paul.’
The source said it will make great TV to see how the footballer legend ‘interacts with these women who are very opinionated and have strong views’.
MailOnline contacted Paul’s representatives for comment at the time.
Paul’s signing is something of a coup for bosses of Isola de Famosi – Italian for Island of the famous – though he’s set to face tropical storms and poisonous spiders.
Gazza has headed to the Hog Cays, a small archipelago 18 miles off the northern coast of Honduras.
Known in Spanish as Cayos Cochinos, it consists of two small islands and 13 other coral cays. They can only be reached by boat and there are no roads, car or bikes.
Contestants on Spanish versions of the show, also filmed on the islands, have previously had to be evacuated because of bad weather.
Programme producers made an emergency decision to pull celebs out three years ago, saying it was done to ‘avoid tragedy’ as torrential rain and high winds battered the area.
Another storm the following year destroyed the makeshift shelters contestants slept in, leaving them exposed to the elements in soaking-wet clothes.
Tarantulas and snakes which release a foul-smelling musk are among the animals that live in the archipelago, part of a larger group of islands proclaimed as a British colony in 1852 until their surrender to Honduras seven years later after US pressure.
The ex-Newcastle and Spurs midfielder was allowed to leave the UK to take part as his trip is work-related.
Busy time: The ex-Newcastle and Spurs midfielder was allowed to leave the UK to take part amid the novel coronavirus lockdown as his trip is work-related (pictured in 1990)