GAZZA
Genre: Docu-series for the BBC & Feature documentary
Directed by Sampson Collins
Producers: Gareth Dodds, Tom Wood, Vaughan Sivell & Will Kane
Associate Producer: Natan Stoessel
Status: Released in April 2022 on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, and in May 2022 on DVD & Blu-Ray.
Winner of Best Documentary Series at the 2023 RTS Awards.
Nominated for Best Sports Documentary at the 2022 Grierson Awards.
An archival documentary about the iconic footballer Paul Gascoigne.
Guardian Gazza review “Classy, unobtrusive and gruesome” ****
Paul Gascoigne was the face of 90s Britain, the most celebrated young footballer in the world and a newspaper editor’s dream, his on-field brilliance matched by his off-field antics. The 90s also saw a fundamental shift in the British tabloid media. Celebrity culture was at an all-time high and tabloid editors were encouraged to secure stories at all costs, with no consideration for the mental health impact on their victims. A sporting and tabloid phenomenon, the character of “GAZZA” became a household name but Paul Gascoigne would pay a price.
GAZZA is as much a deeply personal portrait of the troubled footballing legend as a revealing exposé on the lengths the tabloid press went at that time to secure their stories. With full support from the man himself, contributors include family members, former teammates, close friends and journalists. Audiences will witness first-hand the unique challenges Gascoigne has faced throughout his career and personal life.
“This is the real story of my time in football – the good and the bad of who I am – and what really happened around me. So much of this has never been seen before. It feels good to be telling my side of the story and to be working with the Western Edge Pictures team, who I trust to deliver this in the best way possible to my fans” – Paul Gascoigne
To read more, check out the BBC press release here