Piers Morgan snubbed offer to feature in new Paul Gascoigne documentary

Piers Morgan tuned down the chance to appear in a new documentary about football legend Paul Gascoigne.

The two-parter, which kicks off tonight on BBC, includes archival footage and personal home videos not aired before along with new interviews. The doc promises to give a fresh insight into Gascoigne's life.

However, football-loving broadcaster Morgan declined to participate despite being pegged as one of the key figures directors approached to take part.

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Director Samson Collins and executive producer Vaughan Sivell told Metro that while footage of 57-year-old Morgan is shown in the films, he did not want to directly contribute.

Instead an old clip of Morgan when he was the editor at The Mirror is shown in which he said in one of the documentary’s closing scenes: "I always love the mythical notion that there’s nothing newspapers like more than to build them up and knock ’em down.

"We build them up, they knock themselves down. And if they make the wrong choices then they pay the price of their fame."

The former Good Morning Britain presenter's tabloid rival, former The Sun editor Rebekah Brooks (née Wade) — who also features prominently in the show — was approached and also declined.

Gascoigne, 54, was considered one of the most iconic football talents to emerge from the UK in the 1990s.

However, his personal life and off-pitch antics ended up taking away from his sporting achievements as he became tabloid fodder.

His volatile relationship with alcohol and relationship, marriage, and divorce with Sheryl Gascoigne also became infamous. Like Morgan, Mrs Gascoigne also refused to participate.

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Director Samson explained: "We were obviously very keen to speak to Sheryl to represent her experience over this period.

"We did approach her and spoke to her and offered her the chance and she declined, which is a decision we respect."

Gazza’s long-time friend Jimmy Gardner aka Jimmy Five Bellies, is also noticeably absent due to their troubled relationship over the years.

Metro also reports that Gascoigne had pulled out of the scheduled Q&A for the show at the last minute because it was all still 'too raw for him'.

Gazza airs tonight at 9pm on BBC Two.

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