Moat

Apr 16, 2023

The ITV drama mentions a bizarre incident involving the former England footballer The video will auto-play soon8Cancel Play now Group 28 Love a bit of cheeky celeb goss? Share your email to get showbiz news, gossip and rumours from the MEN Invalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. More info Group 28 ITV is launching a brand-new true crime drama that recalls the manhunt for Raoul Moat , a huge search that involved a bizarre intervention from a footballing legend. Premiering on Sunday (April 16), The Hunt for Raoul Moat shines a light on the human tragedies that lay behind Britain’s biggest manhunt, told through the eyes of those who sought to bring a violent killer to justice. The drama focuses on the innocent victims of Moat’s crimes, the police officers who put themselves in the firing line in their quest to apprehend him, and a local journalist who sought to tell Moat’s real story. Raoul Moat, 37, a former bouncer and bodybuilder from Newcastle upon Tyne, led police one of Britain’s biggest manhunts in 2010 after shooting three people in 24 hours, leaving one dead. The ex-convict was on the run for a week and was eventually cornered on July 9. After a huge search involving hundreds of armed officers, a police cordon was set up around the National Trust’s Cragside estate in the parish of Cartington, Northumberland, while residents of nearby Rothbury were told to stay indoors. That evening, reports emerged that Moat was surrounded by police and holding a sawn-off shotgun to his head. But during the tense stand-off, the headlines became dominated by former England footballer Paul Gascoigne, who had reportedly arrived at the scene with a fishing rod and a bucket of KFC. But did this strange turn of events really happen? Did Paul Gasgoine really turn up with a fishing rod and a bucket of KFC? During the police stand-off with Moat, the gunman’s best friend Tony Laidler was escorted to the scene in a bid to persuade him to surrender. Then, to the surprise of many, Gascoigne turned up offering similar help. Wearing a dressing gown, the former Newcastle and Tottenham star – who claimed to know Moat – wanted to talk to the fugitive. The Guardian reported that Gazza, aged 43 at the time, told Real Radio Northeast he had brought Moat a “can of lager, some chicken, a mobile phone and something to keep warm”. Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne. Gascoigne said: “He is willing to give in now. I just want to give him some therapy and say ‘come on Moaty, it’s Gazza’. He is all right – simple as that – and I am willing to help him. “I have come all the way from Newcastle to Rothbury to find him, have a chat with him.” Discover, learn, grow. We are Curiously. Follow us on TikTok , Instagram , Facebook and Twitter . Gascoigne was a frequent visitor to Rothbury as it was a good spot for fishing He added: “I guarantee, Moaty, he won’t shoot me. I am good friends with him.” Despite his good intentions, the former footballer was denied access to Moat and was told to go home. Years later, Gazza – who was known to have issues with drug and alcohol abuse – opened up about the incident, the Daily Star reported. Undated file handout photo issued by Northumbria Police of Raoul Moat. (Image: PA) Speaking as a guest at an open evening in 2015, he said: “You’ve got to realise I’m half cut anyway, sitting in the living room, I’ve got about six lines [of cocaine] lined up. I’m not realising much but a good line and me and Raoul Moat are sort of friends. “A couple more lines and we are good buddies. A few whiskies, another few lines, I’ve had about eight lines and we went to school together. “He was in Rothbury, that’s where I used to go fishing so I know the area quite well.” Gazza admitted that the more cocaine he took, the more his relationship with Moat became distorted. “Another line and I have a couple of fishing rods and a chicken. He’s going to need a drink. I’ve had 14 lines now and he’s my brother,” he explained. “I’ve got my fishing rods, I’ve got my Barbour jacket, I’ve got my four cans, I’ve got my chicken. My chicken is important because he must be starving.” The ex-England ace then called a taxi and asked to go fishing but did not specify a location. The taxi driver, who figured out Gazza’s intentions, became anxious because his passenger had white powder on his face. “You should have seen him, he was shaking,” Gazza said. “I said just drop me off and wait for me, I won’t be long, I can help him. I’ve been to rehab so many times I’m a connoisseur.” Paul Gascoigne celebrates his goal with Teddy Sheringham in the Euro 96 clash against Scotland. (Image: PA) Once he arrived on the scene, the police refused Gazza’s help and told him to go home. Gazza continued: “He said just go home. I was devastated because my chicken was getting cold. “So anyway I make it back home, I fall asleep with a bottle of whisky. You know in the morning when you panic the first thing you do is look at your mobile. “I’ve got 250 missed calls, I was like – what have I done? I’ve got a chicken by my side, fishing rods, a Barbour, I’m like f*** me I must have done something. “I turn on Sky News – Paul Gascoigne was there last night.” But despite Gazza really turning up to try and help the on-the-run gunman, he will not be appearing on screen in ITV’s new drama. Executive Producer Jake Lushington said this is because the bizarre incident was “irrelevant” to the overall story. “There is one line in the drama about Paul Gascoigne turning up in Rothbury,” Lushington said. “That was such a small and irrelevant incident. “We mention Gazza in one line because we’re not erasing it from history. But it certainly isn’t the concern of our story at all.” In a press conference ahead of its launch, The Hunt for Raoul Moat writer Kevin Sampson added further explanation to not having Gazza appear on screen, Chronicle Live reported. He said: “Paul Gascoigne was clearly not in a good place at that time. “If It felt like we were sending somebody up who was struggling, we’d have to question our motives.” READ NEXT: