Tony Adams isn’t worried about the ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ judges' feedback - because he’s had bottles and carrots “lobbed” at him.
Tony Adams isn't frightened of the Strictly judges
The former Arsenal player - who has previously struggled with drug and alcohol issues - thinks the treatment he got after he left prison, following a drink-driving conviction, and suffering a "mental breakdown" has made him unafraid of what Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke could possibly say about his dancing during the BBC One Latin and ballroom show.
The 55-year-old former footballer said: “I’m going to top you all because when I came out of prison they lobbed bottles at me and I had carrots thrown at me. So - I’ve trumped it.
"I had a mental breakdown when I was 49 and working too hard in China. I'm not working too much, my calendar's pretty empty for the next three months so I just thought yeah, go for it.”
The former England player - who has son Oliver and daughter Amber with his ex Jane Shea, and Atticus, Hector and Iris with his second wife Poppy Teacher - attributed his problems to the “stress of life” getting a bit too much for him in 2015, as he needed heart surgery.
Tony added: “I nearly died, my main artery was 99 per cent closed.”
He labelled himself a “born worrier” and wanted to get himself out of his comfort zone, hence his decision to go on the Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman-fronted show.
Tony told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I'm a bit of a born worrier - my mum was a worrier - so I just decided to take things a bit easier and get myself on a silly show."
The former England defender endured a “very thorough examination” so he won’t be facing the same fate as ‘Peep Show’ star Robert Webb, who had to withdraw from the show last year on doctor’s advice due to his heart condition.
Tony said: "They do a very thorough examination. My physio was quite damning because I've got a new metal knee as well. She went 'no knee slides'. It was, 'You can’t do this, can't do that.' "
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