Piers Morgan slams ‘lazy’ Gazza documentary and reveals he paid for star’s rehab: ‘His problems went a lot deeper’

has branded the Gazza documentary ‘lazy’ and ‘cliche-ridden’ in defence of his longtime friend. 

Paul Gascoigne’s rise to fame was covered in the BBC documentary, Gazza, which was released last week and also depicted the former footballer’s personal struggles with addiction. 

However, having finally sat down to watch the film a week later, Piers was unimpressed with the portrayal of his friend. 

The broadcaster tweeted on Sunday: ‘Just watched the Gazza doc. What a lazy, cliché-ridden, inaccurate load of tabloid-bashing b******t. 

‘I’ve been friends with Paul for 30yrs & paid for some of his rehab. He’s a great guy but complex, addictive & demon-bedevilled.

‘His problems went a lot deeper than the papers.’ 

He also included a throwback photo of him with Gascoigne on Good Morning Britain some years ago. 

It comes after the Gazza producers revealed in the documentary. 

Speaking to and other press at a recent screening, director Samson Collins and executive producer Vaughan Sivell explained the absence of some key figures from the programme.

Samson shared: ‘We were obviously very keen to speak to Sheryl [Gascoigne’s ex-wife] 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.’

Sheryl wasn’t the only person who declined the opportunity, with former editor of The Mirror, Piers, also turning down the request to feature.

In one of the documentary’s closing scenes, a fresh-faced Piers said: ‘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.’