Dancing on Ice’s Regan Gascoigne makes his debut on the ITV dancing competition on Sunday, and he has opened up about his famous footballer dad Paul Gascoigne’s support.
The 25-year-old dancer joined the Hammond Ballet School aged eight and has been putting in the hours on the rink prior to his debut.
Regan and dad Paul enjoy a close relationship, and have bonded over their shared obsessive-compulsive disorder diagnoses.
Regan admitted that before performing he has to do everything in order, including touching door handles.
However, their relationship has not always reportedly been smooth sailing as the former England midfielder struggled with alcohol addiction and mental health problems.
Paul left the family when Regan was just a baby and in a documentary when Regan was 12, he said: “If I could wish, I’d wish that he would go away from us. He’s probably going to die soon.
“Because he’s the top player doesn’t mean he’s a good dad or good person to be with, does it, really?”
Yet, Paul now regularly features in Regan’s social media posts and the 25-year-old said he found support in his dad when he came out as bisexual.
Paul told The Sun : “I remember he called to tell me and I was like, ‘So what? I’m watching a movie’.
“I went, ‘It’s OK, son. I knew when you were four’. It was the Minnie Mouse dress he loved. I remember I took him shopping as a kid and he wanted a Barbie, not an Action Man, too.
“It didn’t bother us one bit. It’s just who he is and that’s the end of it, it’s not a problem. Why should it be? Even if he was having an affair with a dolphin, it still wouldn’t bother us.”
The pair also share the unlikely habit that neither of them wear underwear, as Paul regularly went commando in his kit during his football career, while Regan has also said he will leave his underwear in the dressing room when he takes to the ice alongside pro skater Karina Manta, 25.
When he’s not training, Regan leads a very glamorous lifestyle full of travel, having shared numerous pictures from trips to Zanzibar, France and Costa Rica.
When he’s back in the UK, he heads to the finest restaurants with his pals and big sister Bianca, also making time to spend with mum Sheryl.
Dancing on Ice continues on Sunday, January, 23, on ITV at 6.30pm.
