Girls send X-rated videos and messages but no-one wants to marry me thanks to my infamous family, says Regan Gascoigne
HIS family have barely been out of the public eye since his dad became a football legend in the Italia 90 World Cup.
But when Regan Gascoigne joined Dancing on Ice he was still a relative unknown.
That has all changed since the dancer son of England hero Paul Gascoigne has dazzled audiences with his sensational moves. Now he is favourite to win the ITV show.
It has also won the handsome 26-year-old an army of new fans who have been bombarding him with X-rated messages and pictures — but so far, no marriage proposals.
Regan said: “No, not yet, anyway. I don’t know why anyone would want me. They’d meet me and see how crazy we are as a family.
“I think they’d be like, ‘absolutely not!’ I can’t actually say what they have been saying in the messages, it’s so embarrassing. But I’ve been laughing looking at them.
“It’s more rude pictures than anything else and I don’t know what to say in response It’s all been just a bit overwhelming.”
Being a Gascoigne has naturally meant he is aware of the media spotlight on his dad Gazza and sister Bianca, 35, a model and TV regular.
But in contrast Regan chose to keep a low profile — though he now feels he has demonstrated his own talent by showing off his amazing skating skills on Dancing On Ice.
He said: “It’s really funny, I’ve had so many comments that are like, ‘obviously, your footwork’s been passed down’. But our fields are totally different and I guess now everyone’s seen I can actually dance.
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“Dancing On Ice is a show that I’ve looked up to for ages and always wanted to do. If I ever had the chance to be on a TV show, this was the one that I dreamed of doing.”
He added: “I’ve just always kept myself to myself until now and done what I’ve done — like dancing.
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“I never wanted to use Dad’s success to get my own success, if that makes sense. I always wanted to work hard to get there.
“But now I’m just like, ‘actually, I should have appreciated the fact that my dad’s so successful and I get an opportunity like this because of his success’. I’m just grateful for the fact that he’s my dad.”
Even so, their relationship has been affected by 54-year-old Gazza’s addictions to drugs, alcohol and gambling as well as mental illness for much of his adult life, plus financial woes and an eating disorder.
He also separated from Regan’s mother Sheryl in 1999 after just three years of marriage, which split up the family unit they had created when he adopted her children from a previous relationship, Mason and Bianca.
But Regan now has a philosophical view of his dad, who last year took part in the Italian version of I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here!
And along with sister Bianca, who took part in the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing last year, Paul has been in the DOI audience supporting his son.
Regan said: “I know a lot has happened in the past, but that’s done, there’s no point dwelling on it.
“Myself and Dad are similar now in that we live in the moment, focus on what’s in front of us, not what’s happened in the past.
“What’s the point? It doesn’t help anyone. I think it’s just clicked between us as I’ve got older because I’ve realised we’re so similar. Growing up, I was a little terror, but we have a really special bond now.
“We’re different people to what we were back then. I’ve grown up, I see things differently. Dad’s different too. We’re in a good place.”
‘I wish it wasn’t a competition’
Now Regan says he is solely focused on Dancing On Ice, which last week saw him finish joint top of the leaderboard with Pussycat Doll rival Kimberly Wyatt.
They were just 2½ points ahead of former Strictly pro dancer Brendan Cole, and Regan joked: “Maybe I need to start winding Brendan up — I might just tease him a bit.
“He’s not going to be able to throw me off because I’m not competitive, but I might just start doing it to him.
“I just have the passion for it. It’s not that I’m like, ‘I want to win at all costs’, as if I would trip someone up to get ahead.
“Some people would stamp on someone to get there, but that’s not me. In fact I feel like I wish it wasn’t a competition.”
Though after seeing Kimberly’s incredible splits during the contest he does admit to feeling a tad envious. He said: “I also wish I had flexibility. I’m very, very jealous.”
Besides the pressure of performing weekly, Regan differs from most of the celebrities on the rink in that it is his first major TV experience — and that is causing him huge stress.
He said: “Last week I couldn’t get to sleep at all. I was doing early starts, getting up at five or six, but I was trying to go to bed at nine.
“I just couldn’t fall asleep. I was lying there for ages, until about one o’clock in the morning, with the routine going through my head.
“And obviously I’ve not done TV before this. So I was thinking, ‘what are Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield going to ask me?’”
Perfectionist Regan often beats himself up for mistakes on the rink. His most recent routine — as a lizard — had a couple of wobbly moments.
Now he hopes to overcome the disappointment as he and dance partner Karina Manta move into Musicals Week, an area where he has some expertise as a stage performer.
He said: “Last weekend killed me. I loved the routine so much and I so wanted to get it right. It just makes you more gutted because you wish you’d done a better job. Not just for myself, but for Karina too.
“I’ve been struggling a bit. It’s the first time I’ve felt upset with myself. I’ve watched it back through gritted teeth, but I’ve had to make a joke of it not to get over it because it did break my heart a little bit.
“I literally cried after we got through at the weekend, I didn’t expect it. I was prepared to be in that skate-off. So I’m just trying to enjoy this week.”
- Dancing On Ice is on ITV tomorrow at 6pm.