Former Celtic striker John Hartson has told how he almost lost his wife over his gambling addiction.
The 39-year-old said he hit rock bottom as he continued gambling while recovering from cancer.
He has not placed a bet for three years now but still attends Gamblers Anonymous meetings in his native Swansea and will carry on going to meetings until he is 70 to keep his addiction under control.
The former Welsh international makes the revelations about how he nearly lost his wife Sarah in the BBC Alba documentary Big John: Sgeulachd John Hartson.
He said: "One morning Sarah got up quite early and said that she was leaving me if I carried on gambling.
"She could no longer sit back and watch me put myself through what I was putting myself through.
"She told me in no uncertain terms, 'I am going this afternoon and I am leaving you and I'm taking these girls with me'.
"That was just an incredible moment for me, a sad moment and a very serious moment in my life.
"They say you have to hit rock bottom if you're an addict, whether it's drinking, whether it's drugs, whether it's any sort of addiction, and it was the same with myself with the gambling.
"That was rock bottom for me. I would just as well not be here because what am I without my family? I am nothing.
"Three years is a long time but I'm a baby compared to some of the other guys in the fellowship who have been 20 years clean and I want to get to that mark if I can.
"I'll be going to meetings until I'm 70 years of age, if I'm lucky enough to live till I'm 70 because what is two hours out of my week?
"It's nothing if it's keeping me clean. I just see it as picking up my medicine once or twice a week and I will continue to go."
Hartson has three children with his wife, five-year-old Lena, four-year-old Stephanie and Paige Faith, who was born in May this year.
His wife said: "I am as proud of him for recovering from being a gambling addict as I am of him recovering from cancer.
"The gambling was always there. I never realised how bad it was until John became very ill because then I had to take charge of the finances and he hid a lot from me.
"So, when I did start to look and delve in and take charge I realised how bad the problem was."
In the documentary Hartson also tells how the Highlands helped as he recovered from testicular cancer, having had life-saving surgery five years ago.
The ex-Arsenal striker was diagnosed in summer 2009 with testicular cancer that had spread to his brain.
He was admitted to hospital in Swansea, where he underwent emergency surgery and it was discovered the cancer had spread to his lungs.
During a visit to his parents-in-law in Fort William during his recovery he set himself a target of climbing Ben Nevis.
The Ben Nevis climb is now an annual event with friends and supporters raising funds for a charity he founded.
He said: "The Highlands hold a special place in my heart in terms of my recovery and just me as a person.
"My in-laws live here and they're a big part of my life. They are wonderful grandparents to my children.
"The children love coming up here, I love coming up here and we call this place The Cave because I can come here and just turn my phone off, switch off and just have a nice chill-out time here.
"If I just want to relax and take myself away from the limelight this is a unique place for me. I love the Highlands."
Big John was produced by Avanti Media for BBC Alba and is narrated by football broadcaster and commentator Alex O'Henley.
It will be shown on BBC Alba on Thursday December 18 at 9pm with a repeat showing two nights later on Saturday December 20 at 11pm.
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