Life on the Line

Kevin Twaddle was a footballer who was always prepared to take a risk on the park but it was off it where he really gambled. The former Hearts, Motherwell and St Johnstone winger speaks openly for the first time about his secret betting addiction that saw him blow more than GBP 1 million and wrecked his football career. Kevin tells his harrowing story of what his punting did to his family, how it killed relationships, destroyed his bond with his daughter and almost caused his parents to split up. He talks about his addiction and how it led to him stealing, going to loan sharks, left him facing jail and considering the ultimate gamble - suicide - before he finally got his life back on the straight and narrow. Kevin, who has since gone on to play pool for Scotland, has not had a bet for more than six years, holds a prominent position in Gamblers Anonymous and now also uses his experiences to help the Professional Footballers Association (Scotland) to educate today's footballers of the pitfalls of gambling. This is the harrowing and moving story of how one man's life fell apart spectacularly because of his addiction to gambling and how he finally managed to conquer his demons.