News | Entertainment
29 Mar 2024 18:22
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Michael Sheen risked his career for a game of soccer

    The 'Masters of Sex' actor is a regular player in the biannual Soccer Aid match - which raises money for UNICEF and features an English team of celebrities and former sports stars against a Rest of the World side - but in 2014, he was unable to get insurance to play after fracturing his elbow, but decided to take a chance and get on the pitch anyway.


    Speaking on the 'Ellis James Feast of Football' podcast, he recalled: "I'd fractured my elbow in training and so I shouldn't have played at all, but there was no way I was not going to play.

    "So essentially they said they couldn't insure me and I had to leave the day after to go to America to carry on filming the series I was doing. I had a week off to go and do this.

    "I had to decide - Do I take the risk of playing in this match with a fractured elbow? - If it gets any worse, I'll have to have pins in and surgery.

    "No one knew. I didn't tell anyone because I knew if I told anyone that would be it."

    The Welsh actor came up with a plan to protect himself by only staying on the pitch for a few minutes and asking the rival side to "take it easy" on him.

    He continued: "I had to go up to the England team and say 'look lads'. I knew the England team better than the Rest of the World team because the Rest of the World team was different every time, whereas the England team is always the same.

    "I knew all those lads, Paddy McGuinness, Robbie Williams, and Jonny Wilkes and all that lot and John Bishop.

    "So I went in there and I said 'Look lads, I'm really sorry to ask you this but I've got this fracture in my elbow and I'm in real trouble if anything happens. So I'm only going to play for like five, 10 minutes. That's all I'm going to do, are you alright to take it easy on me until then?'

    "They're all like, 'Yeah, yeah of course'. "

    But the 50-year-old actor ended up "enjoying" himself so much, he refused to be substituted - much to the annoyance of England player Olly Murs.

    He continued: "My opposite guy was Olly Murs. He was playing left wing. So we start playing the match and he goes easy and it's fine and then 10 minutes goes past and then 15 minutes goes past and then it's 20 minutes and I'm still not coming off.

    "My decision, I'm enjoying it too much. You don't just walk off.

    "I can see Olly Murs just going, 'Hang on', and he's got the ball and he's coming up at me and I can see he's not going to go easy any more and I'm there thinking 'Oh no I've made a mistake here.' "

    The 'Troublemaker' singer was infamously stopped in his tracks by Rest of the World manager Jose Mourinho, and though it was initially thought the former Manchester United and Chelsea boss was simply playing up to the camera, Michael revealed it was a well-timed tackle designed to protect him from further injury.

    He added: Just at that moment, Mourinho, comes on to the pitch and tackles Olly Murs.

    "Everyone thought it was Mourinho being a clown. It wasn't. It was him stopping my elbow getting smashed.

    "So he did that it and it was very 'ha ha' everyone loved it, very funny, and then I came off.

    "And no one ever knew that was actually Mourinho possibly saving my career.

    "Mourinho, good guy officially."

    © 2024 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     29 Mar: Tracee Ellis Ross has paid a glowing birthday tribute to Diana Ross
     29 Mar: YouTube star Ninja has been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 32
     29 Mar: Pierce Brosnan has given his seal of approval to Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the next James Bond
     29 Mar: Katie Price has warned young women to avoid filler and Botox and urged them to think twice about cosmetic surgery
     29 Mar: Anne Hathaway created a "protective layer" between herself and her 'Mother's Instinct' character
     29 Mar: Tom Sandoval feels his cheating scandal "was supposed to happen"
     29 Mar: Christine Quinn's husband Christian Dumontet has requested a restraining order to keep her away from him
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    A coaching conundrum for Crusaders assistant James Marshall as they look to end their losing run in Super Rugby tonight against the Chiefs in Christchurch More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Innovative New Zealand apple producing company Rockit is focussing on its international expansion More...



     Today's News

    Law and Order:
    A 30-year-old has been charged with murder after a body was found in a burnt-out car earlier this week 18:07

    Entertainment:
    Tracee Ellis Ross has paid a glowing birthday tribute to Diana Ross 17:53

    Rugby League:
    NRL Good Friday: Bulldogs take on desperate Rabbitohs, Broncos renew rivalry with Cowboys 17:37

    Cricket:
    Cricket's best female all-rounder has led England to a 4-1 T20 series win over New Zealand 17:27

    Entertainment:
    YouTube star Ninja has been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 32 17:23

    Rugby League:
    The South Sydney rugby league team is ready to lift itself off the canvas and floor the Canterbury Bulldogs in their Good Friday NRL contest 17:17

    Golf:
    Kiwi golfer Lydia Ko heads into the second round of the latest LPGA tournament in Arizona right on the cusp of the cut 17:07

    Rugby League:
    South Sydney rugby league coach Jason Demetriou has urged fans not to worry about his mental health 16:57

    Entertainment:
    Pierce Brosnan has given his seal of approval to Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the next James Bond 16:53

    International:
    World Court orders Israel to 'take all necessary and effective' action to ensure Gaza has access to humanitarian aid 16:27


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2024 New Zealand City Ltd