Peter Shilton spent 45 years in the grip of a gambling addiction while simultaneously becoming the most-capped player in England's history. Now 76, the former goalkeeper has spoken candidly about the particular cruelty of being a public figure battling a hidden illness — and why that made getting help feel almost impossible.

A silent illness in the spotlight

Speaking to BBC Essex, Shilton explained that his profile as a footballer, rather than offering resources, actually became a barrier. "Being quite well known, it's difficult because you're frightened it's going to get out and somebody's going to write it in the press," he said. "It's going to go haywire."

The fear of a leak kept him from reaching out to professionals for much of his career. During that same period, he was representing England in the World Cups of 1982, 1986 and 1990, earning 125 international caps and establishing himself among the finest goalkeepers the country has ever produced.

Shilton lost more than £1 million betting on horse racing across those four and a half decades. He finally stopped in 2015, and he has long been open about the role his wife Steph — a trained addiction counsellor — played in that breakthrough. "She worked on me over a period of time until it finally clicked," he said. "It is a terrible, silent disease."

Launching Shiltons' Silverlining

Rather than simply stepping back from the subject, Shilton and Steph have now launched a charity — Shiltons' Silverlining — aimed at helping gambling addicts rehabilitate, manage debt, and receive prevention education. Using his platform for that purpose, Shilton said, was a "no-brainer".

The initiative has drawn backing from several of his former England team-mates, including Gary Lineker, Terry Butcher and Paul Parker, as well as cricket legend Graham Gooch.

Steph Shilton explained what drove them to formalise their efforts. Government figures suggest that between 117 and 496 suicides are associated with problem gambling in the United Kingdom every year. "Peter just looked at me and said, 'We're not doing enough, we need to be doing more,'" she said. "They're unnecessary deaths and it's so heartbreaking."

The advertising problem

Shilton reserved particular concern for the way gambling is marketed. "It's always looked upon with the advertising as fun — 'Let's all get together and have a good time'," he said. "But there's a dark side to it, which we know, and that's why we want to help people who've reached a bad place."

His comments arrive at a moment of growing public scrutiny over gambling advertising in football. The sport's reach — and the saturation of betting promotions around it — has made the industry a focus for campaigners and regulators alike.

For Shilton, the work is personal. He watched the addiction hollow out parts of his life even as his on-field career flourished, playing for clubs including Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, Southampton, Stoke City, Derby County and Plymouth Argyle. The fact that his 125 England caps represent a record that has stood for decades makes his willingness to speak openly about vulnerability all the more striking.

"It affects you in so many ways," he told BBC Essex. "And it's a silent illness that's getting worse and worse."

If you or someone you know has been affected by gambling addiction, support is available through the organisations listed on the BBC Action Line.

Frequently asked

How much did Peter Shilton lose through gambling?
Shilton has said he lost more than £1 million betting on horse racing over a 45-year period before stopping in 2015.
What is Shiltons' Silverlining?
Shiltons' Silverlining is a charity launched by Peter Shilton and his wife Steph to help people affected by gambling addiction, offering rehabilitation support, debt management guidance and prevention work.
How many England caps did Peter Shilton win?
Peter Shilton earned 125 caps for England, making him the country's most-capped player of all time. He represented England at the 1982, 1986 and 1990 World Cups.