Former Villa star Stan Collymore has checked into the Priory clinic with depression following his confession that he visited "dogging" sites to have sex with strangers, it was reported today.
 The ex-striker's decision comes after the BBC said last night it had no plans to use him as a football pundit "in the near future". Collymore (pictured) has told the Daily Mirror that his wife Estelle, 26, threatened to leave him when he admitted he had driven to several public places near their Staffordshire home where people watch each other having sex in cars. His representative Simon Kennedy told the newspaper today: "He is feeling very low and, as most people already know, he has suffered from depression for several years now.
What do you think?
You've read the story - now tell us what you think. Use the box below to send us your views...
Your words may be used by the Evening Mail and The Birmingham Post
|
"He felt that the best thing for him at the moment was for him to go for a short period of treatment with doctors who have treated him before. "He is not hiding away from the situation. He feels he needs a couple of days to receive professional advice and treatment." It is thought Collymore is being treated at the clinic in Roehampton, south west London. BBC Radio Five Live, which had previously employed the 33-year-old as a commentator for football matches, said it did not intend to hire him again. A spokesman said: "Stan Collymore has been used occasionally on a freelance basis by Radio Five Live as a contributor. "He does not have a contract with the BBC and we have no plans to use him in the near future." The corporation made its decision after Collymore told the Daily Mirror yesterday: "Over the last couple of years I have been to dogging sites maybe a dozen to 15 times, and yes I have taken part and had sex during them. "What I have done is disgusting and I'm so ashamed, but I'm only human. "I can only beg for forgiveness. "My only hope is that the people I know and love can find it in their hearts to forgive me." Collymore admitted that he became curious about dogging sites after reading about them on the Internet, with his most recent visit to Cannock Chase taking place on Saturday. His secret encounters at dogging sites were revealed by two undercover reporters who met him at the countryside attraction's car park. According to reports, Collymore sent the pair mobile phone text messages inviting them to have "some fun" at the same car park the next day. Mr Kennedy said: "As Stan has said, he has been very foolish and made some foolish decisions. "He is very apologetic, he is very remorseful, but he has to move on. "I hope the public at large will realise that Stan has made mistakes but that fundamentally he is not a bad egg and he is not an evil individual." | 
