This. Is the bbc say uncursed young? Thank you for downloading this podcast of desert island discs from BBC radio, for this is an extended edition of the original brought. For rights reasons, the music choices of shorter than in the radio broadcasts for more information about the programme. Please visit bbc dotcom, dont, uk slash radio for mike

has to wait for this special. Seventy fifth birthday edition of desert island discs is David beckham footballer global brand humanitarian for the past twenty five years we have watched him score bill, set trends and, more recently, speak out his stats as a player out, of course, impressive. One hundred and fifteen camps for his country, fifty nine of them a skipper and the only footballer to win league titles in his homeland, spain, the- u s and france, but in truth, he's much more than just a world class athlete. He has transcended sports and become a global super

don't recognize almost as much for what he's done off the pitch. As honest- and it seems these days he's at home at the united nations, making a speech on child welfare as gracing billboards in those designer pants, he says if you want to make the best of yourself. If you want to read your potential, you give it everything you never stop striving. So I am delighted to welcome you, as my customary on this very special occasion, guess, as you know, been exiled to this little island for three quarters of a century, not as somebody will literally, whose every move in public is scrutinised and photographed and documented I'm wondering if there's something about the idea of being on you and having that privacy. That somehow seems quite appealing it does seem very a paden and photo. I think have me on I'm ready on it to be here and

The island sends a great idea because, like he say, people are always watching always interest in what in on and am very lucky to be in it issues like I'm in, but I'm looking forward to this. host match. Analysis, of course, is hardly in short supply. You have talked a lot and been asked a lot over the years about football, and I'm hoping to do that. We will, you know we'll talk about you, the man, but but of course there are very few people, nobody else whose signature skill has been encapsulated in a movie title no less, and I want to just try to get a sense of what it is like to be able to bend the bull like that as your to touch the liver is that of sweetness in it. Yes, in assumes you, hit that born? You know you ve had it well, you know that doesn't matter who's in gaol. Where is one of the skull cap in the world? You know

he's goin in you know, the certain moments, like the great gulf rings Ass one of those moments. Where look back on you started celebrating. Before I mean you, I did, and that's happened on quite a number of occasions. When I look back at the videos, you know, I've hit the ball and before it even gunning actually running off that greece will of course meant that england qualified they were allowed to. That was one of the world. You know that was the one of these moments. For me, you awful old, even fifty, nine of them a skipper for england hundred fifty caps where'd. You keep all the stuff, the caps and the trophies of the awards. I have all my caps at my house. I have my meadows in a safe in the bank because the so precious to me, the deaf, my children in the future, because they ve lived through my career, is

well, there's a lot of memorabilia thy. Have our church of my son, my own and of sea players are played against. I have so many peasant boots, because I was used to keep my boots after a game and I would say how many posed hissing call my goodness over a thousand pair of boots and where they were there, I keep them in storage right there in boxes they serve ones, the bat competes with various shoot. It does actually hear you and I each other a little. We both to work for unicef on uk president and you of course have been this goodwill ambassadors since two thousand and five and set up your own fund called the David beckham, seven funded twenty fifty. You don't need to do that. Why did you do that? I do because it's something that I'm so passionate about. You know when I was at once united and we went to thailand for the first time where I was introduced

women's centre. There was something about it that made me feel even at that age. Ok, I wanna get involved, it's important, the I do this and it's not fair vanity reasons it. For the reasons of I enjoy doing on passion about it. So David tell me about this, sir. First, a disk waiting to hear what what is it? Why do you picked? It First song for me is important because my granddad, my grandpa

none ungrounded I was so close to them and my mom used to take us there. Every weekend we used to get their every saturday morning about eight o clock and at walk in and I'd sit in a chair. The was known as my granddaughter chair. You know it was old, school, very stern, but so loving as well, and he used to work nice, the print and he took it up about eleven o clock in the morning I was watching football focus and he would say ok out and soon, as he said out, jumped up whether it was me. Where is my sisters, and he did exactly the same with my children as well, but the thing I remember- and this is why the solemnly so memorable for me is used to reply when I walked in his flat. It's at a fish gerald and every time we say goodbye

every day I wonder why thanks,

that was of his child and every time you say goodbye chosen by you to have it back and because, as you say, it's memories of your grandparents home, but especially of your grandfather. You were famously then born in the east and latent stone may of nineteen. Seventy five he mused teaching for it. When you were three years old with your family, as you say you got, two sisters, older and younger you in the middle. What's your very, very, very earliest memory, I very earliest memory was my mom. Take me to football the time and of see my dad was working. So as gas fitter, so my mom did a lot of the training sessions did not the games at the weekend and my dad he no day after day week after week, we used to go over to the park right near our house and shameful.

There was a goal over there with no nets and he would say, ok hit the crossbar hit the crossbar and weed four hours and hours, an that's one thing, my parents. If, given me that work ethic, and I remember my dad go out- six o clock in the morning coming back at seven thirty, eight at night, sometimes later you know my mom would make dinner for us and may my sister's she'd focus on such as children and then at nine o clock at night. She would have her old ladys come in and she would do their heads using your dress. She was a hairdresser, so she would do that to eleven twelve, not you have said of your dad at all I was that he gave you in all the time he took with you. You said he was a bit of a taskmaster. He was which

you know at times is upsetting for any child. You know when your dad really believes in something that you're doing or when he wants. You to do it to the best of your ability and you'll know. You know you want to be pulled up on it, and I kind of try to be like that with my children, I'm a lot softer than what my dad was with me you want to give them cuddles. But you also want to be honest with them, because if you feel that they can do something better than what there. chile doing you know they need to know. Of course, we parent differently the eyes. But when you adapt panting you, it was tough love was it did he did he take without a doubt. tough love, you know, and I remember playing for richer. It is on a sunday morning in and if I had a bad guy He would tell me any would go through every single minute of that game, and just I was seven when you reflect our seven and every single detail, he would go for an agreement.

Turn around him, sometimes and saying I'm so sorry I didn't mean to, but when I look back on it, I think that was exactly how I needed to be told he always loved football. He had trials the late and orient things at that, but he was one of these players. I was always off side always off side, but when I started playing He gave up playing, even though it was for sunday lay Timmy gave up plan he gave up. We gave up for me. I said in my introduction that you, a man of many parts night? You don't you ve done your clothing line. You ve got your own fragrance. I always see when the world's best restless that doesnt matter, whether printed this style? I call him from what I understand it started in tell me about you were six years old and you were going to be a page boy. I was going to be about the wedding and tell me what you wanted to where young david beckham. While I had two options, just a normal

or the option of burgundy fell the o knickerbockers. What time centre? What dilation? is, and I chose that believe it or not. Did you feel the bee's knees? I felt great my dad look to me as, if to say, really that's what you paint did you everywhere again? Did you how did I think I did, and I am sure my mom has got the outfit, I hope not to fool turning. I hope right tell me about this next track. Then, ok, so this next trap. For me, it was one of the first albums the eye of a bull, because it reminded me of my dad. It reminded me of being with my parents on the web to manchester to go to the Bobby chow, saka school, stopping little chef on the way having gammon eggs chips and coastal. Every time I went up there that is to say with some really loud, but he was tone deaf. I think deafening, know that and he played this whole album from start to finish its work

but don't you must know my commitment and the two brothers and what a fool believes there is a lovely photograph. If you take that ten, you know What I mean? U s shaking hands with simple beach, then you ve got this at a shy you're trying to swallow your smile, but its escaping. You ve got this sort of on trend. Leered Barnett and I'm wondering how you got two meetings is a brilliant photograph. Well,

I remember, being saw home in chink, food and blue Peter was on the tele and there was an advert. The came on four Bobby count soccer school, so I called my mama set up. You wanna go to Bobby soccer school Bobby, told him with such here from my daddy. You know it was his favorite play our favorite team, and so my dad was up for it from the moment. I actually said that I wanted to go outside the ten and it meant I had to go into lodgings in a mention turns out there for a week or two, which I was more than happy to do. He was there all. The time was amazing. I loved it. I was homesick, but my parents went stay with my aunt and uncle that will live in south or the time. So they came saw me five minutes and then left and my dad was light. You you'll be fine and you presently to pay for that. Did you hope we had to pay for that? It was really expensive, my parents to pay, and that's one of the sacrifices that lay always

to me, but what about the rest of your life and even as a young teenage arena, whether local discos was their side in the park? Was that a fag in the bus shelter? There was never ever a fag in the bush iota because of the football and whenever my friends were down a corner shop hanging out drinkin, I was in watching football, what you much at a day and preparing for the game, died on the sunday and of course I went to school. Discos bought never really interested me on the. I think it was the actual day of your fourteenth birthdays, the second main nineteen. Eighty nine. You travelled north and it was by all accounts of very, very significant day. You were there with your mom and dad tell us about it. You met who, and what you do yeah well going back a couple years and the bobby children

I went when I was ten years old than a went again when I was eleven years old and I actually won the competition. That is how the much united connection brought him around Bobby chow and obviously was parliament's united in these parliaments, united in the oxytocin alex works and in the coach and staffing and the scouts, and I had a scout from just to watch me? I didn't know but down in london he came up to my mom after one game and said: we'd lots take David up dimension. Trial, and I remember my mom coming up to me: and saying lucky played road today and I was a wise and she said because there was a man she nodded scout here and he saw she to go up to manchester for a trial and

burst into tears, because it's all I ever wanted you know much united was my dad tat was my saying I was trying to not taught them and also at the time I had to choose between the two saw. It chose tottenham because my grandma was a season ticket holder for over forty years, but much united was my team, so that was my opportunity the southern fast forward to. I was fourteen. I sat in a room with ceramics works and eight with the team before their game. He took me to the office and outside of the contracts much she nodded. I savvy next music. Ever there tell me about this. This is the third storm. Roses is one of my favorite bands of all time. It was the nineties manchester there were so many things going on around majesty no oasis stone roses and of the time of the hacienda. And go they very often at she'll, probably when they once were. You know. Alardo are probably was loud out, but the managing new exact

where we were every minute of the day and this songs remind me of manchester- and this is one of them, Donors is, and I am the resurrection so David beckham, famously of course, you were part of that class of ninety two. There was you ran gigs, pull schools and apple brothers nicky. But

right to describe to me how it felt to be there at the time being one of the kids. If you will to be honest at the time, we never felt that there was something so special going on. Now we had a really tough you, ve manager, Eric Harrison that kept us a whim place, and then obviously we had shrikes ferguson. We all had jobs in I cleaned eye of the first implies boots. Nicky bought clean, the showers, Pasco was clean, the toilets and the change of room scary, never worn feel would be picking the dirty came up, but at the time, the class and onto too you know, we didn't think about anything cover than on a cape, our place in the team and and winning the youth cop. If we could, you ve talked so much about you all of this dedication and the courts is that you worked with course he will be more than aware of the very recent appalling on earth

of the scandal of the alleged abuse of of young players and, in all of these sort of circumstances, that you're talking about was there ever a time that you thought that doesn't seem right. I don't wanna be here. There was never anything at manchester united on its disgrace for what's goin on and there has to be something done about it, but nothing much united, the closest part, would have been from certain professionals the if we'd gone out of line that make us do

Dance in the middle of the changeover me front of the professional was lying front of my heroes. Oahu arose at the time as a lively, milly s and really modulation yeah. That was all it was, but that was gesture to teach us a lesson. There was never any wrongdoing. Do you think that the clubs are doing enough to address it using the phase response has been adequate? I would like to think that the clubs rule on board with this, and I would like to believe that the fbi are doing everything they can to find out more to find out about the obligation, and the more these act professionals voice their opinions. Then that's when there will be change, let's take a little jump forward. Then we were too about the class of ninety two. Let's talk about the first game of the ninety six. Ninety seven season against wimbledon. I'm sure you remember it well, and it was the goal that that you set in the pursuit of that was the goal that would change my life here. I and I didn't realize the time how much it

This is a short it go from your half. You were on right on the half. Will I was an area canton, aren't gonna food and just remember the bull fall into me thinking. Why not and I hate it and it started to the left and then it came back and I thought not a chance. This is a real chance and then all of a sudden it hit the back of the neck and there seemed to be silence. There was silence it was. It was amazing people watched grass through the air and my mom, my dad, my youngest sister joy was actually behind that go and I ve got a picture home where the balls literally gun in the back of the neck, and my parents are standing up, which is amazing and best part of that day for me was Eric. Counselor came up to me said what ago, and he was a hero of mind, but usually, and these days I would have been doing interviews. I would have been a match at a data. The manager turned round to me in the chain

germany said do not speak to anybody, get on that bus with the team and with your friends, and that was it that's one thing with ceramics and he prepared us for the future. Now I screwed that go, I really young age, so I probably wasn't that prepared. Turkey then took a matter the day in the manager was not nope. You don't talk to him one. Ninety ninety nine was an amazing here for you, David on the pitch and off the pitch. united? They won the travel. They won. The premier league, the ethic of the champions league, you what twenty four and you ve talked about your father. At that point we need one the travel, but what did he say to you? Did you have a conversation together. No, we actually didn't. You know how I knew that my dad would always be proud of my achievements, but the only time I determined, to me and said, you know, son, you ve done really well was

when I got my hundred cap for england, the only time. mean from time to time. He would say that was a great gave me. The aid will understand. What do you make of that? It makes me emotional. Did something goes into place? Did you sort of failure? Your world shift a little bit, I'm probably because everybody wants to make their parents, proud. You I'd always had that. Failing that, I had done by I'd, never heard it ready from my dad until that moment or seen it. You know any these eyes and seen in his facial expressions. That, for me, was the- where new died in a mating. Proud does have some music David beckham wit. We're gonna hear your forth an item a little bit about this lucky said. Ninety nine was very special year. As amongst united player, I won the trouble I got married to Victoria and then we had our first son brooklyn. We became friends with without him

and he was come into the wedding to perform this certain sunk and we had a phone call that morning to say, unfortunately out and was on the plane and had a heart attack. So obviously we were more worried about his health in and how he was, but eventually we christened the kids a couple years after that and he came and he performed this song in our house.

Is a very special some press that was, you could friend godfather to your children. Using did back in. That was Elton John with something about the way you look tonight you ve seen. my wife, picked me up for football. Stick a book and I choose her off the tele. That's very funny, but is actually true

I don't know where it's true on her side, because she was never into football everyone at the time. We think I've won at the time had there. Favorite spice go, and I remember seeing torreon the tele and she was dressed in this black cat. So member states much to the imagination another level, which is one of the reasons. Why would she became my favorites boyscout? Have your wife route only very recently, Lee invoke magazine that it was a letter to her young self and she says in this letter, love at first sight does If someone was it love at first sight for you, when you saw in the players lines without doubt, was avowed out I'd Siena the week before and I must have caught her eye because then the week after she to another game, she's, not the interest in football. I gather so clearly there another vetoes she was up see. Therefore, recently I was hoping that I was the reason and apparently I was, and I went into the pleasant she'd had a couple of glasses of what why

the time, and I saw my opportunity while she was slightly tiktok and I spoke to her for twenty five minutes and I got by solid work, and so of course, portion backs was born, will know you were twenty. Two victoria was twenty three, both very successful, hopefully a little bit more success. When you at this point has said, But how did you actually manage to go on any dates at all? Actually at the beginning, because her manager in my manager, nelson fuller, he was very protective over the girl, was so the time he kind of wanted to keep it quiet. So every time the I went on a date with her We were in a car park and which is used to sit in the car park untold. Could at this particular time ida

an amazing, bright, blue Bmw. I spent my whole pay packet at the time from added us on this one cause. I had this amazing cobb still live in intelligence. I drove down. I picked her up and I think I remember Heaven sunburn at the time because she turned not with this ilo vera plan that she gave me, which I thought was very sweet and we used to sit in a harvester car park and we stood just kind of case of course, and spent on together, and that was how the first two or three months before anyone knew that's how we used to spend our time. Tell me about your fondest memory. From what I can only describe as your very low key wedding wasn't here. It was. There were doves. There were thrones unable issue alone ass. It was a year we did for alive because it was the thing

to do around that time, and we have renewed avow sid saying that he raised a lot more private, those about six people there and in our house. But when back in it, no music to the hidden hers, purple matching. I fear that was bold. It was bold. Tat was What do you say to each other when you look back at it now or victorious pretty nice, smile like what was I thinking. I lit like the guy darwin dama when they went to the party in the war that ridiculous outfit. I even had a top hat in purple is unbelievable, legacy. That was, I dont think that those who have made it into ok- I mean famously you saw the rights of the tiny to ok. I don't know how much you got paid them. She was a lot of money and they say that they sold. I think it was five point: five million copies in a month,

That's extraordinary. The world was watching where there was a lot of interesting us at the time in hours of, say, matching icy plan. She was a spy scale, but you was guarding that interest. You were young, but you understood that relationship between feeding the hungry the media, giving them enough to be interested to know whether you ought to be honest. I was always a private person. You I've, never see in victorious world at the time. You know everything that I did was scrutinised. Everything that I did was on from page. He spat pages. Did ad aware it was and all of a sudden we were together, so There was an opportunity for even more media to talk about us or take pictures of us, and I was possible Much she nodded team was ceramic ferguson and at the time I didn't see it like that, but of a seed and manage it felt that it was kind of a distraction from me I never took it onto the filled me. I never took it into training, but obviously I could see Managers perspective on it. Looking back, there was a point I mean you know you

add many many many years of us of this sort of scrutiny and scrutiny of your relationship and your presence as a couple in the press was was constant from the minute that you got together. There was a time in two thousand and four you have decided that you would sue the news of the world for libel? They had run a story claiming that you know for an agent, for annual reasons you were cynically and hypocritically trying to convince the public that your mail was perfect. The case was subsequently settled out of court and you said at the time nothing or break me and Victoria. and you have been together knife was it twenty use. You haven't lucia nineteen years. I wonder what it is, and this is a rare thing. You are a couple amid all that scrutiny and who have stayed together highly public partnership. Why has your management successful? Why

still together, I think because where were strong family unit, you know we ve got strong parents, we were both up with the right values. Of course you may stakes over the years and we all know marriages, marriages difficult times and it's about work infer and whenever we have come up against tough times in a week we each have a better than anybody knows are so in a wee wee wee talk. We have amazing children, We have an amazing life which were very respectful wealth but We are also in a private papers. Well, you know people talked about you know. Do we stay together because it's a brand personal, we say together because we love each other. We stay together because we have for raising children and do you go through tough times. Of course you go through tough times. That's part of relationships is part of marriages, his paw of having

odin is part of our responsibility. You know back when we were twenty to twenty three is owed the erroneous responsibility that we had wished to ourselves and to our jobs at the time, and you know we're very respectful of our life and when we don't go through tough times We worked through them as a family as a unit. Let's have some more music david beckham. Tell me that what we're gonna hear now this is, you know your fists choice or the fifth choice. My surprise people this next song. Just reminds me of Madrid ramage it remind me off the four years. I spent their victorie laughed at me because I always kind of jumping to the cultures from day one. You know, for instance, if go to your america. I want to listen to great rap artists and go to possible, and Did the same when I moved to Madrid jean, I knew that I had to learn the language, so I went to a spanish by used to say

there are my own in have and an avenue assign so this next autumn is really. amazing talent and a good friend it sir andrew sense. A programme of mass matters, most the programme that was

ro sands. And could you do this from you? Do it better cause? You speak spanish, like odor sands, no s, lonely small, and could you do this interview in spanish eu? I think if I was warmed up, I could probably do quite a bit of it in spanish, I mean you're off the hook, because I can see we have managed- and let's talk for a moment then about the one of the other, hugely significant relationships you ve touched on. A little in advance is sir Alex for, listen, he rose and is also by ogilvy that you were the only player, he'd managed who choose to be famous now. That is a well. That is a kiss the chosen phrase from a man who knows no knows what he's getting some word. Yes, indeed- and I know you're reconciled now- I know you're, I don't if you're the best amidst, but you certainly get on when you didn't get on and let's just accept there was a peace. When you didn't what was the crux of the problem? There was a few things. Obviously I was young at the time and of course, you know you make mistakes and make decisions that you wouldn t know do now for it.

Then she not forty one years old. I like to think that more grown up and a little bit will wiser than it was when I was twenty one years out. So there were certain decisions I made back then the that were wrong decisions, and I can see why the manager got so frustrated by certain things, and I don't like what certain situations I think, at the time the manager felt that I was driving down to london to many times during the week when, actually I was by the time there was so much media attention around me and dictatorial people were thinking that I was, in london and drive out too much debt to train, which I would never have done. You know I'm very professional, so the certain moments where, for instance, Victoria was in ireland. I had a diet. If so, I flew over to ireland and I didn't filled. Needed to tell the manager what I was doing. as always coming back at six o clock in the morning for training

in the lounge and the manager walked in. He walked and because he knew you were there locked and because you have to walk and he happened to walk in. So I what did he say? I didn't say anything in and talk to me. So I knew that I was observing a little bit of trouble I can understand the manager, then thinkin, ok, maybe he's not looking after his body or is not rest in as much as he should do, is automatic you're ever wanted was the best for the team, the best for the club, the best for the individual and the best for the place, but then a deal The low point, of course, is that very visual moment when, in the changing room, where sir Alex kick the boot, the boot flies across the room and he looks you right on the net I dont have yet she had stitches on your eyebrows. I certainly had got butterflies stitch so the next day the world,

sees that states in the world. Those this is the most splendid ass. We could how we violently with just lost a game to us. No who or a massive rival was at the time and that manage a kind of felt that either one or two of the goals has my full and at the time I was young, I argued back and when you argue back with the manager doesn't go well and a manager of sea had come to me, and I said you know, I don't think that's my full. That's not my fault and I kept on site. That's not my fault The manager walked towards me and he kicked the pollack closer or on the floor and believe it or not. There was a boot that he kicked and came flying toward man. It hit me in the eye and my eyesight bleeding straight away. So it was a freak accident and we said at the time he could.

never from me. Do it again because I've seen him in training and he admits that, even though it does think that is one of the best struck ass of old time in the game but, sir, now it was a freak accident, but We see, then that was an opportunity to talk about it in the media opportunity for- in to the police or the everyday. I my man, she nodded caribbean that was in two thousand and three you were. I think I've read that you're on holiday in the states when you saw this statement from united, that they were gonna, sell you to barcelona and it was the first you you'd heard of it in private. What was your reaction? Shopton? I was, the stated, because with just one the leak that season, have said you would never have left. He would have been there till your last play without up without a doubt, because my she nazi was my team. I know no aspirations touchy leaf. united and soon private, where you were you asshole

as you are mad with. You is mad, as you were bent on revenge. What what's going through your head? There was never any revenge. Ya was her. I think I was angry. Time. Just the way the situation had gone because for that season I've been left out of certain games, but never for they would lead to me leave in manchester united. But I'd heard rumours that this might be coming up and I might be gettin sold so then I was on holiday in states where victoria and I want my friends for me so she's been on sky- that many night of agreed terms with us alone. Snowslide. That's not true. I have not done anything about it, so I then flew back to london. I tried to speak to pizza canyon uses one of directors ass. I can speak to the man journey said no matter what I need to speak to the manager to understand. What's going on, they said no, he said

it's true. We have a great deal and that's when I spoke to my agent at a time and said if I'm gonna move, I wanna, MR amateur it, and within a day I was sat with the president of real madrid and we agreed that less the club, the world's gonna, go, and how long did it take? He said she felt her toilet. Before the hurt healed. I honestly didn't watch my she nazi play for free is. I couldn't I spoke to Gary Gary neville every weekend after games, but I honestly didn't watch much not game free is David beckham, have you next piece of music, you six one about this? What they saw, what a hair? It's such a strong, powerful song, and so by one of the best bands of all time and whenever I have gone through a tough time away, on the way to a game this

one song reminds me of great occasion, so this next, song is by a roman stones, was the rolling stones and wild horses. He said David beckham going into that that, apart from the front you just leave it as a beautiful sonya, also love it, because at times it gets you through the tough times in one of the tough times that we haven't even touched on. A long time ago. No, that was ninety. Ninety eight, the world cup finals you famously were sent offer for kicking ice at an argentine player and the press.

Went into some sort of melt down over this as a also of what you did in the publicity that surrounded it. I mean you, I've read you received death threats. People sent you bullets in the post. I have seen the picture of an effigy of you, hanging from a lamp post which turned my blood cold and what helped you through. That's tough time, my family man, she night it's right except the first person to call me after that game was frantic ferguson. He said, son get back to manchester, you'll be fine, and that gave me strength to actually get fur, probably the toughest time that I have been through my life in my career. I didn't realize how bout it was going to be and how bad it was going to get until I remember getting off the plane and I was getting a connecting fly after we landed with the team and, as I was walking through that terminal, there was a journalist

a crew following me and those that how do you feel you ve? Let your grandparents down you, let your sisters down your, let your nation down you ve, let yourself down and- and it was a time where my wife had told me that we were expecting at first charts. I should have been a happy time and it wasn't. I looked back and it was such a difficult time not just for myself, because a new once I was back in manchester, I was protected. I too support the fans every single game every and I walked up to take a corner. The house stadium just stood up and clap man saying my name and I may not motion of talking about it because it was such a difficult time, but it was more difficult for my grandparents. You know they will be endorsed by journalists, in my grandparents were seventy years old with people knocking on the doors you asking questions about their grandson.

You're, saying things that I don't want. My grandparents hearing about their grandson- and that was the most difficult part for me. No in that my parents will go for it, my sister's guy for it. I did you protect you firmly. What it's. The only thing I could do to protect them was to say you know, don't open the door to these people don't talk to them. I will let's talk a little bit more than from moment about about family and, and

It is not always the easiest gig being the children, I imagine a very famous parents and your children, inevitably, of course, that led a privileged life. You travel over the world for unicef and you go to some of the hardest hit places among among poverty and social deprivation that that we can only imagine to take the kids alone. I haven't taken the kids, yet I plan on taken. They did the children, because I think it important that I say what daddy dazzle also what mommy does because in I always come back off these trips and I take law pictures. I love photography and I want the children to know what I've been doing. You know this certain things that you want to shoot. The children from

but there is also a lot of things that they need to know. So when I come back off these trips, I sit with my show them pictures. I explained what needs to be done and brooklyn marries coming up to his eighteenth birthday, so he will become in on a trip at some point with me, but I think it so important that the children see what's going you mentioned brooklyn. He has recently done some professional photography for the fashion brands. Burberry romeo's done model increase it just before christmas release. This single luther public things, and I heard you say well those things my kids are interested in. Do you worry about the criticism they get to worry about? The exposure they get their young, I mean if we can't control exposure, they are part of a family. He's been quite famous for quite a few years, so they are always gonna get attention. We protect our children as much as we can and people can be critical off

children, which I still feel unbelievable, that a person can criticise and eleven year old, a fourteen year old, seventeen year old, a five year old. You know that's that's bullying and will always support our children, no matter what, if people want to be critical of that therein, the public eye anyway, all we can do is protect them. much as we can we're not gonna hear creusa single have she's not on your list. I dont have you not only for that. My entire tell me what we are going to hear them, because this this is: u sentence. They some make me emotional were hair it and think to the memories of why I pick this this special moment. She d have with your children when, I was only a few weeks old I to try and make smile and blow role prisoner belly and give a kisses and, as are changing happy or just held at my chest This was one song where I just an I'm, I'm not really a dancer, so it was

the chief from side to side unease the spin around, and it was that so where I looked back, and that was my special moment with my little girl and it's michael jackson feature in poland, the car niger dreams system vanity, I am the one who is best the town gone.

They think that that was Michael Jackson, they fixing pullman kindly and the girl is mine. You chose that familiar youngest, your daughter, higher and David beckham. I hear you find a passion for cooking. If I was lucky enough to be invited rent for dinner, what would you be rustling up? What's your signature dish she would come around one of the things I did when I lived in moline was I took her cookery culinary class, and it was for six months and I used to do two or three days a week after I trained I used to go into this italian school of cooking and and learn how to make fresh pasta, ragu results, and my kids is one of their favorite foods. It's something that I enjoy. So if he was coming around for dinner,

out and then it would be fresh pastor, we ve rugged delicious. You are not afraid of sending yourself up. I watched recently the spoof underwear add that you did with James court and we were both in your pants, you came off better in that particular well, but I love you. You mentioned that you are forty one, no or the under where shoots other thing of the past. Will this this the thing with the skids? I enjoy those ya, I trust james and what he does as far as the underwear, whereas I don't think that I'll be doing them anymore, just because you're on forty one years is, I'm sure shore people fed up with see me in my underwear over the is anyway, so I think it was time to actually just stepped back. Maybe maybe let broken down some point, but one thing can be a lonely place because it's difficult to walk into a room and always know that somebody wants the autograph or the selfie

people always want something from you. Where is it in your life, where you feel free of that? Where you think I can just be in you deal with it with great grace, but it is a thing to be dealt with it is, and my safe place was a ways on the pitch swear. I felt most confident swear. I fell a home and, of course, my house, my home, we make it. This is very proud

the amazing thing about my career, my life and I did play professionally for twenty two years, and you know I'm so fortunate to have done wife done and lived the life. I've lived an. I wouldn't change anything, I'm very fortunate. Your legacy and playing is clear in the next twenty to use. What would you like people to talk about david beckham for doing? I think more than anything that is one of the most important things in my life at the moon. Is my charity work? That, for me, is what gives me the mode pleasure, I have anything though I do you know the businesses that I have of course, are very important to me. You know the life that I haven't seen my family is my number one: it's not just about the amount of money that we raise its meeting these children. It's

knowing that we change in children's lives where are protecting children from hiv and aids. That, for me, give me the most pleasure. Tell me the last piece of music. Why? Because in this again, I think this will be kind of surprise infer from many people, but ass. It was such an important moment in my life, because I've spent so many years as a professional footballer. At some point I knew they had to come to an end, and that was one of the most difficult decisions I made and even though I said at a time, you know I'm moving on to another phase in my life I didn't think it would be playing again, but I had a phone call from the owners of pasture and they said we have won the late for nineteen years with love you to come and pay part time and hopefully help us win the championship.

And as excited ass. I was to be back to london. This nowhere could turn down option a teacher at least play again for another one of the top teams in the game and at the time victoria was upset because she fell in this way time for us to be together as a family, but she knew that this was what was best to me. She knew that it was what was best for us as well, and she was fully supportive here in the end for this. So this next song, I picked it for reflections of picked it for the paris. For france, and it reminds me of such an important moment in my career. You know the moment I retired and is quite emotional, because I finish plain sir sidney bechet,

that was done to me that shay and city David Beckham we nearly at the end of this very special seventy fifth anniversary programme. Before I cast your way, I give up my guests, the bible and the complete works of shakespeare, and they gets take another book along with those two? What's your book Kennedy, I I really thought about this. Well, my book is one of my passions. I was lucky enough to have met this man and having cook for me. It's a book by Francis mammon on fire it's a book where he teaches you to cook anywhere, and I thought if a second and ireland could russell option that's yours, then, and euro loaded luxury to in it something that can offer little bit of comfort but which are not treated luck. Sri would have to be something this very precious to me. People always say: oh you actually get given a physical cap. You do. Is this amazing velvet cap with his gold trimming, saw type my english capsule k. They are you

it was then, and if you had to rescue just one of these eight discs that you have so carefully chosen, which one disk would it be, the one that I would risk you have all of them would have to be halifax Gerald. Every time we say goodbye, it's you David beckoned! Thank you very much for letting us here. You desert island, the things you very much.

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