Paddy Doherty: Unknown Facts About The Self-Proclaimed ‘Gypsy King’
Paddy Doherty shot to fame thanks to the TV show Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. The documentary style programme allowed to us to see the ‘real’ Paddy.
He came across as a leader, someone who isn’t to be messed with. However, it hasn’t always been that way. Keep reading to find out more about the self-proclaimed ‘Gypsy King’…
His Ancestry Might Locate In Ireland, And He Might Have An Irish Accent, But He Was Born In Manchester!
He was born on February, 6th 1959.
He was born to Irish traveller parents Simon and Elizabeth, better known as ‘Queenie’. Paddy is the oldest of Simon’s TWENTY-TWO children!
Isn’t it strange that his accent doesn’t even have a hint of a Mancunian twang to it.
He Is A Prostate Cancer Survivor
Paddy has recently hit the headlines after being given the all-clear from prostate cancer.
He told Good Morning Britain that he initially put off seeing a doctor, and had a six hour operation at Manchester Royal Infirmary to remove his prostate. He has since been given the all-clear!
The Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star is hoping his story will inspire other men to get checked early and save one life at least.
He Has His Own Fitness DVD
Yep, you read that right. it is called ‘1 Stone In 4 Weeks’. Effective! Somehow, I don’t think it caught on…
Paddy Doherty has his own weight loss DVD out – and the advert is amazing
He Has Done A Wife Swap With A Politician!
In 2012, he starred in a two-part documentary, When Paddy Met Sally, with his Celebrity Big Brother housemate Sally Bercow, also known as the wife of the Speaker of the House of Commons.
She moved into his place at his traveller community site in Queensferry.
The TV stars took it in turns living by each others rules; in one episode they lived by his rules and in the other they lived by hers.
His Son Accidentally Killed His Friend
His son David was in prison for accidentally killing his friend in a car crash after they had spent the night in a pub.
He was sent to prison AGAIN for being part of a group that raided a home and went on to attack a mum in front of her daughter whilst being armed with a samurai sword, screwdriver and knife.
He then went on to LOCK THE ENTIRE FAMILY in a toilet.
He was arrested when trying to enter the getaway car with £100 of jewellery. Surely that isn’t worth 7 YEARS in prison?
Paddy And Roseanne’s Eldest Son Was Killed At 18
Their first son, Patrick, was in a road accident with his cousin and a friend.
The grief was so much that the couple almost split up…
He Developed An Addiction To Drugs And Alcohol
The death of his son, Patrick, plummeted Paddy into a destructive cycle. He was drawn to drugs and alcohol.
Looking back on the time, he said:
“I didn’t cope with it. I’d sleep at the grave, go down there and play his music and escaped from everything by hitting drugs. I was on cocaine, Ecstasy and LSD”.
He Ran The Manchester Marathon In Under Four Hours
Whilst he was still grieving for his lost son, Paddy saw a poster for the Manchester Marathon. He decided that this was the challenge that he needed to shake himself out of grief.
The training helped lift him from the fog and he has never touched drugs since.
He Cannot Read Or Write
Coming from a travelling family meant that Paddy didn’t stick in school for long.
However, he has never let this stop him from doing anything!
In 2015 Paddy was even seen protesting to save the local school that the children on his travellers site attend, indicating that he knows just how important it is for children to get an education.
About the subject, he said:
‘I think every Traveller should go to school get educated and go to college. […] I also think every child, no matter who they are, should be going to school and learning to read and write’.
He Has TEN Children To His Wife Of Over FORTY Years
All of his kids are with his wife of over forty years, Roseanne. However, the pair lost four of their children shortly after birth.
Four Of Their Children Were Born With A Genetic Disorder And Died
Four of their kids were born with Fraser Syndrome – a rare genetic disorder.
It is characterised by fused eyelids, fusion of the skin between the fingers and toes , and abnormalities of the genitalia and urinary tract.
There is a test that can tell if the baby has the condition, however, as Mr and Mrs Doherty are catholic, they do not believe in abortion and hence carried all four children – including a set of twins (one of which was stillborn) – to full term.
He Had A Joint Wedding To Help Spread The Cost
Paddy and wife Roseanne were so broke that they decided a double wedding would be a good way to keep the cost down.
His brother married her sister in 1977. What are the odds?!
He Used To Be A Bare Knuckle Boxer
For those who don’t know, bare knuckle boxing is actually the sports original form. The competitors basically fight with no padding on their hands.
His fighting skills have proved their worth in recent years – just look at this fight!
He’s A Deadly Man According To Danny Dyer
From 2008-2009, Danny Dyer had a documentary series where he met some of the UK’s most feared men. Previous stars of the show included Stephen French, Sam ‘Skelly’ McCrory and Barrington Patterson.
Paddy was the star of the first episode of season two, renamed, Danny Dyer’s Deadliest Men 2: Living Dangerously.
Do you believe that Paddy is someone to be scared of?
He Was The Winner Of The Eighth Series Of Celebrity Big Brother
Paddy managed to beat Kerry Katona to the title of Celebrity Big Brother winner in 2011.
In 2012 He Appeared On Celebrity Bainisteoir
Celebrity Bainisteoir was an Irish TV show that it had celebrities competing against each other as coaches of Gaelic football teams.
The word ‘bainisteoir’ come from the Irish word for manager.
He Organised The Biggest Funeral In Traveller History For His Dad
The funeral had SIXTEEN matching Rolls Royce Phantoms.
If you think that was excessive, just know that the Royce’s were followed by HUNDREDS more cars. And there was a horse-drawn carriage for his father’s specifically designed coffin!
The coffin was uniquely painted in Ireland’s flag colours and was also decorated with a crown, a crucifix and his father’s nickname: ‘The Blacksmith’. Naturally, this was written in gold paint.
It also had thousands of mourners – including his 150 grandchildren!
He Has A Book: Hard Knocks & Soft Spots
In 2013, Paddy released his autobiography.
The books epithet is: ‘I fight hard and love strong. I’m a traveller.’
He Has Starred In A Movie!
Paddy had a role in Rise of the Footsoldier 3: The Pat Tate Story. The film also starred Larry Lamb and Shaun Ryder. Look at Paddy mixing with the likes of the rich list.
Naturally, he has the role of ‘Gypsy King’.
He Is A Liverpool Football Club Supporter
Despite being born in Manchester… to Irish parents… he supports Liverpool Football Club… HOW?!
Wonder what made the Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty choose the reds?
Good luck tonight to @LFC #YouReds #YNWA pic.twitter.com/QhLMPOCNAf
— Paddy Doherty (@PaddyDoherty59) May 26, 2018