Vinnie Jones struggled to get out of bed when he lost his wife

He told The Observer Magazine: "When I lost my wife it was hard getting out of bed. I was inspired by a speech by Admiral William McRaven, who said that if you set yourself a mission to get up and make your bed properly in the morning, you've accomplished your first assignment of the day.

"Grief humbles you. As long as it helps people, I don't mind them seeing me emotional. Working with men's bereavement charities makes you a band leader of sorts. I tell my stories and try to get the other lads to play along. I get some fantastic letters. We've saved quite a few lives."

But the sports star-turned-actor admitted that he "overloads" himself with work commitments and has found that simply going for a walk helps him mentally.

He said: "I overload myself with work sometimes. Taking the dog for a walk helps me to stay calm. I like to walk through the fields and woods and sit on the riverbank - watching trout rise and leap is my meditation."

Meanwhile, the 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' star celebrated 11 years of sobriety in April 2024 but noted that he while he will "never beat" his problem with alcohol, things are "going well at the moment.

He said: "I'm very determined when I put my mind to something. My sobriety is going well, but you never beat the drinking. I'm always working on it. You've got to keep busy. At the moment, touch wood, I'm healthy.