Rio 11:19 - Mar 29 with 8043 views | CFW | Did anyone watch the BBC programme last night? I have never been a fan to be honest but have to say he really went up in my opinion after watching him last night. Let's be totally honest he was a disaster signing for us but we (the fans) had no idea what was going on for him during that season. I like the fact he kept his council and the family kept it private which is exactly the way these things should be handled. Some other people shown as well who have lost loved ones at a young age - it must be awful for those poor children to have one of their parents taken away in tragic circumstances. Personally - I wish him (and those other family's) all the very best for the future. PS Great to see how well Darren Clark has done since his dark days - mind you think it is now close on 10 years ago. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 13:35 - Mar 29 with 2001 views | Dorse | When he was at the club, I wasn't especially impressed. I felt absolutely awful when I heard what he was going through in his personal life. If we'd known at the time, how many of us would have actually wanted him to carry on playing? We'd all have seen the bigger picture. He's well-known. His case is no different to others but if his profile raises people's awareness of the support that is needed, offered and valued to those in similar circumstances, I say it is a good thing. We all felt for that kid on Victoria Derbyshire who'd been helped by QPR Community Trust: many of us donated as a result of hearing his story. Many of us have been in some pretty fcuking dark places that feel like you are disconnected from the rest of the world. If he hadn't used Victoria Derbyshire's public profile to raise awareness, how many of us would know his story? I couldn't give a rat's fcuk whether he is famous. I am glad that he is using this profile to help others rather than sell us $hite that we don't need or will improve us. Bereaved kids need support. Widows and widowers need support. Do you think those that receive charity actually care where it comes from? Or the reasons behind people giving? If not now, when? If not you, then who? (I will now leave my hobby horse to munch quietly on its nose-bag whilst I go back to my unending barrage of nob gags and ill-judged giffery) | ![](/images/avatars/17282.gif) |
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Rio on 13:40 - Mar 29 with 1984 views | daveB | I thought it was a very interesting show and very moving. It wasn't just about Rio Ferdinand, they spoke to other men who had lost wives, the story of one guy who re married and then his new born baby died was heart breaking. Most of the show was focused on how Rio can help his kids but in the end doing that helped him as well. If he wasn't who is he and just a normal man on the street then I doubt I'd have watched it which doesn't say much for me but he went up in my estimations after watching that. Shame it never worked out at QPR, I thought he looked superb in a back 3 then we abandoned that and played him alongside a drunk Caulker or an old Dunne in a 4-4-2 and the poor sod had no chance [Post edited 29 Mar 2017 13:41]
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Rio on 13:48 - Mar 29 with 1957 views | terryb |
Rio on 13:35 - Mar 29 by Dorse | When he was at the club, I wasn't especially impressed. I felt absolutely awful when I heard what he was going through in his personal life. If we'd known at the time, how many of us would have actually wanted him to carry on playing? We'd all have seen the bigger picture. He's well-known. His case is no different to others but if his profile raises people's awareness of the support that is needed, offered and valued to those in similar circumstances, I say it is a good thing. We all felt for that kid on Victoria Derbyshire who'd been helped by QPR Community Trust: many of us donated as a result of hearing his story. Many of us have been in some pretty fcuking dark places that feel like you are disconnected from the rest of the world. If he hadn't used Victoria Derbyshire's public profile to raise awareness, how many of us would know his story? I couldn't give a rat's fcuk whether he is famous. I am glad that he is using this profile to help others rather than sell us $hite that we don't need or will improve us. Bereaved kids need support. Widows and widowers need support. Do you think those that receive charity actually care where it comes from? Or the reasons behind people giving? If not now, when? If not you, then who? (I will now leave my hobby horse to munch quietly on its nose-bag whilst I go back to my unending barrage of nob gags and ill-judged giffery) |
Thank you Dorse. That summed up my feelings on the progamme completely. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 13:49 - Mar 29 with 1951 views | robith |
Rio on 12:27 - Mar 29 by Brightonhoop | O that makes it ok then. Judging a bloke no doubt you've not met, know nothing of but unfounded rumour and slur. Were you present when the c0ck went in? Did she want it? It's becoz he is black init. |
Come on mate, this is a terrible post | ![](/images/avatars/6058.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 13:54 - Mar 29 with 1938 views | Match82 |
Rio on 13:18 - Mar 29 by QPR_Jim | To be fair the exchanges between you and brightonhoop were unfolding while i was typing that so I didn't see them before I posted. You can disagree all you like with the point about celebs (and I agree that people give them an undue amount of attention) but more people will watch if it's a celebrity and therefore get the issue/cause more coverage. [Post edited 29 Mar 2017 13:25]
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In this particular case, Rio has had thousands of people giving him verbal and online abuse over the years. Had as much right to tell his story as anyone | ![](/images/avatars/1392.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 14:11 - Mar 29 with 1890 views | DejR_vu | Well this thread is plumbing new depths, which is no mean feat. Pretty much given up looking at this forum. Think I'll give it a miss altogether from here. How does anyone enjoy reading this cr@p? Embarrassing. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
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Rio on 15:16 - Mar 29 with 1778 views | Stanisgod |
Rio on 13:35 - Mar 29 by Dorse | When he was at the club, I wasn't especially impressed. I felt absolutely awful when I heard what he was going through in his personal life. If we'd known at the time, how many of us would have actually wanted him to carry on playing? We'd all have seen the bigger picture. He's well-known. His case is no different to others but if his profile raises people's awareness of the support that is needed, offered and valued to those in similar circumstances, I say it is a good thing. We all felt for that kid on Victoria Derbyshire who'd been helped by QPR Community Trust: many of us donated as a result of hearing his story. Many of us have been in some pretty fcuking dark places that feel like you are disconnected from the rest of the world. If he hadn't used Victoria Derbyshire's public profile to raise awareness, how many of us would know his story? I couldn't give a rat's fcuk whether he is famous. I am glad that he is using this profile to help others rather than sell us $hite that we don't need or will improve us. Bereaved kids need support. Widows and widowers need support. Do you think those that receive charity actually care where it comes from? Or the reasons behind people giving? If not now, when? If not you, then who? (I will now leave my hobby horse to munch quietly on its nose-bag whilst I go back to my unending barrage of nob gags and ill-judged giffery) |
Top post. I just don't get how people don't understand that a high profile person telling their story is going to be seen by more people who need this sort of help than your average Joe would get viewing figures for. Anyway there WERE other guys on there, weren't there ? And it was them that seemed to help him the most. | ![](/images/avatars/1948.gif) |
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Rio on 15:51 - Mar 29 with 1704 views | PlanetHonneywood | Rio came out of it well, and highlighted a serious issue of men being incapable of opening up/seeking help after trauma. To that end, a man from the macho world of football being prepared to expose his vulnerabilities, seek help and admit, that he needed it, was thoroughly commendable. And it cannot have been easy for him. His devotion to his wife and family also shone through and that anyone of us should have a sister or daughter that met such a guy, would be a wonderful thing. That said, while I have total sympathy for Rio, as I would anyone in such a situation, for me the real star was the bloke who'd lost his wife and on her anniversary a few years later, his new squeeze and he learned their child was going to die! How he managed to get up in the morning and carry on, says bundles about the man. Sad as the show was in parts, I must admit when he informed of the death of his child, it made me blubb! Rio's grief is no less or greater because of who he is. But he has support, can employ a nanny and often for the bereaved, over-coming a tragic loss without that level of support, it must exacerbate the tragedy even more. Something the BBC actually got right and I find it sad that some seek to query what the program showed us. Best of luck to Rio and all those blokes who fronted up to provide us with such a unique insight. | ![](/images/avatars/16575.gif) |
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Rio on 15:54 - Mar 29 with 1692 views | Gloucs_R | I started watching it last night with a similar view to what PP has. Within 10 mins my attitude to him had changed. My eyes filled up when his little girl said "I'm really enjoying this" when she was putting memories of her mother into a box. As for the "top trumps" stories, so many sad stories. I hope to god my family never go through what they have been through. | ![](/images/avatars/1527.gif) |
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Rio on 16:08 - Mar 29 with 1659 views | whittocksRs | A friend who's worked in celeb / entertainment journalism for nearly 10 years was saying there's a lot of skepticism in those circles as he was alleged in court to have cheated on his wife at least ten times, and there are reports of more. (You can find the reports online; it came out when he was suing the Mirror.) But good on him for being a decent dad to those kids and wanting to work through his grief - you can't say he was putting it on, and he has shined a light on a difficult process. Bloody awful footballer for us, but wish him all the best. Decent pundit too when he wants to be. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 16:21 - Mar 29 with 1620 views | westberksr | didn't see it but it's par for the course that the TV channels will attach a celeb to these programmes. Whether that is good/bad or indifferent is irrelevant if it draws attention to a valid cause or problem. I'm sure that Rio has been a typical footballer in his time and that is a separate issue. This programme can only do good and if it were Joe Bloggs dealing with the death of his wife & bringing up kids then no fukker would bother watching or possibly making it. The attraction of a former England Captain opened all of the doors that needed opening. Rio was the car crash draw for the crowd and then hopefully the rest of the programme built upon that. Hope the kids get through it ok; money doesn't solve everything although it obviously helps. I'm surprised he didn't just give up and get the contract cancelled at the time, but that's a whole different thread and argument! | ![](/images/avatars/1638.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 18:07 - Mar 29 with 1513 views | daveB |
Rio on 16:21 - Mar 29 by westberksr | didn't see it but it's par for the course that the TV channels will attach a celeb to these programmes. Whether that is good/bad or indifferent is irrelevant if it draws attention to a valid cause or problem. I'm sure that Rio has been a typical footballer in his time and that is a separate issue. This programme can only do good and if it were Joe Bloggs dealing with the death of his wife & bringing up kids then no fukker would bother watching or possibly making it. The attraction of a former England Captain opened all of the doors that needed opening. Rio was the car crash draw for the crowd and then hopefully the rest of the programme built upon that. Hope the kids get through it ok; money doesn't solve everything although it obviously helps. I'm surprised he didn't just give up and get the contract cancelled at the time, but that's a whole different thread and argument! |
She was diagnosed in March just after he played his last game for us against Spurs and died in early May so it was very quick. He's said in interviews he saw going to training as a release to forget about it which helped him at the time. | ![](/images/avatars/1922.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 19:26 - Mar 29 with 1448 views | CFW | When I posted this thread I pointed out that personally I was not a big fan of him. At his peak a very good player but not without his faults. I also mentioned that I respected the way he kept his council and did not seek the big sympathy thing that other 'high profile' people seam to want to do all the time. This might be to do with his late wife or her family who knows. I also pointed out the programme was not just about him but it bought also included other families who have suffered the loss of a loved one in similar tragic circumstances. For me he is rich and he may well have cheated on his wife but the part where he sat down with his children and put reminder notes into the bottle was brilliant. That he got from visiting another family in a similar situation - if that helps others in the future then the programme was worth while. If I had known that fellow QPR fans would react and say some of the things that have been said on this post to each other I would never have started this post. I take no sides and respect everyone has an opinion but come on lads think about what you post - pretty please!! | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 19:30 - Mar 29 with 1437 views | smegma |
Rio on 11:36 - Mar 29 by paulparker | why does it take a celeb dealing with grief to warrant a documentary? Men and women all over the country are dealing with the loss of loved ones to cancer, etc, and without the financial security Rio enjoys. Their stories are never made public, so why is Rio's worthy of an hour of primetime? I feel sorry for his kids more than him , losing a mum must be terrible for those little uns, il get pelters for this from the normal mob but I really don't buy the grieving saintly widow thing from him, how many "alleged" affairs did he have ? |
Walk an inch in Rios shoes then get back to us. I think the programme will encourage others in similar circumstances to reach out to someone for the help they need. If the programme was about a non celebrity I still would've watched as the tv listings are full of nonsense 90% of the time. I thought Rio showed he is just as vulnerable as every other human being. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 19:35 - Mar 29 with 1425 views | smegma |
Rio on 12:05 - Mar 29 by paulparker | Disagree , more than enough inspirational people out there to make a programme about if the BBC are that shallow they need an overrated footballer to get a message across about grief then that shows them up for the broadcasters they are my mate has 2 kids and lost his missus in a car crash that was 5 years ago, he hasn't even looked at another woman since, he has 2 jobs and does everything for his kids to me that's more inspirational than the likes of rio and Clarke oh and as for Darren Clarke his wife wasn't even dead for a 3 months before he got with one of her friends what does that say about him like I say Its terrible for Ferdinand's children to grow up with out a mum but I cant be the only one uncomfortable watching Rio being the grieving widow |
Over rated footballer??? Now I know you're talking bow locks. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 23:03 - Mar 29 with 1269 views | CiderwithRsie | Speaking as a widower with two young children I thought a lot of the stuff about the way his children reacted rang a hell of a lot of bells. He was also spot on about the changes in Bereavement Benefits, which I am very lucky to have avoided. It is not a thing that you prepare for and any information that helps a newly bereaved family get through it has to be a good thing. As to his celebrity, no-one would have made a film about me and my family, fewer would have watched if they had, and you know what? I wouldn't have wanted to do it; I'd have been sh*t scared of screwing up something which I've no previous experience of doing and worried about putting my kids on TV. The fact that he is used to dealing with the media (and I imagine his kids are used to the media being interested in the family) is in fact a qualification for the job, not a disqualification. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 23:20 - Mar 29 with 1247 views | MrGrieves |
Rio on 11:36 - Mar 29 by paulparker | why does it take a celeb dealing with grief to warrant a documentary? Men and women all over the country are dealing with the loss of loved ones to cancer, etc, and without the financial security Rio enjoys. Their stories are never made public, so why is Rio's worthy of an hour of primetime? I feel sorry for his kids more than him , losing a mum must be terrible for those little uns, il get pelters for this from the normal mob but I really don't buy the grieving saintly widow thing from him, how many "alleged" affairs did he have ? |
Just one question - did you actually watch the documentary before posting? | ![](/images/avatars/5811.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Rio on 00:27 - Mar 30 with 1207 views | PunteR | I didn't see the documentary, just a few snippets. It's very easy to be cynical of celebrity's bareing their emotions on TV as we're bombarded with it. But it's very sad to see Rio go through this situation. I know 2 people who are dying from cancer as we speak. One, a girl I've known since we were kids whose got 4 kids herself now, the latest one being born just 8 months ago. And another friend of mine being told in January that he's riddled with it. He's going to be leaving behind a lovely wife and two kids aged 9 and 15. I'm just so gutted for them. I feel for Rio Ferdinand, despite all his fame and wealth he still has to deal with shit life throws at you. But wealth and fame can help in these situations. My mate is the only earner in his family. When he goes his wife is left with nothing. We're trying to raise money now to help give her some time to train to get a job that will enable her to provide for the family. This is the real life and I'm sure many others on here have been through or know others going through tough times. | ![](/images/avatars/11748.gif) |
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