Vinnie Jones, a former footballer turned Hollywood actor, has shared a hilarious story about the time he accidentally buried a friend’s tortoise alive.
The tale, which involves a mishap during some landscaping work in the 1980s, is a reminder of how sometimes things don’t go quite as planned.
A Day of Landscaping and a Baffling Discovery
In the mid-1980s, Vinnie, then playing for Wimbledon, was asked by his teammate Wally Downes Sr. to help with some landscaping at his new home.
While Vinnie worked on laying a patio, the previous owner of the house had left their pet tortoise behind to continue its hibernation, planning to return later for it.
However, no one realized that the tortoise, unaware of its new predicament, had been buried under the freshly laid patio.
Wally Downes Jr., Wally Sr.’s son, who is a boxing reporter, recalled how Vinnie and his Wimbledon teammates, realizing the tortoise was trapped, scrambled to fix the situation.
They grabbed a sledgehammer to tear up the patio and rescue the poor tortoise, which had somehow managed to survive the near-death experience.
Wally Jr. humorously shared how the neighbors must’ve been shocked, watching the scene unfold, with Vinnie and his friends frantically digging, shouting, “Where the f*** has he buried it?… Get the f***ing thing up before it suffocates!”
Vinnie’s Signature Humor and a Healthier Life
When asked about the incident, Vinnie responded in his signature, cheeky style, joking with The Sun, “Play on, son. The ref didn’t see it.”
He’s always known for his humor, whether in football or his Hollywood career.
At 60, Vinnie is living a much healthier lifestyle thanks to his new girlfriend, Emma Ford, who he credits for helping him maintain good health as he enters his sixties.
Last month, they made their first public appearance together at his West End debut in Only Fools and Horses at the Eventim Apollo, where Vinnie was all smiles.
Emma’s Influence on Vinnie’s Health
In an interview, Vinnie explained that while he doesn’t rely on daily workouts, he keeps in shape by watching his diet.
“I just watch my food. I don’t eat crap – I eat healthy,” he shared.
He also pointed to Emma, affectionately calling her “Blondie,” and added, “and I’ve got a good chef.”
Emma, a former model known for her work on the Men & Motors channel, leads a healthier lifestyle as well.
She quit drinking after years of partying in LA, and now both she and Vinnie live a sober life. Vinnie, who has been sober for 12 years, seems happier than ever with Emma by his side.
A Love Story Born from the Pandemic
The couple, who met in 2022 when Vinnie hired Emma as his personal assistant, have formed a deep bond.
The pandemic played a significant role in bringing them together, and Vinnie’s farm in West Sussex became a shared space where their relationship flourished.
Emma even appeared in a documentary about Vinnie’s rural life, which aired on Discovery+ last November.
Vinnie’s personal life has had its share of tragedy, with the loss of his wife, Tanya, in 2019 after a battle with skin cancer. They had been married for 25 years.
Despite the heartache, Vinnie’s relationship with Emma has helped him find happiness again.
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