Ian Wright admits his mum repeatedly told him she 'wished she'd terminated him'

IAN WRIGHT, Match of the Day pundit and former professional footballer, opened up on the mental abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother Nesta, after she told him constantly that she wished she had terminated him.

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Ian Wright, 57, has spoken openly about the childhood abuse he suffered at the hands of his step-father; a traumatic story that will bring tears to the eyes of anyone who listens. And while the beatings were bad enough, his relationship with his mother Nesta, also left him scarred as she repeatedly told him she should have "terminated" him.

Nobody should ever have to hear that

Ian Wright

He discussed the domestic abuse in a new interview ahead of the premiere of his new BBC documentary Home Truths, that details the harrowing trauma he and his brothers faced by both their mother and stepfather.

Ian revealed he was "so desperate" to be loved by Nesta, now in her 90s, but she wounded him mentally by constantly telling him she wished she had got rid of him.

“It’s your mum!” he says, still horrified by what she told him.

“When I found out what ‘termination’ meant, it was a bit of a shock."

READ MORE: Ian Wright says cruel stepdad made him face a wall during Match of Day

Ian Wright repeatedly told by mum she wished she'd terminated him

Ian Wright repeatedly told by mum she wished she'd terminated him (Image: GETTY•BBC)

Ian Wright repeatedly told by mum she wished she'd terminated him

Ian admitted it took him 'years' to come to terms with what she had said (Image: BBC)

He explained it was a "terrible experience" for him having to deal with that, which took years to come to terms with.

"Knowing that the person you love the most and want love from most has those feelings..." he thought back.

"Whether she meant what she said or not, nobody should ever have to hear that."

Now 57 years of age, Ian admitted he has "made peace" with his mum, despite the damaging things she said in the past.

"As you get older, you think, ‘Jesus, what has somebody been through to say that to their own child?’" he wondered.

Ian revealed he has now made peace with his mother despite the mental abuse

Ian revealed he has now made peace with his mother despite the mental abuse (Image: PA)

Ian's documentary details the harrowing domestic abuse he and his brothers faced

Ian's documentary details the harrowing domestic abuse he and his brothers faced (Image: BBC)

Top 10 most followed Instagram accounts

Top 10 most followed Instagram accounts (Image: EXPRESS)

"It’s taken many years for me to forgive that. But I’ve had to think of the journey she’s been on and it can’t have been good."

However at the time, his reaction was very, very different.

He said: "When I was younger, I went through a phase where I was like, ‘I don’t care, I f***ing hate you, too,'" before finding the funny side and comparing his experience to that of a comedy film where she might not be his real mum.

The footballer admitted he wants her to watch the programme, which begins tonight at 9pm on BBC.

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"Nothing will surprise her in it," he shrugged.

"Hopefully my stepfather will see it, too. Everything that has come out of my mouth in that documentary has happened."

The radio personality's stepfather walked out on the family when Ian was in his teens, but the young lad's life was dramatically changed as he found himself fighting, claiming it was a "release" from all the agression at home.

Recalling the horrific trauma he and his brothers went through, Ian told Radio Times: "He’d rough you up. Shout at you, intimidate you, swear at you.

Ian's full interview is available to read now in Radio TimesIan's full interview is available to read now in Radio Times [RADIO TIMES]

"He was really strong, big and overpowering. He was frightening.”

The father-of-eight said he tried to pretend for years the violence and abuse didn’t happen and finally sought therapy to try and help him deal with his childhood trauma.

Ian's full interview is available to read now in Radio Times.

Ian Wright: Home Truths airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One.

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