John Fashanu: Football Star, Gladiators Host, and UN Diplomat

There’s a generation of Brits who still hear “Awooga!” and see John Fashanu bounding across the Gladiators stage, muscles flexed, grin wide. What fewer remember is the football behind the spectacle — or the family tragedy that shadowed the man on screen.

Full name: John Winton Fashanu · Born: 18 September 1962, Kensington, England · FA Cup: 1988 with Wimbledon · TV breakthrough: Gladiators (1992–1996, 1999) · Current role: Football administrator, philanthropist in Nigeria

The following table consolidates verified personal and career details for quick reference.

What does John Fashanu do now?

John Fashanu has spent the better part of two decades building a life in Nigeria, far from the pitches and soundstages that made him a household name in Britain. By 2018, he was living in the country with his girlfriend Rachel Bakam, according to The Telegraph’s Fame & Fortune profile.

Football administration and philanthropy

German-language Wikipedia sources report that Fashanu remained involved in football administration via the Nigeria Football Association, investigating corruption in Nigerian football in the 1980s and 1990s and producing a report that became known as the “Fashanu Report.” German Wikipedia also notes his role as chairman of Barry Town in Wales. Spanish-language coverage identifies him as a sports ambassador for Nigeria — a semi-official or ceremonial advocacy role rather than a formal diplomatic posting.

Television and public appearances

In 2023, Fashanu signed up to appear on Dancing on Ice, reflecting what Football Speakers describes as his ongoing presence in British television. He has also hosted Deal or No Deal Nigeria on M-Net Africa and appeared in a 2022 interview discussing plans to open a large sports academy in Nigeria, focusing on youth development.

What happened to John Fashanu?

John Fashanu’s post-football trajectory reads like a series of deliberate reinventions — some triumphant, others turbulent.

From pitch to screen

After retiring from professional football in 1995 — a 17-year career spanning Norwich City, Lincoln City, Millwall, Wimbledon, and Aston Villa — Fashanu transitioned seamlessly into television. His most visible role came as co-presenter of Gladiators alongside Ulrika Jonsson from 1992 to 1996, returning for the final series in 1999. GladiatorsTV describes him as a martial arts expert who became known for his “Awooga” catchphrase, winning the Celebrity Champion title in 1993.

Reality television and controversies

Fashanu expanded his media profile through reality competitions. He finished runner-up on the 2003 series of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and hosted Fash’s Football Challenge the same year, according to StaceyWest. His television career also extended to fitness videos and international hosting gigs, including Deal or No Deal Nigeria.

Relocation to Nigeria

The move to Nigeria marked a more permanent shift. Sources consistently place Fashanu living in the country from the 2010s onward, engaged in football administration and business ventures. German sources note his involvement with the Nigeria Football Association, while a 2022 interview clip showed him discussing plans for a sports academy focused on youth development and “giving back” after decades in football.

What did John Fashanu say about his brother?

John Fashanu’s public statements about his younger half-brother Justin Fashanu form one of the most examined relationships in British football history, shadowed by tragedy and, eventually, public remorse.

The disowning

When Justin Fashanu publicly came out as gay in October 1990 — becoming the first male professional footballer to do so while still playing at the top level — John reacted with public rejection. English Wikipedia reports that John publicly disowned him in The Voice, a Black newspaper, calling him an “outcast.” The Peter Tatchell Foundation quotes the headline “John Fashanu: My gay brother is an outcast” and adds that John later admitted he offered Justin £75,000 to stay quiet and not come out publicly. John told the Daily Mirror he “begged” and “threatened” Justin to stop him coming out, fearing embarrassment for himself and his family.

Evolving reflections

After Justin’s death by suicide on 3 May 1998, aged 37, John later expressed remorse for abandoning his brother. However, English Wikipedia also records that in a 2012 TalkSport interview, John claimed his brother was not gay and was an attention seeker — indicating continuing controversy around his framing of Justin’s sexuality. The PinkNews profile on the Fashanu family notes that John struggled to understand Justin’s sexuality, while Justin’s niece Amal later created the Justin Fashanu Foundation to combat homophobia in football.

Public apology

By 2020, John Fashanu publicly apologised for his past treatment of Justin. Sources indicate he expressed regret for his rejection and said he wished he could have been more supportive, framing Justin’s death as a tragedy. He has since advocated for LGBTQ+ acceptance, a stance that marks a significant evolution from his 1990s position.

When did Fashanu come out?

The question of “when did Fashanu come out” actually refers to Justin Fashanu, whose coming out in 1990 was a watershed moment in British sport.

Justin Fashanu’s announcement in 1990

English Wikipedia confirms that Justin publicly announced he was gay in October 1990 via an interview with The Sun, making him the first male professional footballer to come out publicly as gay while playing in England’s top division.

Reaction from John and the football world

The reaction was swift and largely hostile. John Fashanu’s public disowning in The Voice made headlines, as did reports that he had attempted to pay Justin to stay silent. Beyond John’s response, Justin faced discrimination and abuse that contributed to the collapse of his football career. He ultimately left England, moving to the United States.

Impact on Justin’s career

The impact was devastating and immediate. After coming out, Justin found himself marginalised within the sport. He played in lower leagues and eventually abroad before returning to England under a cloud of unrelated allegations that would precede his death.

What was Justin Fashanu accused of?

In 1998, Justin Fashanu faced sexual assault allegations in the United States that would accelerate his personal and legal crisis.

US sexual assault allegations

According to English Wikipedia, in March 1998 Justin was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy in Maryland. He fled to England as a warrant was issued for his arrest. The allegations triggered a high-profile extradition request from US authorities.

Suicide in 1998

Justin died by suicide on the morning of 3 May 1998, aged 37, after being found hanged in a garage in Shoreditch, London. His death sent shockwaves through football and prompted renewed attention to the homophobia he had faced throughout his career.

Legacy

The Justin Fashanu All-Stars were created in March 2009 by the Justin Campaign, supported by the FA, to promote inclusion of openly gay players in football. In 2023, Norwich commemorated his legacy with a large mural on the Fat Cat and Canary pub wall — symbolically replacing a mural of former Norwich manager Daniel Farke.

Key quotes

“John Fashanu: My gay brother is an outcast.”

— Headline in The Voice newspaper, 1990, after Justin Fashanu’s coming out

“I begged him, I threatened him — anything to stop him coming out.”

— John Fashanu, Daily Mirror

“He wasn’t gay. He was an attention seeker.”

— John Fashanu, TalkSport interview, 2012

“I came back to Nigeria to open a large sports academy — to give back after 35 years in football.”

— John Fashanu, interview with Nana Akua, October 2022

Summary

John Fashanu’s story is inseparable from the eras he inhabited. On the pitch, he was a reliable striker whose Wimbledon side pulled off one of the FA Cup’s great upsets. On screen, he became a Saturday-night fixture whose “Awooga!” entered British pop culture. But away from the cameras, his most public failure was personal: the public rejection of his brother Justin at the moment Justin needed support most. That wound never fully healed — for Justin, for football, or for John himself. His belated apology in 2020 came thirty years too late to change what happened, but it reflected how far both the sport and the man have travelled. Today, Fashanu operates in a different world: Nigeria-based, administratively involved, occasionally popping up on British television as a reminder of what was. Whether as footballer, presenter, or brother, the contradictions define him as much as the achievements.

John Fashanu’s tenure as host of the BBCs Gladiators remains one of his most recognizable roles.

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