Former England striker Andy Carroll has expressed gratitude for the public response after speaking openly about being sexually assaulted by a man at his home in 2021, saying the support he has received since going public has been transformative.
Carroll, 36, detailed the assault in his autobiography and has since spoken about it on the Football Uncensored podcast, describing years of carrying the trauma alone. The incident occurred at his Newcastle home during his second spell at the club, while his former partner was away. The perpetrator, identified by Carroll as television dance coach Kevin Adams, was convicted of sexual offences and jailed for 20 months in 2023. Adams appeared on the BBC series Fame Academy in 2002 and has not commented publicly since Carroll named him.
Speaking on the podcast, Carroll described the emotional weight of finally going public.
“I’ve been beating myself up about it, and as soon as I’ve said it the support that I’ve received has been massive,” he said.
He reflected that speaking out sooner might have helped him heal faster.
“If I said that five years ago when it happened, maybe I would have felt a lot better now and then got over it.”
Carroll said the incident happened while he was asleep. He threw the man out of his home and knocked him unconscious when he attempted to return. He described giving evidence in court as “humiliating and embarrassing and absolutely horrendous.” Particularly, he was candid about the lasting impact.
“It was eating me alive inside for so long. There’s certain things you can’t get over, and I’ll never, ever get over that. But now I know that people can see who I was then, in that time, and what I’ve been through and they help me and support me.”
Carroll played for Newcastle, Liverpool, and West Ham during his professional career. However, he is now a player and co-owner of National League South club Dagenham.
