Boris Becker’s first TV interview since his release from prison had to cut to a commercial break after he broke down crying. The former tennis icon, who was released from custody and deported back to Germany earlier this month after serving time in the UK for hiding millions of pounds worth of assets, broke down several times during the interview and claimed that another prisoner wanted to ‘kill’ him.
Becker, 55, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years back in April after a jury found him guilty of multiple charges under the Insolvency Act. The case related to his bankruptcy in 2017 and he was found to have hidden £2.5million worth of assets to avoid paying creditors.
The tennis icon admitted to struggling as he detailed his harrowing experience in his first broadcaster interview, claiming he feared for his life at the Huntercombe jail. “The food in prison was mostly rice and potatoes. You just eat everything because you’re so hungry. When it was served, I was afraid. You don’t know what someone else is doing behind you,” he said.
Becker then made a shocking statement by claiming that another in-mate ‘wanted my money’ and ‘wanted to kill me’. The three-time Wimbledon champion initially became emotional when telling SAT.1 about going straight from the courtroom to prison: “It can hardly be more brutal,” he explained.
“My children accepted that honestly and strongly. I told my girlfriend Lilian that she doesn’t have to wait for me, she is a young woman. She replied, ‘Don’t talk s***. We are a team!”
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Becker was fighting back tears and requested a brief pause to the interview, but the German broadcaster had to cut to a full commercial break several minutes later when he emotionally discussed the harsh conditions behind bars and those who protected him from the threat of danger.
Many were surprised to see Becker appear leaner and healthier than when he first went into prison. The six-time Grand Slam champion claimed that he went to bed hungry for the first time in his life and benefitted from the absence of alcohol behind bars.
Legal penalties dished out by the courts saw Becker deported from the UK, where he had lived since 2012. He initially served time at HMP Wandsworth in south London before being moved to a separate facility for foreign offenders facing deportation, where he served out the remainder of his sentence.
The news of his release came as a surprise to some, given that he had served well under half of his 30-month sentence. However, Becker was only ever expected to serve half the time and he was moved to a fast-track scheme, common for criminals facing deportation, which can speed up the process if certain conditions are met.
Tears started flowing again later in Becker’s TV interview, during which he discussed a three-page letter written to him by countryman and former Olympic tennis champion Michael Stich. “That gave me a lot of strength,” he sobbed. “I will answer every single letter.”
“There were two moments when I was afraid for my life,” he continued. “You go mad in the cell. With the psyche it’s really very difficult.” He also revealed that he served as a maths and English teacher while in prison, adding: “After ten days it got easier with the job. I was surprised that I teach these subjects.”
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