Paul Merson
Transform team performance with Paul Merson, speaker, football pundit and addiction recovery advocate. Paul works with organisations to deliver authentic leadership insights and resilience strategies, sharing expertise gained from his Premier League career and Sky Sports broadcasting.
London, United Kingdom
Enquire Now
Send us your event details
.svg){kind=icon}
Paul's football career began in 1984 when, at just 14, he signed with Arsenal. A talented attacking midfielder, he gained experience on loan at Brentford before returning to Arsenal in 1987. He scored on his debut and added three more goals in his first five starts.
Paul’s career brought numerous accolades, including PFA Young Player of the Year, the FA Cup, League Cup, and helping Arsenal secure their first European trophy in 24 years by winning the European Cup Winners’ Cup. While representing England, he faced personal struggles with addiction to alcohol, drugs, and gambling, seeking therapy to address these challenges.
After rehab, Paul, nicknamed 'The Magic Man' by Arsenal fans, continued to excel. He joined Middlesbrough for £4.5 million, becoming the most expensive non-Premiership signing at the time. His career also included successful spells with Aston Villa, Portsmouth, and Walsall, with his time at Villa standing out.
Since retiring in 2006, Paul has become a prominent Sky Sports pundit and match reporter on Soccer Saturday. He is also a sought-after speaker, known for his humour and honesty, sharing stories from his book How Not to Be a Professional Footballer and his candid account of overcoming addiction.
In 2024, Paul appeared on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, earning widespread admiration and becoming a fan favourite.
Paul Merson is available for both in-person and virtual events, including Q&A sessions, after-dinner speaking, luncheons, personal appearances, corporate engagements, and golf days. Contact PepTalk to find out availability and fees.
Topics, Sessions And Talks
Full of his much-loved humour, Paul Merson shares stories from his footballing and managerial career. The perfect peptalk for all sporting fans!
According to the latest Public Health England report on gambling, 0.5% of the population (approximately 246,000 people) are problem gamblers, and 3.8% (2.2 million people) are 'at-risk' gamblers. As someone who has struggled with addiction and mental health, Paul Merson is able to bring his experience, his vulnerability and his honesty to help beat the stigma and open up the conversation around addiction.
.svg)
Book
.svg)
.svg)
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about booking an expert speaker, facilitator, host or entertainment for your event.
- If you'd like to book one of our expert speakers, email us at hello@peptalk.com, send us a chat message or give us a call, and we’ll help you out.
- We’ll take your event details — topic, audience, budget, date, and location — and create a custom speaker proposal for you within 48 hours.
- If you already have someone in mind, that’s okay too; just let us know their name! Even if they aren't listed publicly on our website, we have a huge network and work with almost everyone.
- Once you've reviewed our speaker propsal and have selected and expert shortlist, we'll double check availability and fees with your chosen expert.
- You're welcome to have a chemistry call with the speaker before making the final decision, too.
- Next, we'll send out contracts to confirm the booking. One of our experienced event producers will liase with both you and the talent on the finer details, and arrange travel if necessary, taking the stress off your plate.
Not necessarily. While the speakers listed on our website may not have worked with PepTalk in the past, they are recognized professionals in the industry and known to engage in similar events and engagements. We work with a wide variety of speaker agents and talent agencies to ensure we have the best selection of speakers, hosts, comedians and entertainers available.
We do not accommodate requests for birthday messages or any other personal, non-commercial contact with the speakers, comedians or entertainers.
We work with speakers across a variety of fee ranges, giving you the flexibility to choose someone who fits your event's needs. Virtual keynote fees in the UK and Europe typically start at £2,000, while in-person top-tier speakers can reach £25,000. In the US, virtual in-person fees range from $5,000 to over $100,000, depending on the speaker and format, such as after-dinner talks, conference keynotes, Q&As, or podcasts. Comedians generally start at £1,500 or $2,000 for a 20-minute set.
Our goal is to help you find the speaker who best matches your event’s goals and budget. We take the time to understand your event, objectives, and audience to recommend the right fit. The most expensive option isn’t always the best one, and our priority is finding the ideal speaker or expert for your needs; not the highest-priced one.
Reach out for personalised recommendations and detailed information on specific speaker fees. We’re here to offer a tailored service and are always happy to discuss your unique requirements!
There’s no additional cost for our services beyond the speaker fee — simply contact us to find the right speaker for your next business or team event. We can also work with your corporate procurement team to negotiate favourable long-term rates, simply email hello@getapeptalk.com for more information.
Partnering with PepTalk means elevating your events with our curated roster of top motivational speakers, industry experts, delivering punchy keynotes that leave a lasting impact. From talent selection, to contracts and logistics, we handle it all. We have global expert network, with over 3000 speakers from over 33 countries on our line-up.
We also provide a full range of talent, from event hosts and moderators to interviewers and corporate entertainment, ensuring your event’s success from start to finish.
PepTalk workshops are interactive learning experiences for leaders at all levels, blending theory with practical insights from industry experts. These programs, led by experienced facilitators, are designed to drive real mindset changes and equip participants with actionable skills. Workshops can be customised to meet your organisation's specific needs. Explore our workshop examples and contact us today to learn how your team can benefit.
If you notice something that needs attention or have any queries regarding an expert speaker profile, feel free to email us at experts@getapeptalk.com, and we’ll be happy to assist.