The Telegraph
Olympic cycling icon Sir Bradley Wiggins appeared in high spirits as he attended the Sports Personality of the Year Awards accompanied by his children.
In this rare public outing, Isabella and Ben Wiggins radiated pride alongside their renowned father on the red carpet yesterday evening, marking a poignant moment after enduring one of the most challenging years of his life.
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The 44-year-old was warmly supported by his adult children as he addressed his recent battles with homelessness and bankruptcy.
This year has proven to be particularly challenging for the family, especially following his ex-wife Cath’s decision to sell the family home, where she continues to reside with their son and daughter.
Notwithstanding the hardships, Cath and the children have stood resolutely by Sir Wiggo during his hardest moments.
His ex-wife even offered him a couch to sleep on when he found himself without a home, and he regards his son Ben, a professional cyclist, as an essential lifeline during a particularly dark period last year.
With his iconic mod hairstyle and distinct fashion sense, Bradley gained worldwide fame as the first British winner of the Tour de France, clinching Olympic gold medals within just a week in 2012.
In that same year, he was celebrated as BBC Sports Personality of the Year and honored with a Knighthood in the subsequent New Year’s Honours list.
Such accolades helped him accumulate significant wealth, yet beneath his success lay a troubled individual known only to those closest to him.
It wasn’t until 2022 that he began revealing the traumatic experiences from his childhood that haunted him and propelled him toward alcohol abuse.
His father, Gary, a professional cyclist dealing with addiction issues, abandoned the family when Bradley was just a year and a half old but returned to his life at 19 after Bradley’s early successes in cycling.
However, even after their reunion, he harshly told Bradley, “You’ll never be as good as your old man.”
Bradley Wiggins fights back tears as he pays heartfelt tribute to Sir Chris Hoy following a cancer diagnosis
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From the ages of 13 to 16, Bradley endured sexual abuse from his coach Stan Knight, who passed away in 2003.
Behind closed doors, it was Cath and their children who witnessed his painful decline as he grappled with the pressures of success and feelings of inadequacy.
At one point, he destroyed his awards in the presence of Ben and Isabella, who are now 19 and 18, to illustrate that accolades are insignificant when compared to the effort required to achieve them.
He revealed, “I shattered my Sports Personality trophy and knighthood in front of my children and tossed them into the flower bed to make a point.
“I wanted to teach them that material accolades aren’t what matters; it’s the journey and effort that counts.”
Family Challenges
Bradley’s rapid rise to fame in 2012 brought challenges for his children, who had to transition to new schools.
After his 2012 Tour de France victory, Isabella and Ben faced bullying at school from peers accusing their father of using performance-enhancing drugs, similar to the disgraced Lance Armstrong.
“That Tour victory changed everything,” Wiggins reflected. “I left home an unknown and returned as the most recognized person in the country for that week.
“It was a tough time for both me and my family. My son faced bullying at school, and we ultimately had to move the kids to a new school.”
Sir Bradley’s Financial Struggles
2017
Spear’s Magazine assessed Sir Bradley’s net worth at £13 million, placing him just behind Andy Murray and Justin Rose on Team GB’s 2016 member list.
This included substantial endorsement deals with brands like Fred Perry and Skoda, the latter worth millions.
2022
Liquidators filed a claim against him for £1 million, which he disputed.
A claim for £760,373 from the preceding year had increased, as administrators sought repayment on an overdrawn director’s loan, necessitating an audit of the company’s finances.
In September of that year, documents suggested that Sir Bradley entered into an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) to avoid bankruptcy.
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The cyclist was declared bankrupt at Lancaster County Court on June 3.
‘Manic Episode’
More difficulties awaited the Wiggins children. In 2015, following prolonged struggles with her mental health, Cath was hospitalized for a week due to what she described as a ‘manic episode’ triggered by childhood traumas.
“It was a profoundly dark period,” she recounted. “It’s terrifying—for both the individual suffering and their family. Unless you’ve experienced it, you can’t truly grasp its severity.”
She was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder and prescribed medication, which gradually assisted in her recovery.
In 2016, during Cath’s healing process, allegations emerged regarding Bradley facing an anti-doping investigation related to a Jiffy bag allegedly delivered to him in France in 2011.
He categorically denied any misconduct, and in November 2017, the investigation was concluded due to lack of evidence regarding a banned substance; however, the pall of suspicion lingered.
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Through all these adversities, Cath and the kids remain steadfastly by Bradley’s side.
“I have complete faith in his integrity as an athlete,” she affirmed, and the children share this belief, never doubting their father.
Homelessness & Bankruptcy
As both Cath and Bradley grappled with their mental health obstacles, a new crisis emerged.
Ill-advised financial choices, legal expenses to safeguard his reputation, and lost sponsorships led to a steep decline in Bradley’s fortune.
The increasing strain eventually drove the couple to separate in 2020, with Bradley publicly announcing their breakup without prior discussion with Cath.
“My son actually intervened and helped me realize the self-destructive state I was in,”
Bradley Wiggins
Six months later, he began a relationship with PR executive Laura Hartshorne, with whom he has a daughter named Ava, now three, though they have since parted ways.
Earlier this year, Wiggins was declared bankrupt and found himself depending on others for housing.
Nevertheless, it was his ex-wife Cath and their children who came to his aid, inviting him back to the family home so he could celebrate Father’s Day with them.
She noted: “It’s a tragically desperate situation for him, which is why I’ve extended an offer for him to stay temporarily.”
It’s evident that she and their teenage children provide unwavering support to Bradley as he strives to settle his debts and rebuild his life.
‘Self-Destructive Mode’
Recently, Wiggins candidly discussed his descent into depression, his battle with alcoholism, and how Ben worried for his father’s well-being in November of the previous year.
In a heartfelt interview on The High Performance Podcast, he credited his junior cycling talent son Ben with saving him, remarking, “There were some very extreme moments. The most recent was about a year ago, without delving into details.
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“But I was in a very dark place in a very dark room for many days, and it was a hotel, and it was my son who actually intervened and made me recognize the self-destructive state I was in.
“There were many factors at play.”
As he starts to confront his trauma and acknowledge its impact on his life, he expresses new pride in himself.
He stated, “I’m proud of who I’m becoming. I believe I’m a good father to my kids.”
While he once linked his troubles to his cycling accomplishments, he now asserts that cycling “saved his life,” and he wouldn’t alter his past.
He added, “It saved my life in various ways. I can’t imagine where I’d be today without it. Cycling has given me everything.
“I wouldn’t change a thing. Every part of my journey has shaped who I am. I believe my best years are still ahead.”
And undoubtedly, Ben, who hopes to follow in his father’s cycling footsteps, and Isabella will be alongside him as he works to rebuild his life.
