Harry Redknapp: We must do something about knife crime epidemic
The football manager turned king of the jungle tells Sky News he is willing to visit youth prisons in a bid to help.
Friday 1 February 2019 19:07, UK
I'm A Celebrity champion Harry Redknapp has told Sky News he is willing to visit youth prisons in a bid to help tackle the "epidemic" of knife crime in Britain.
The football manager turned king of the jungle appeared on The News Hour alongside campaigner Mark Prince, who founded the Kiyan Prince Foundation in memory of his murdered son.
Kiyan was a talented under-16s footballer for Queens Park Rangers when he was stabbed to death while trying to break up a fight outside his school in north London in May 2006.
His father, a former champion boxer, was recognised in the New Year Honours list for his efforts to help young people turn away from a life of crime with an OBE - and his work now has the firm backing of Redknapp.
The 72-year-old told Mark Austin: "We've got to do something about it. Everyday we pick up the paper there's innocent kids getting stabbed - it's an epidemic.
"There's got to be a way we can stop everyone carrying knives.
"I'm sure there are loads of kids out there, that you can turn their heads and get them to understand that there is another way in life. A lot of today's young footballers were probably at that crossroads.
"They might have friends who end up taking the wrong path."
Redknapp - whose management career has included spells at Tottenham, Portsmouth and West Ham - recalled how he had first met Mr Prince at the Spirit of London Awards.
Having won over an entirely new fan base through his exploits on I'm A Celebrity, he is hoping he can make a difference and would be keen to talk to young offenders in juvenile prisons.
"When I first met Mark I sat down with a group of parents who had lost kiddies, listening to their stories was incredible, it was the most touching thing," he said.
"I'm here to help Mark in any small way I can because he is the man - what he's done is amazing."
Mr Prince said he was all the more determined in light of rising crime figures across the UK.
Stabbings have increased and are at an all-time high in London, with a 17-year-old stabbed to death on Tuesday in Islington, north London, the city's latest victim.
Mr Prince said: "I'm driven, focused, we've got to save our young lads, stop parents from this grieving, and change the mindsets of young people - that's the focus.
"We can't change how the police are tackling communities - there's that distrust.
"We can't take responsibility for the government ignoring it and doing things that create this situation, like low funding and taking away opportunities for young people.
"Let's reach out, create opportunities for them to thrive and change that mindset. When you empower young people, you get them to understand that they need self-belief."