DANNY CIPRIANI admitted he has no desire to “just have sex with anyone” anymore.
The rugby star, 37, recently split from actress girlfriend AnnaLynne McCord.
They pair dated for nine months – getting together soon after he split from his ex-wife Victoria Rose.
But now Cipriani insists he is “completely happy in myself” and not reliant on medication or sex to satisfy his cravings.
The former England international’s struggles with his mental health and his rampant love life are well documented.
His long list of former partners includes Kelly Brook, Katie Price, Sophie Gradon, Kirsty Gallacher and Caroline Flack before tying the knot with Rose in 2021.
Tragically, both Gradon and Flack took their own lives and despite not being with either of them at the time, their deaths understandably took their toll on Cipriani.
But after long periods of processing his deep emotions and grief, he believes he is in a good place.
Cipriani – who retired from rugby last year – told The Times: “Caroline Flack’s death was one of the toughest moments for me.
“I was devastated. I spoke to my team-mates for an hour. I was crying.
“I stood up at the front and told everyone what I felt shameful about and all the things I was trying to hide, because we all share our pain.
“The gift she gave me was having to dive into my emotions in a way I hadn’t before. I hadn’t really cried or felt visceral feelings before.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Danny Cipriani moves into incredible multi-million pound Beverly Hills mansion – and you won’t believe who his famous neighbours are” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6361830699112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]“I had to suppress feelings. I had to take painkillers. There was so much going on in my life.
“Now, I’m completely happy in myself. I’m recognising that I don’t have a desire to take a painkiller or just have sex with anyone.
“When I was 22, I didn’t feel like tomorrow had any hope. It made me feel super-isolated and super-alone.
“Walking down the street, I’d see people look at me and that would make me automatically have negative thoughts in my mind.
“When I met my ex-wife, I was at the lowest point I’d been in my life. My value in myself was extremely low. I didn’t see myself in a loving light.
“I have dealt with grief by sitting with it and honouring it. You can’t avoid grief.
“When I was trying to run away from emotions or not feel certain things, they would come back up in a different way. So give yourself time to feel the discomfort and pain, and sit with it.”
In the candid interview ahead of his appearance in Netflix’s Celebrity Bear Hunt, Cipriani also opened up on two other key moments in his life.
In 2013, the then-Sale Sharks star was hit by a double-decker bus on a night out in Leeds and ended up in hospital but thankfully avoided critical injuries.
Then in the summer of 2018 when he signed for Gloucester, he spent two nights in a cell and was charged with assault and resisting arrest following an incident with a cop after a “boozed-up nightclub row” – three years after a drink-driving charge when he crashed his £60,000 Mercedes into a taxi.
‘VERY FORTUNATE’
Cipriani said: “I remember the moment before I got hit by a bus. I was 25. When I looked to my left, it was there.
“My instinct was to jump — that’s probably why I survived the accident.
“It was very fortunate. God put his hand down to keep me on this earth.
“I spent two nights in a cell. It was a time to be with myself and refocus.
“My captain witnessed the whole thing. He told everyone, ‘I can’t believe what happened’.
“The whole team rallied behind me that year. It ended up being a really beautiful moment with my new team, and I got player of the season.”
Cipriani earned the first of his 16 England caps aged just 20 in 2008 but added that he is “happy” to be out of rugby as it has allowed his body to recover physically from relentless “discomfort”.
He cheerfully concluded: “It’s been awesome.”
