Ex-footballer turned movie star Vinnie Jones has joined Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign to encourage fans to learn CPR.

Jones has also starred in the campaign’s new social media film advertising the BHF’s CPR education app, RevivR. 

Titled “Will you stand by? Or Step Up?”, the ad comes off the back of a study commissioned by Sky Bet which found 45% of fans lack the confidence to perform life-saving CPR and 42% have never received CPR training.

Known for his hard man image on the pitch and screen, Jones is shown questioning two football fans on whether they will stand by or step up “if you see someone flat out on the deck”.

The former Leeds United and Wimbledon star commented that joining the campaign “might just be one of my most important roles”.

He added: “It quite literally could be lifesaving. That’s why, this season I’m urging football fans to back the Every Minute Matters campaign and ask themselves one simple question – will they stand by or will they step up to learn CPR and potentially save someone’s life.” 

The BHF and Sky Bet launched the ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign in May with the aim of teaching 270,000 people how to perform CPR. 

So far Sky Bet has donated over £3m to the cause, including £380,000 through goals scored during last season’s Sky Bet EFL playoffs. Additionally, Sky Bet will donate £10,000 for every goal scored in stoppage time this season across the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two. 

Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer for the BHF, commented: “In the event of a cardiac arrest, CPR and defibrillation can be the difference between life and death.

“Starting immediate CPR is vital as it takes over the function of the heart, keeping blood and oxygen moving to the brain and around the body, with a defibrillator delivering a controlled electric shock to try and get the heart beating normally again.

“That’s why it’s so vital for more people to learn CPR through RevivR. Our partnership with Sky Bet could lead to hundreds of thousands of fans learning lifesaving skills, so they are ready to step in and help during the ultimate medical emergency.”