Rhian Sugden has opened up about her long-standing feud with fellow former glamour model Jodie Marsh, revealing that the two have not spoken for 19 years. The rift stems from Sugden's past relationship with Marsh's then-husband, Matt Peacock, which Sugden insists occurred without her knowledge of their marriage.
Career Parallels and Personal Conflict
Both Marsh, 47, and Sugden, 39, rose to fame in the 2000s as pin-ups for lads' magazines such as FHM and Nuts. They were frequently photographed at celebrity events and dominated tabloid headlines. However, their personal lives became intertwined when Sugden had a fling with Peacock, who had married Marsh in a televised ceremony.
Rhian Sugden's Account of the Feud
Appearing on The Option One podcast, Sugden was asked which celebrity she would like to face in a boxing ring. She replied: “Jodie doesn’t like me so maybe Jodie Marsh.” She explained: “She got married for a TV show to a guy called Matt Peacock, he ended up seeing me on the side, which I didn’t know he was married. I thought it was all for a TV show but they actually got married.”
The TV Marriage That Sparked the Rift
In 2007, Marsh starred in the reality series Totally Jodie Marsh: Who’ll Take Her Up The Aisle? The nine-episode show followed her search for a husband across the UK, culminating in her choosing Peacock in the finale. However, the marriage ended within three months, with Marsh declaring herself single again.
Matt Peacock's Perspective
Peacock, now 42 and married with a daughter, had previously dated Katie Price in 2002, a figure with whom Marsh had a well-publicized two-decade feud. After his split from Marsh, Peacock told the press: “I think the fact that I’d been out with [Katie] must have done it for Jodie. She’s obsessed with her. She’s a sandwich short of a picnic.”
Life After the Feud
Marsh later married James Placido in 2015, but the couple divorced after a year. Now an animal sanctuary owner in Essex, she has stated she is “done with men” following her 2024 breakup with builder boyfriend Mark. Sugden, meanwhile, is married to Coronation Street actor Oliver Mellor. After years of fertility struggles, the couple welcomed their son, George, in 2024.
The Mirror has contacted Jodie Marsh for comment.
