Rhian Sugden has expressed sympathy for Vernon Kay's family following the pair's headline-grabbing sexting scandal. The 40-year-old has put plans for a new autobiography on hold, fearing the controversy would be brought back into the spotlight.
Backlash and Apology
Vernon and Rhian's explicit messages came to light in 2010. The former Page 3 model is thought to have been one of multiple women the BBC Radio 2 host had messaged while still married to Tess Daly.
At the time, Vernon issued an apology to his family live on his BBC Radio 1 show, telling listeners: "Now this week you may or may not be aware that because of some foolish and stupid decisions I have made, I have disappointed and I have let down a lot of people. To my family and everybody, I am very sorry."
Six years later, Vernon contacted Rhian once more in an apparent attempt to gain clarity about their past correspondence. He told The Sun that Tess knew about their renewed contact and maintained "there was never any inappropriate intent to our communication."
Book Plans and Family Impact
Rhian said that should she release a book, her drama with Vernon would "barely make a few pages", claiming "there'd be nothing to say". She told Closer Magazine: "I know what everyone's expecting - that there's some sordid affair that I've got to reveal when that isn't true whatsoever. There's been so much backlash against me, I've struggled to deal with it all mentally."
Rhian described the scandal resurfacing as "not fair" on Tess or their daughters, Phoebe and Amber. "It must be awful," she said. "At their age they don't want to be reading about this anymore and I don't want to do anything that would hurt anyone."
When news of their messages first broke, Rhian said she felt unable to venture outside due to the hostility she faced. "I've been spat at in the face and had my car windscreen smashed," she disclosed. "It was hell back then and I was scared to go out at one point."
Separation Announcement
Rhian married Coronation Street star Oliver Mellor in 2018, and the pair now have a two-year-old son. Vernon remained married to Tess following the scandal, though they announced their separation in May this year.
In a joint statement, they wrote on social media: "After much consideration, and with a deep sense of care and respect for one another, we have made the decision to separate amicably". They added: "We remain great friends and, most importantly, fully committed to our roles as loving and supportive parents, which will always be our priority. There are no other parties involved in this decision. We kindly ask for privacy during this time. We will not be making any further public comments."
