Thomas Skinner, the mattress salesman and former The Apprentice contestant, has spoken publicly for the first time about the extramarital affair that threatened his marriage to wife Sinead. The 34-year-old admitted to a brief relationship with aesthetician Amy-Lucy O'Rourke just weeks after his wedding, which he says deeply hurt his wife, the mother of his three children.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Skinner confessed: 'It wasn't difficult for me because I know the mistakes I've made in my life, but it was awful for my poor wife to read it all, and that's why I feel bad... My whole life has been dug up and regurgitated and my poor wife has to read something that she has moved on from.'
Skinner, who is currently competing on Strictly Come Dancing with professional dancer Amy Dowden, revealed that rebuilding trust with Sinead took a long time. 'It took a long, long time for her to forgive me and we have worked at it. I will never say I'm perfect but it was hard seeing my wife relive all of this. But she said that it wouldn't break us, it wouldn't ruin us. She told me that she loves me to pieces and I love her,' he said.
Sinead is expected to support her husband at the Strictly studios every Saturday. Skinner described her as his 'rock' just hours before performing his Paso Doble. 'My wife is my rock and I love her to absolute pieces. I made a mistake. I'll hold my hands up and we have moved on from that... We have built a better life. Sinead is my best mate. Now she is so invested in my Strictly journey, she is cracking up that I am doing this,' he added.
Skinner, who appeared on The Apprentice in 2019, has also faced controversy over his social media posts, including videos of his indulgent breakfasts at a café in east London. His Strictly partner Amy Dowden had to withdraw from last year's series due to a foot injury.
