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Mirror phone hacking 'destroyed actors' relationship' | Mirror phone hacking 'destroyed actors' relationship' |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Actor Steve McFadden has described how articles published in the Mirror "destroyed" his relationship with ex-girlfriend and co-star Lucy Benjamin. | Actor Steve McFadden has described how articles published in the Mirror "destroyed" his relationship with ex-girlfriend and co-star Lucy Benjamin. |
The actor, who plays Phil Mitchell in EastEnders, said the couple had hoped to marry but he thought Lucy was "giving out information". | The actor, who plays Phil Mitchell in EastEnders, said the couple had hoped to marry but he thought Lucy was "giving out information". |
Two other EastEnders actors did not speak for five years because of suspicions over tabloid stories. | Two other EastEnders actors did not speak for five years because of suspicions over tabloid stories. |
Shane Richie said he and co-star Jessie Wallace each suspected the other. | Shane Richie said he and co-star Jessie Wallace each suspected the other. |
Richie said he became good friends with the actress who plays his on-screen wife, Kat, after he joined the soap in 2002, and they would leave each other voicemail messages. | |
He said: "After a while, me and Jessie didn't speak for five years because she didn't trust me and I didn't trust her because we both thought we were selling each other down the river with stories, which it turned out of course wasn't true." | |
Mr McFadden was called as a witness at the hearing, which will establish damages against Mirror Group for eight claimants of which his former partner, now Lucy Taggart, is one. | Mr McFadden was called as a witness at the hearing, which will establish damages against Mirror Group for eight claimants of which his former partner, now Lucy Taggart, is one. |
He told the High Court that Ms Taggart had been left "sobbing inconsolably in the foetal position" by one story in 2002. | |
The actor said he had been very close to proposing to his co-star "but the biggest factor that stopped me was thinking that Lucy had a big mouth". | The actor said he had been very close to proposing to his co-star "but the biggest factor that stopped me was thinking that Lucy had a big mouth". |
He said: "All the articles in the Mirror's newspapers that were constantly being published about us made me suspect Lucy. | He said: "All the articles in the Mirror's newspapers that were constantly being published about us made me suspect Lucy. |
"I thought she was shouting her mouth off. Now of course I know it was nothing like this and it was the Mirror's journalists stealing information from our phones. | "I thought she was shouting her mouth off. Now of course I know it was nothing like this and it was the Mirror's journalists stealing information from our phones. |
"Apart from our relationship, the Mirror articles also had a really profound effect on Lucy's career and how she felt as a person." | "Apart from our relationship, the Mirror articles also had a really profound effect on Lucy's career and how she felt as a person." |
He said she believed they were responsible "for putting her out of work and making her unemployable, and I think she was right". | He said she believed they were responsible "for putting her out of work and making her unemployable, and I think she was right". |
Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) has admitted publishing 17 articles about Ms Taggart between 2000 and 2006 as a result of phone hacking. | |
Mr Richie, who plays Alfie Moon in the BBC soap, occasionally became emotional as he talked about the impact of phone hacking on his life, | Mr Richie, who plays Alfie Moon in the BBC soap, occasionally became emotional as he talked about the impact of phone hacking on his life, |
He said one of his colleagues on EastEnders had warned others on the set: "Don't say anything to Shane Richie because he's 'gobby', he talks to the press". | He said one of his colleagues on EastEnders had warned others on the set: "Don't say anything to Shane Richie because he's 'gobby', he talks to the press". |
Mr Richie said he felt "really let down" by the revelations and said the hacking had caused lasting damage to his relationship with friends and family. | |
In 2003 journalists were questioning him about debt problems, caused by his investment in a film, and he was worried his wife Christie might find out. | |
At one point he asked Christie if her mother had been talking to the press, which led to strained relations with his mother-in-law. | |
The 50-year-old actor said that it sickened him "to the core" that journalists had listened to intimate voicemails left for him by his wife and children. | |
MGN has acknowledged that hacking was used for 12 stories it published about Mr Richie between 2003 and 2005. | |
'Naive and vulnerable' | 'Naive and vulnerable' |
Earlier, Premiership footballer Rio Ferdinand's ex-girlfriend broke down in tears during the hearing. | Earlier, Premiership footballer Rio Ferdinand's ex-girlfriend broke down in tears during the hearing. |
Flight attendant Lauren Alcorn had a relationship with Mr Ferdinand, the QPR, and former Manchester United and England star, for several years from 2002. | Flight attendant Lauren Alcorn had a relationship with Mr Ferdinand, the QPR, and former Manchester United and England star, for several years from 2002. |
Ms Alcorn, who is on maternity leave from Virgin Airways, said she was "completely shocked and disgusted" by the activity at MGN. | |
She said: "My relationship with Rio was on and off for several years until about 2006. | She said: "My relationship with Rio was on and off for several years until about 2006. |
"During this time, Rio also had a relationship with his now wife, who is also the mother of his children. | "During this time, Rio also had a relationship with his now wife, who is also the mother of his children. |
"Looking back on it now with the benefit of hindsight, that period represents a time in my life that I regret and am very embarrassed about. | "Looking back on it now with the benefit of hindsight, that period represents a time in my life that I regret and am very embarrassed about. |
"However, I was a young, naive and emotionally vulnerable 19-year-old who got wrapped up with a young man that I thought had feelings for me and vice versa. | "However, I was a young, naive and emotionally vulnerable 19-year-old who got wrapped up with a young man that I thought had feelings for me and vice versa. |
"I'm a very private person and I never never wanted to be in the public eye - even walking into court today is my worst nightmare." | "I'm a very private person and I never never wanted to be in the public eye - even walking into court today is my worst nightmare." |
Drug test | Drug test |
Ms Alcorn said she had been quizzed about being with Mr Ferdinand the day before he missed a drugs test in 2003. | Ms Alcorn said she had been quizzed about being with Mr Ferdinand the day before he missed a drugs test in 2003. |
"It was even suggested I was a bad influence and I was the reason he missed the test. | "It was even suggested I was a bad influence and I was the reason he missed the test. |
"I felt completely hounded and bombarded by the questioning from complete strangers." | "I felt completely hounded and bombarded by the questioning from complete strangers." |
Ms Alcorn said her voicemail also had "such private and personal things like the death of my father." | Ms Alcorn said her voicemail also had "such private and personal things like the death of my father." |
She said: "To know that all of that was listened to is really upsetting." | She said: "To know that all of that was listened to is really upsetting." |
MGN has acknowledged that it published three stories that appeared in the Sunday Mirror in 2003 as a result of hacking Ms Alcorn's voicemail. | MGN has acknowledged that it published three stories that appeared in the Sunday Mirror in 2003 as a result of hacking Ms Alcorn's voicemail. |
'No sincerity' | 'No sincerity' |
MGN last month published an apology for phone hacking, saying the practice was "unlawful, unacceptable and wrong". | MGN last month published an apology for phone hacking, saying the practice was "unlawful, unacceptable and wrong". |
Asked about the apology, Ms Alcorn said: "It felt like it had no sincerity whatsoever. I wanted to rip it up and throw it in the bin". | Asked about the apology, Ms Alcorn said: "It felt like it had no sincerity whatsoever. I wanted to rip it up and throw it in the bin". |
BBC creative director Alan Yentob has told the hearing he felt "violated on a truly massive scale" by journalists who hacked his phone, while the former Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati said her son was bullied at school because of stories MGN published. | BBC creative director Alan Yentob has told the hearing he felt "violated on a truly massive scale" by journalists who hacked his phone, while the former Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati said her son was bullied at school because of stories MGN published. |
Cases from actress Sadie Frost, former footballer Paul Gascoigne and TV producer Robert Ashworth, former husband of Coronation Street actress Tracy Shaw, are also being considered. | Cases from actress Sadie Frost, former footballer Paul Gascoigne and TV producer Robert Ashworth, former husband of Coronation Street actress Tracy Shaw, are also being considered. |
The case continues. | The case continues. |