Rhian Sugden has revealed she was ‘spat at’ and had her ‘windscreen smashed’ at the time her sexting scandal with Vernon Kay came to light.
Back in 2010, Vernon was forced to make a public apology to his now ex-wife Tess Daly on BBC Radio 1 after a set of ‘saucy messages’ sent to Rhian came to light.
Then in 2016 fresh allegations surfaced claiming Vernon had once again been in touch with Rhian.
When Vernon, 52, and Tess, 57, announced their marriage split in May, the sexting scandal was dug up once again.
Rhian, 39, has admitted she has been ‘painted as a villain’ as she detailed how the sexting scandal has haunted her career.
She said: ‘I really hope my forties will bring a new chapter where the Vernon stories can be put to bed. For much of my life, I’ve been seen as “the other woman” and painted as a villain.
Rhian Sugden, 39, has revealed she was ‘spat at’ and had her ‘windscreen smashed’ at the time her sexting scandal with Vernon Kay came to light
Back in 2010, Vernon was forced to make a public apology to his now ex-wife Tess Daly on BBC Radio 1 after a set of ‘saucy messages’ sent to Rhian came to light
If people knew the full story they’d know I’m not that person at all. There’s been so much backlash against me, I’ve struggled to deal with it all mentally. It’s not fair on his ex-wife, or their grown up children, it must be awful.’
‘I’ve been spat at in the face and had my car windscreen smashed. It was hell back then and I was scared to go out at one point,’ she added to Closer magazine.
The model is now happily married to Oliver Mellor and shares a son George.
In 2020, Rhian claimed her ‘sexting scandal’ with Vernon ruined her career as she lamented the fact that he ‘got away with it’ after apologising.
She said it still ‘made her feel sick’ that he returned to his presenting duties afterwards and that she wishes she had never met him.
Vernon promised live on air that he would no longer contact Rhian or the four other women he had been caught messaging at the time.
Father-of-two Kay has always maintained that the messages were flirty banter, and that he never acted inappropriately.
She later spoke out about the scandal in a Channel 4 documentary, Page Three: The Naked Truth, in which she said: ‘He just got away with it. It ruined everything for me.
Rhian has admitted she has been ‘painted as a villain’ as she detailed how the sexting scandal has haunted her career
Tess and Vernon insist that the split is amicable and that they will continue to be supportive parents to their daughters Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 17 (pictured)
‘I felt like I was going up and up with my career, and then that came along. I wish I’d never met him.
‘He got to give an apology on the radio and just got to carry on, with Family Fortunes, ironically. It still makes me feel sick.’
Tess and Vernon announced their heartbreaking choice to split in May following 23 years of marriage, admitting they agonised over the decision.
They insist that the split is amicable and that they will continue to be supportive parents to their daughters Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 17.
