Mark Owen admits 10 affairs

The Take That singer is "deeply sorry" for betraying his wife...

13:21 11 March 2010

Take That star Mark Owen has confessed to having 10 affairs.

In a shock revelation, the singer revealed his multiple infidelities to The Sun, hoping to "wipe the slate clean" with wife Emma.

38-year-old Owen admitted that all his affairs were after he started dating long term girlfriend Emma Ferguson, but insisted he had remained faithful since their wedding.

Owen and Ferguson, who have two children together – Elwood (three) and Willow Rose (one), married in October last year after more than five years together.

Often seen as the band member with a "squeaky clean" image, the 2002 Celeb Big Brother winner said in a statement: "I'm so deeply sorry for the pain my actions have caused my family and friends."

As well as a string of drunken one-night stands, Owen had a five-year fling with on-off lover 24-year-old accounts manager Neva Hanley, The Sun reports.

According to the tabloid, he met lover Hanley when she was just 19 on a platform at Preston railway station in September 2004.

The two continued to meet up occasionally in various hotels – they were allegedly together just one week after Owen's daughter was born and a month before his wedding day.

"When I met Neva in September it was because I was having a tough time with Emma," Owen allegedly confessed.

"I wasn't feeling very good about myself or the future and I went down my phonebook, found her number and we met up."

The relationship ended only weeks before he married Ferguson, since when he claims he has remained faithful.

"I'm proud of that. I know that sounds really stupid but on our wedding day, for me the ring is really important and I want to be true to my word.

"It was a big change for me to be able to do that. It was a big moment for me, my wedding day. On many levels it was a fresh start and that was how I was looking at it."

The singer revealed his infidelities to his family on Wednesday (March 10) and the confessions were printed on Thursday.

But Owen is hoping for another chance with the mother of his children.

Speaking to the Sun he said: "I have been an idiot, a d***head, a k***head. All of the above and more. It's about me, my mistakes, nobody else is to blame. I don't know how many girls there were in all. Maybe 10.

"I have been living with the guilt. It has always been there - you carry it around with you. It held me back in my relationship with Emma. I wouldn't have done any of this if I had my time again.

"Emma is really strong and I know she will do what is right for her and the kids. I support that and I really appreciate that. She loved me - she still does love me - and I have let her down. That's the truth of it.

"This had to happen for me to move on. It would have always been there. I could never have been fully open with Emma, with myself, with anybody. Now I can. I can start again, that's how I feel. I wish I had realised about my drinking earlier."