TV personality and singer Peter Andre has hit back to defend his manhood after it was described as a "miniature chipolata". The comments led the way on the first day of the high profile Wagatha Christie libel trial.
The long-awaited hearing between Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney began on Monday. Mrs Vardy, wife of footballer Jamie Vardy, is suing Wayne Rooney's wife for libel.
But the first day of the trial was dominated by the size of the Mysterious Girl singer's manhood. In the proceedings at London’s High Court, Vardy took to the stand to admit she regretted describing Andre's 'manhood' as a “miniature chipolata” in a 2004 interview with the News of the World, reports the Manchester Evening News.
She told the hearing she “deeply regrets” making the claims saying she was coerced into speaking to the newspaper by her ex-husband. He has previously denied this.
Now Andre, who appeared on I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! in 2004, has defended his manhood. Writing on Instagram he said: “Do you know how hard it is to keep biting my lip on situations?
"But the way I look at it, most people saw in the jungle how an acorn turned into an oak so I think I’m OK.” He added: “At least she has now admitted it wasn’t true. And was forced to say it.”
Rooney’s lawyer David Sherborne was cross-examining Vardy when he probed her about the newspaper interview in which she went into detail about a claimed sexual encounter with Andre. Mr Sherborne had asked her if she respected people’s privacy, to which she replied: “Yes, I do.”
Mr Sherborne showed her a print of the article in the witness box before reading the headline: “Peter’s hung like a small chipolata, shaved, slobbery, lasts five minutes”. He then read excerpts from the story, which included the line “he had the smallest trouser equipment I’ve ever seen” and managed “just five minutes of sex with Rebekah”.
The News of the World was the highest circulating newspaper at the time, according to Mr Sherborne, with around four million reader, reports the Mirror. He asked Vardy whether it had been “respectful” of Andre’s “right not to share this information”.
She replied: “I was forced into a situation by my ex-husband to do this and it is something that I deeply regret. It is not nice to read and I understand why this is being used – to me, this is mudslinging, and I was also threatened with mudslinging by Mrs Rooney’s team.”
Vardy later revealed she did not ask Mr Andre for his permission or tell him the story was going to happen in advance. Mr Sherborne asked her: “Did you feel particularly strongly about the size of his manhood that it should be made public?”
Vardy, who has been married to Leicester City striker Jamie since 2016 and has three children with him, responded: “It was something that I was forced to say.” The trial continues.
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