Sam and Billie Faiers have broken their online silence after Ferne McCann publicly apologised on This Morning for the voice note scandal she was embroiled in last year as she broke down in tears on the ITV show.
Sam and Billie were not active on social media as Ferne's reality show First Time Mum returned to ITV2 on Wednesday night, featuring scenes where she told TOWIE star James Argent the reason why she made cruel comments in the leaked WhatsApp messages, as writes the Mirror.
As we reported yesterday, Ferne joined Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on Wednesday morning to talk about her life recently, ahead of the return of her reality programme.
She revealed that during filming, there were dark moments in her life captured on camera as voice notes she allegedly sent were leaked on an anonymous Instagram account last year - which hit national headlines.
After a clip was shown to This Morning viewers of what was to come in last night's episode, Ferne could be seen crying as she spoke to Arg after the voice notes were leaked.
Speaking about that time in her life, Ferne said: "It definitely wasn't my finest hour and it definitely was a very difficult time in my life, but I do, I need to take this opportunity to publicly apologise again to those affected, obviously, the words I used were unpleasant and I have reached out privately to those people and it's very difficult."
Ferne, who is currently pregnant with her second child, got emotional after watching the clip and Phil handed her a tissue to dry her tears.
She then went on to mention the fact that a criminal investigation into the incident is taking place, meaning she's unable to open up fully at this time.
Speaking on the first episode of First Time Mum, Ferne sobbed as she explained: "When I listen back to the voice notes about [Samantha], I am literally.... I am so ashamed and embarrassed and I know the words are really hurtful and it was at a time when I was really hurting.
She went on to add: "Just to explain, they were from FIVE YEARS AGO when me and Sam had fallen out. It's really hard for me to talk about."
Then, speaking to Arg, she added: " I think the place that I was at, Sam had it all. She had a partner she had a baby and I didn't.
"Yeah, I'm not condoning it. I did say something really nasty about her and it has affected my friendships. At the moment, my friendship with Billie... You know how much I... [cries] It's really hard."
When Arg asked if she can fix the situation and if she's contacted Billie, she answered: "Yes and no, I understand the position she's in... I've tried to message her lots but I get it.
"I'm very much mourning the loss of a 22-year friendship. It's hard. I massively regret it but I'm unable to do a lot apart from my trust in the police, try and patch things back together..."
Since Ferne's appearance on This Morning and the first episode of the new season of First Time Mum, Sam has now returned to Instagram to admit she's living her best life with her group of girl friends.
Posting the throwback snap, Sam said that she was living her best life with her friends as she posed alongside her friends - without Ferne.
Elsewhere, Billie also broke her social media silence as she took to Instagram to share a gorgeous family snap after Ferne's admissions.
At the end of last year, an anonymous Instagram account began leaking voice notes allegedly from Ferne talking about her famous pals and in one recording a voice could be heard calling Sam Faires a 'fat c***'.
More recordings were then released, with one allegedly calling Sam a 'narcissistic b***h' and another allegedly taking aim at Billie over the name of her son being the same as Ferne's ex Arthur.
And in another one, Ferne branded Sophie Hall, who was scarred for life during the acid attack by McCann's ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins at a London nightspot in 2017, a "silly b***h" and "ugly" for wearing a papier-mache dress for a beauty pageant.
Shortly after, Ferne released a statement, saying: "I am aware that people will have a number of questions about the voice messages being put into the public domain and purportedly sent by me. I feel I have no choice but to address these (to the extent that I can as there are restrictions on me which I explain below).
"Most importantly I want to apologise to all the victims of Arthur Collins's abhorrent actions in 2017 that they have to relive that night and the pain that followed because this matter is again in the public domain.
"In particular, I want to apologise to Sophie Hall. I do not believe her to be ugly or stupid. She has been brave beyond belief."
Sam is yet to address the leaked voice notes officially but her mum Suzie Wells issued a statement via her Instagram Stories last year, saying: "Ferne has always been a very close family friend to all of us for over the past 20 years. It appears this voice note was sent just weeks after Samantha gave birth back in May.
"Since this voice note has surfaced more have been sent - very upsetting nasty things. We are as shocked as you are! Nobody should ever speak about their friends like this ever!"
Speaking about the incident being captured on First Time Mum, Ferne said: "When you find yourself in the eye of the storm it effects my family, my agent - everyone around me - and I felt hugely responsible, I was hurting, I hit some of my lowest moments, and, yeah of course you still have to get up and do the school run, and it was tough.
"I just feel grateful to the show, First Time Mum has been a lifeline for me."
