adminLONDON. – A reality TV star has spoken for the first time about how England football hero Michael Owen told her his marriage was a “sham” — as he asked her for nude pictures.
Owen, 42, was at the centre of a scandal last year over his messages to ex-Big Brother contestant Rebecca Jane, 37.
She now says he said he was in a marriage of convenience with childhood sweetheart Louise Bonsall and “keeping up appearances”.
But she also revealed she felt 5ft 8ins Owen was too short for her.
Speaking in detail for the first time about the messages, Rebecca – a regular on ITV’s This Morning and GMB – said she felt like she was messaging a single man after the BT Sport pundit’s assurances.
Rebecca, who runs a mental health business, said: “The story that Michael span me was that they were not really married and it was a sham.
“He said it was a marriage of convenience for the sake of appearances and to keep their racehorse business going.
“He told me his marriage was over, it was all a big façade and he wasn’t really married any more. “I should have perhaps investigated his situation a bit more and been more cautious – but I took him at face value.
“He fed me a load of rubbish over a six-week period when I was in communication with him and he wanted to meet me.
“But it should be remembered that I actually turned him down – I turned him down quite a bit and didn’t meet him.
“To be honest, he didn’t meet my height requirements.”
Rebecca also revealed she spoke to Owen’s wife Louise, 41, for an hour in the days after the story appeared – and said she was “understanding” and accepted her version of events.
But the ex-footballer’s daughter Gemma was less forgiving, branding Rebecca “desperate” on social media.
However, Rebecca hit back, saying the 19-year-old – who is due to appear on Love Island from today – was a “hypocrite”.
Former Liverpool, Man Utd, Newcastle and Real Madrid star Owen’s squeaky-clean image was shattered last June when it was revealed he had begged Rebecca for nude pictures.
He also asked Rebecca – who admits she was thrilled to be contacted by a childhood hero – to meet him at Chester races and urged her to “leave nothing to the imagination” in pictures which he would “judge” for her.
Dad-of-four Owen, who has spoken publicly about his marriage and written two autobiographies, started following Rebecca on Twitter, before swapping messages on the site and then WhatsApp.
He told Rebecca he had viewed one image of her 65 times as they swapped messages and calls during April and May last year.
After Rebecca sent him pictures, he replied: “Tremendous by the way.”
Rebecca, who appeared on Big Brother in 2017 and has tens of thousands of social media followers, faced a storm when the story about their messages was revealed, although she did not speak publicly.
“I ended up speaking to Louise about it and in the end, after I explained what happened, she was lovely.
“It appeared to me that Michael had fed her a load of rubbish too.
“She thought it was someone else messaging me, like his social media manager, and asked me to prove it was him.
“I sent her voice notes he had sent me on WhatsApp, and she checked dates and stuff and it all tallied up.
“She was calm and really understanding, and agreed I hadn’t done much wrong.
“She realised he had made the running and spun me a few lines.
“It did make me wonder if it was the first time it had happened or if she had friends that it had happened to before.
“And I think Louise realised Michael and I didn’t meet up and that he had got carried away.” – The Sun
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter