Colin Firth separates from his wife Livia two years after her affair with ‘stalker’ was exposed
COLIN Firth has separated from his wife Livia Giuggioli - two years after her affair with a "stalker" was exposed.
The 59-year-old actor confirmed the news in a statement today and insisted that they "maintain a close friendship" after 22 years of marriage.
Their publicists said in a joint statement: "They maintain a close friendship and remain united in their love for their children."
Colin and Livia, 48, share children Matteo, 16, and Luca, 18.
Their split comes after The Sun revealed last year that a man accused of stalking Livia claimed they shared a passionate year-long affair - which saw them romp all over the world.
Livia admitted to a brief fling with journalist Marco Brancaccia while temporarily separated from King’s Speech screen star Firth.
But she and the actor reported the 55-year-old to cops, accusing him of stalking her and sending terrifying messages plus an email with a compromising photo of her.
But divorced Marco insisted he wasn’t a stalker and that their affair lasted nearly 12 months.
He said: “We met at a party at Colin and Livia’s house in Italy. I had known her for years and one thing led to another.
“We started an affair that lasted just under a year.
"She’d tell Colin she was on business trips and we’d meet all over the world. We met in New York, Brazil, Iceland, Italy and even London, where they live.
“We went to the Pirelli 2016 calendar launch together in London and I was sat at the same table as her. We went to the Rio Carnival together. I’d say we were very much in love.
“Sometimes when we were together she would get a call from Colin. I’m the one being called a stalker when I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong.’’
Marco was accused of waging an eight-month stalking campaign against the Firths between September 2016 and May last year.
Love factually
COLIN Firth’s Love Actually character Jamie discovers his girlfriend is cheating on him with his brother in some of his first scenes in the 2003 romcom.
The heartbroken writer flees to France to work in his rural cottage.
There he meets Portuguese housekeeper Aurelia and falls in love, despite the fact she does not speak English and he speaks no Portuguese.
Sources said Firth had confronted his wife about her alleged affair after he received an email.
A friend of the actor was reported as saying: ‘This email basically told Colin everything he had been doing with his wife for a year.
“The email was a detailed diatribe, humiliated Colin and was designed with no other motive than to wound. He described intimate meetings that would devastate any husband.
“He did so with the misguided and hopeless belief he could destabilise the efforts being made by Colin and Livia to sort things out.
“Colin presented this to his wife and in what must have been a very difficult confrontation.
"But he has maintained his dignity throughout.”
A spokesman for the couple said: “A few years ago Colin and Livia privately made the decision to separate.
During that time Livia briefly became involved with former friend Mr Brancaccia. The Firths have since reunited.
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“Subsequently, Mr Brancaccia carried out a frightening campaign of harassment over several months.”
The Firths appeared together on the red carpet numerous times during the period they said they were separated.
They posed for the cameras at the Baftas in February 2016 and a host of other red carpet engagements.
The couple, based in Chiswick, West London, have been married for more than 20 years.
They also own a house near Città della Pieve in Umbria, Italy.
Livia founded a brand sustainability consultancy called Eco-Age and her pals include singer Annie Lennox.
Oscar-winner Colin has starred in Bridget Jones’s Diary and Love Actually.
In 2011 Firth said he would never cheat on Livia with any film co-stars.
He said on Piers Morgan’s show: “It does help to realise that, however stunning the person who is fluttering eyelashes at you, she doesn’t do anything to match up to your wife.
“To me she’s the most beautiful woman in the world.”