I’m A Celebrity’s Rebekah Vardy says she survived hell with cheating, car killer ex-husband
REBEKAH Vardy has told how she divorced her second husband while he was in jail for killing two people in a car crash.
In a Sun on Sunday interview, the I’m A Celeb star spoke for the first time of her three marriages and the abuse she says she suffered at the hands of hubby No2 Steve Clarke.
And brave Becky, 35, insisted: “I was lucky to get out when I did.”
The mum of four — now happily wed to England footballer Jamie Vardy — decided to set the record straight on her past before entering the Aussie jungle for the ITV show.
She said: “I know marrying three times makes me sound like Zsa Zsa Gabor, but after a difficult childhood I made some stupid mistakes and went out with some real-life snakes!”
Becky was made homeless at 15 after falling out with her family and feared a life on the streets.
She says she was so “broken” that she drank constantly to numb the pain and moved into a B&B with an abusive landlord in Witney, Oxfordshire.
She then met local lad Mark Godden and they went on to wed.
Becky said: “Mark took care of me and his family took me in. I felt like I should marry him when he asked me but quickly realised I didn’t love him that way, so I left.
“I felt awful as he was a good man. We divorced. I’m sorry if I ever hurt him, but I was broken.”
Becky began dating Steve Clarke, her boss at a timeshare company.
She said: “That quickly became a horrible relationship — I was scared of him. He’d tell me what to do, where to be and how to act.
Becky and Clarke had an on-off relationship and wed when she was 23 and eight months pregnant by another man. She said: “It was the biggest mistake of my life.”
Weeks later, she had eldest daughter Megan, now 12. Becky said: “As soon as she was born he made us move abroad. He claimed he owed money and wanted us to run away to Cyprus.
“It went downhill from there. He became violent towards me. He cheated, he lied.
“It lasted ten months before I escaped back to the UK with my baby after he cheated on me.”
Weeks later Clarke was sentenced to two years’ jail after his conviction for causing death by reckless driving in a head-on crash which killed a dad and grandad.
His car had steered into the opposite lane on a Paphos road.
Becky said: “He got his divorce papers for unreasonable behaviour while in prison. I was devastated at another failed marriage — now I realise I had a lucky escape.”
Becky went on to have son Taylor, now six, with footballer Luke Foster before meeting Jamie, 30, who she married in May last year.
They have kids Sofia, three, and ten-month old Finley. Becky said: “I know I’ve made some horrible choices and not been the best person I can be. But as I’ve got older I’ve learned from the mistakes and they’ve made me a better person.”
Steve Clarke, 52, said: “I was always a good husband and I never cheated on Becky or ever raised my hand to her. I am devastated two people died. It was a terrible accident.”
Missus is a toughie, but she'll miss the kids
FOOTBALL ace Jamie Vardy has told of his pride in wife Rebekah after she signed up for I’m A Celebrity, revealing: “She’ll miss us but she’s tough.”
Leicester striker Jamie, 30, revealed the mum-of-four was unsure about the jungle challenge when approached by ITV bosses.
She eventually decided to say yes after he and the kids encouraged her to go for it.
But he admitted I’m A Celeb hosts Ant and Dec have also played a big part — as children Megan, 11, Taylor, six and Sofia, three, idolise the duo.
Jamie told The Sun on Sunday: “I know she’ll miss home and the kids but she’s tough so she’ll just get on with anything that’s thrown at her.
“Although she’s sporty and competitive she’ll definitely be a team player.
“She wasn’t sure about doing the show when they approached her, but the kids and I all pushed for her to go for it.
“I obviously won’t be able to go to Australia but her dad is flying down there with the kids in a week or so. They’ll be there with her the second she comes out.
“That will help to keep her strong in there. They can’t wait to visit the set and meet Ant and Dec!”
