It's not the plot of a Hollywood drama _ Colin Firth's wife confirms she waged an affair with a man she claims stalked her.
Livia Giuggioli, who's been married to Firth for more than 20 years, admitted to her past relations with journalist Marco Brancaccia after he asserted to British newspaper The Times that Giuggioli made up the harassment allegations to cover up their romantic involvement.
Firth, 57, and Giuggioli, 48, are now confirming her affair with Brancaccia did take place, but contend the journalist's harassment began later on.
"A few years ago Colin and Livia privately made the decision to separate," a representative for Firth and Giuggioli said in a statement to the Daily News. "During that time Livia briefly became involved with former friend Mr. Brancaccia. The Firths have since reunited.
"Subsequently, Mr. Brancaccia carried out a frightening campaign of harassment over several months, much of which is documented," the statement continued. "As a consequence of his stalking, threats and refusal to desist, the legal complaint was lodged with the Italian authorities."
Brancaccia, 55, claims his relationship with Giuggioli occurred from 2015 to 2016. Giuggioli's allegations against the journalist, who works for an Italian press agency, prompted an investigation in Italy.
Brancaccia told The Times that Giuggioli "wanted to leave Colin for me."
"My 'stalking' consisted of two messages via WhatsApp after she ended our relationship in June 2016, and an email," Brancaccia told the newspaper. "I wrote an email to Colin about my relationship with Livia, which I now regret sending, and she filed a complaint against me for stalking out of fear that I could go public with what she had revealed to me about her marriage and work."
He adds that he received "hundreds of messages of love, photos and videos, even a diary" from Giuggioli spanning a year's time at one point.
Firth and Giuggioli, who wed in 1997, have a pair of teenage sons together.
