Tony Blackburn has admitted cheating on his first wife – and how he was in a love square with their neighbours.
The BBC DJ, 82, opened up about his infidelity to wife Tessa Wyatt, who he wed when he was 29 years old.
Speaking to the Rosebud podcast with Gyles Brandreth, who asked if he had stopped ‘playing the field’ after his vows, Tony admitted: ‘Yes I did. Although we both had affairs.’
Unbeknownst to each other, they were both unfaithful with their neighbours, who were also close friends.
Tony was having an affair with Margo Webb, while Webb’s husband, Roger, was unfaithful with Tessa.
Tony explained: ‘She didn’t know I was having an affair with the next door neighbour, and then she was having an affair with her [the neighbour’s] husband.’
Tony Blackburn has admitted cheating on his first wife – and how he was in a love square with their neighbours
The BBC DJ, 82, opened up about his infidelity to wife Tessa Wyatt, who he wed when he was 29 years old (pictured in 1972)
Tessa only discovered Tony’s affairs when she read his autobiography, which he branded as ‘awful’.
They had married in 1972 and the following year welcomed a son together, Simon, before their marriage ultimately ended in 1977.
He said: ‘She left me for Richard O’ Sullivan. We got married too young.
‘I could never understand why she married me in the first place because she was very beautiful.’
Reflecting on the book, which was written by a ghost writer and revealed he had slept with 250 women, Tony said: ‘It was too honest.
‘My parents didn’t like it very much. It was written by somebody called Cheryl Garnsey.
‘She said, “This is OK, but there should be a bit more sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll in it.”
‘So I said I’ve done the rock ‘n’ roll bit but not the drugs. So she just said to me “How many people have you slept with?” and I stupidly told her.
‘And it was published. And I never read the book before it went out.’
They had married in 1972 and the following year welcomed a son together, Simon, with their marriage ultimately ending in 1977
Tony later found love with Debbie Thomson and the couple married in 1992. Debbie gave birth to their daughter Victoria five years later in 1997
Beaming Tony and Debbie at their wedding, which was held at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster on June 13, 1992
Tony later went on to find love with Debbie Thomson and the couple married in 1992.
Debbie gave birth to their daughter Victoria five years later in 1997.
In August 2023 Tony shared he had developed pneumonia and blood poisoning which resulted in a two-month hospital stay.
He explained: ‘My blood was infected and it got into my heart so I’m quite lucky to be still be around.
‘I don’t remember a lot but I was rushed to A&E and I had this thing up my nose.
‘When I got to hospital the guy was like “I think you’ll be here for a while” and I said “I can’t I have a show in two days” and he said he didn’t think I’d make it to the shows.
‘I got sepsis from having a tooth extracted I believe so you have to be really careful!’
