SHAMED telly star Justin Lee Collins has apologised for his “disgusting
behaviour” in his first interview since being convicted of harassing his ex
girlfriend.
Comic Justin, 39, was heard calling Anna Larke a “****ing slag” and “dirty,
vile whore” during a heated row played to a court 17 months ago.
The former Friday Night Project host has not worked on TV since and needed
counselling after a mental breakdown. Today he confesses to The Sun on
Sunday: “I will regret what I said for the rest of my life”.
“It was irrational, bizarre and disgusting. I’ve tried to make sense of it but
I can’t.
“I am entirely to blame for the awful things that came out of my mouth during
that argument.
“They were the words of a broken man. I apologise unreservedly.
“But at that point of my life I was a troubled soul.”
Justin shot to fame as the host of Channel 4’s Friday Night Project from 2006
alongside best pal Alan Carr, 37. His Bring Back… series, in which he
reunited former TV and pop stars, was also hugely popular.
But in October 2011 he was arrested at his London home after Anna, 39,
reported him for harassment shortly after their seven-month relationship
ended.
Justin, who was performing in West End show Rock Of Ages at the time, said:
“It was 5am on a Sunday when the doorbell rang in my flat.
“I thought it was the neighbours because my TV was always too loud.
“I opened the door and it was the police. I was devastated.”
A year later, in October 2012, he cut a haggard figure at St Albans Crown
Court.
He added: “I couldn’t believe what was happening. Even when I was in the dock,
it didn’t feel like it was me on trial. It was surreal. I was thinking, ‘How
have I got here?’ ”
PR worker Anna, a recovering alcoholic, had claimed Justin had slapped her and
spat in her face, pulled her hair and hit her between the legs. None of her
claims were proven in court and Justin looks visibly upset when they are
mentioned again.
He said: “We argued about silly things and unpleasant things but it was never
violent. I have never hit anybody in my life.”
Anna also claimed Justin forced her to sleep facing him, close her email and
Facebook accounts and throw away DVDs starring actors she fancied. She
alleged Justin even made her compile an explicit dossier of her former
lovers.
Justin said: “It was an absolute car crash of a relationship. Some of the
arguments were deeply personal, embarrassing and mortifying to relive. To
have my Mum read about all these things was terrible.
“We had so many arguments. Some were serious, some were stupid things like
DVD box sets, lack of sleep or sleeping arrangements. The whole relationship
was like one very long argument.”
On the night they split in July 2011, the pair had a three-hour row at his
flat in Kew, South West London — part of which was secretly recorded by
Anna. Justin was taped calling Anna a “****ing coke head”.
The jury also heard him tell her: “When you’re with me you look at the ****ing
ground, you look at a tree… you don’t look at any other ****ing human
being.” Bristolian Justin winces at the memory. He said: “You are listening
to a broken man have a complete breakdown.
“I had to listen to those recordings six or seven times and it never gets any
better. Those are worst things a man can say to a woman. I apologise utterly
to Anna for all the things I said.”
After a ten-day trial, Justin was found guilty of harassment causing fear of
violence. He was fined £3,500 and sentenced to 140 hours community service,
which he did at a storage depot and with homeless charity, the Whitechapel
Mission.
He said of the verdict: “I was shell-shocked. I liken it to grieving. What had
happened hit me later. I lost a bit of myself during that trial.
“I had hit rock bottom. From there, there was only one way to go which was up.”
Justin turned to a psychotherapist, a move he stresses was not enforced by the
judge.
The comic, who has had no contact with Anna since, added: “I needed help and
to chat to someone impartial. We talked through the toxic relationship, the
court case and how to find a way to deal with everything. The therapy
continues.”
He also admits that — although he had “no TV work to lose” before the trial —
his career has faltered because of the backlash. He added: “I’m not naive.
It has had a negative impact on every aspect of my life.
“It has helped me to realise my good fortune. If my time in TV is done, then I
had a good run.”
Justin has turned down offers to star in Celebrity Big Brother and Splash! He
is still in touch with showbiz pals such as Alan Carr and former Radio 1 DJ
Chris Moyles, 40.
He added: “Al is like a brother to me. I don’t see him every day and I
might not see him for two years but that did not change our relationship. I
didn’t seek his support during the trial. I didn’t want to put him in that
position.”
Justin is now attempting to make a new start. From this month he will present
a comedy and music show on digital radio station FUBAR.
He still sees his sons Archie, eight, and Harvey, six, from his marriage to
ex-wife Karen, 40, which ended in 2010.
Towards the end of last year he was pictured with Irn-Bru ad actress Marianne
Adams, 43. But he will only say: “My personal life is good. I’m in a
relationship and really happy.”
Justin added: “The relationship with Anna was the lowest point for me. I know
that my life is back on track and I have no concerns that I would ever speak
the words I did again.
“The whole experience has made me value what I want and made me tread more
carefully in the future.”
– JUSTIN’S fee for this interview has been donated to the Whitechapel
Mission.