ITV back Ferne McCann after voice note scandal as she jets off to film new reality TV special
FERNE McCann is being backed by ITV in the wake of shock leaked voice notes which saw her branding an acid attack victim “ugly”.
Insiders revealed Ferne, 32, was flying out to India to film a new series of her show First Time Mum this week.
ITV faced calls for Ferne to be dropped from her series after the audio notes were made public.
In them she mocked Sophie Hall – who was left scarred for life in an attack by Ferne’s now ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins in an East London nightclub in 2017.
Ferne will fly out to India today for a holiday which will be filmed for her ITVBE show.
A source said: “Ferne is resuming filming for First Time Mum and is heading to India.
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“She is booked to fly out of the country today and is taking a film crew with her.
“Initially plans for filming were paused as the voice note scandal unfolded.
“However Ferne has the backing of her ITV bosses and filming will start in the coming days.”
Ferne issued an apology to Sophie after the audio was leaked on an anonymous Instagram account.
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She said in a statement: “I am aware that people will have a number of questions about the voice messages being put into the public domain and purportedly sent by me.
“I feel I have no choice but to address these — to the extent that I can as there are restrictions on me.
“Most importantly I want to apologise to all the victims of Arthur Collins’ abhorrent actions in 2017 that they have to relive that night and the pain that followed because this matter is again in the public domain.”
She apologised to Sophie in particular, then went on: “Arthur Collins’ crimes created genuine victims so I am not trying to portray myself as one.
“I am unable to say much because there are important and significant legal proceedings that prevent me from setting the record straight at this stage.
“What I can say is that the voice messages that are being released are manipulated; edited and taken entirely out of context.
“Even so, I will have said things that are untrue and I did not believe – but I did so to protect my family and myself from serious harm and in the face of significant threats.”
Sophie went on to hit back at Ferne’s apology and said she wanted the former Towie star to apologise to her face.
