Dominic West kisses wife Catherine for the cameras after intimate Lily James pics and says ‘our marriage is strong’
DOMINIC West kissed wife Catherine FitzGerald outside their home today and insisted they were not splitting up after he was pictured in a steamy clinch with co-star Lily James.
Speaking at their Wiltshire cottage, the actor said: "I just want to say our marriage is strong and we are very much still together.”
However, he did not appear to be wearing his wedding ring and Catherine had her ring finger jammed in her pocket.
The 50-year-old star had been spotted kissing his 31-year-old co-star Lily James on a romantic break in Rome at the weekend.
The pair are starring together in an adaptation of Nancy Mitford's novel The Pursuit Of Love.
The actor's wife, 49, had a tissue in her hand as well as the handwritten note, which he read to the press.
In a staged display of unity, West kissed her - although she kept her hands firmly in her pockets.
The pair, who married in Ireland in 2010, kissed for several seconds as the cameras clicked.
A body language expert dubbed the display a "toe-curling display of denial" with Dominic "arrogant but awkward".
Judi James told The Sun's Fabulous magazine: “'Denial' poses are notoriously toe-curling and this one is clearly no exception.
“The stunt looks led by wife Catherine who leads Dominic out of the house wearing a smug-looking, closed-lips winner's smile and clutching their statement in one hand.
"A rather less keen-looking Dominic follows wearing a frown and with his hands stuffed in his pockets in what looks like a desire to avoid or hide.”
She added: "The one raised brow and smile does resemble something bordering on smugness.
"However the hand in one pocket still suggests a sense of reluctance about the whole ritual."
The doorstep kiss was also mocked by fans sharing Little Britain memes.
West flew home for crisis talks at his £1.8million country cottage last night after the pictures emerged.
He had been snapped stroking James' hair as they enjoyed lunch together and smiling at the brunette beauty before leaning in for a kiss.
They were also seen zipping around Rome together, enjoying the sights by sharing an electric scooter.
He and Catherine share four children - daughter Dora, 13, son Senan, 12, son Francis, 11, and Christabel, seven.
Dominic, who shot to fame playing love rat Noah Solloway in The Affair, was spotted snogging his younger co-star, as well as grabbing her bum, and cuddling up to her on an electric scooter as they took in the sights of the city.
A friend of Catherine's yesterday claimed that they rushed to the West's family home to console the actor's wife who was said to be "devastated".
They explained: "She's totally shocked because she didn't know anything was going on.
"They were very much together, so this is completely out of the blue. She thought they had a good marriage and now it's probably over."
Dom's right honourable
DOMINIC West’s show of unity with wife Catherine at their gate is a PR move long-favoured by politicians.
Ex-Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown put on a grovelling display with wife Julia outside his house in 1992 after an affair with his secretary.
Months later, Tory David Mellor gave a statement alongside his wife and kids following his fling with actress Antonia de Sancha.
Stars who latched on include I’m A Celeb winner Jacqueline Jossa and Towie hubby Dan Osborne after rumours he cheated last year.
The stunt was mocked by David Walliams and Matt Lucas in comedy Little Britain.
Dominic starred in US television show The Affair from 2014 until its ended in 2019.
The programme tracks Dom's character Noah as he starts an extramarital affair with a grieving waitress - and he admitted in the past he didn't want his wife watching it.
"My wife hasn't watched The Affair yet and I don't really want her to. It's embarrassing," he told in 2016.
"I don't have parents, but I've got five sisters and a brother and they haven't watched it. My sisters were saying, 'Yes, we heard it's good. We heard you do certain things there and we decided not to watch it.'
"Maybe they have watched a few but my wife wisely hasn't. I mean, it's not something I'd like to watch her doing."
He also admitted monogamy isn't "a natural way to be" when questioned about why adultery is so compelling in 2019.
The actor told : "It’s one of those subjects that people have very strong opinions about because everybody is open to it and can experience it.
"It affects kings as much as it does snails. A lot of people have experienced it and a lot of people fear it.
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"I suppose people suspect that the conventions that we have agreed upon in society, that a man and women can stay together for life or a certain amount of time without cheating, that they’re not really staying together based on anything other than how society thinks they should behave.
"It’s not the necessarily natural way to be, therefore there will always be adultery and intrigue about it."
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Lily recently split from her Doctor Who and The Crown star ex Matt Smith, 37, for a second time.
The Sun revealed things were over for good after they attempted to rekindle their romance in lockdown following their break-up last year after a five-year relationship.