Italian journalist claims he romped all over the world with Colin Firth’s wife during passionate year-long affair
Marco Branacaccia has hit out at claims he stalked Colin Firth's wife Livia and says the pair enjoyed a passionate year long secret fling
A MAN accused of stalking Colin Firth’s wife told The Sun last night that they shared a passionate year-long affair which saw them romp all over the world.
Livia Giuggioli, 48, has admitted to a brief fling with journalist Marco Brancaccia while temporarily separated from King’s Speech screen star Firth.
However, divorced Marco last night insisted he wasn’t a stalker and that their affair lasted nearly 12 months.
He said: “We met at a party at Colin and Livia’s house in Italy. I had known her for years and one thing led to another.
“We started an affair that lasted just under a year.
"She’d tell Colin she was on business trips and we’d meet all over the world. We met in New York, Brazil, Iceland, Italy and even London, where they live.
“We went to the Pirelli 2016 calendar launch together in London and I was sat at the same table as her. We went to the Rio Carnival together. I’d say we were very much in love.
“Sometimes when we were together she would get a call from Colin. I’m the one being called a stalker when I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong.’’
Marco was this week accused of waging an eight-month stalking campaign against the Firths — who have two sons — between September 2016 and May last year.
In an official complaint to Rome police, Livia said he had plagued the family with calls and emailed the compromising picture of her to 57-year-old Oscar-winner Colin, who also starred in Bridget Jones’s Diary and Love Actually.
But Marco denies the allegations and insists that he was Livia’s lover.
He said: “I’m accused of making hundreds of calls to them. I sent two WhatsApp messages and an email to Colin, which I do regret now.
“Now I am being made out to be a crazy stalker. I am the one who is being made out to be mad when I have done nothing wrong.
“The truth is we were seeing each other for 11 months between 2015 and 2016.
"I have hundreds of messages and pictures of us together, I even kept a diary. We were lovers.
“She travels a lot for her business. I thought it was the perfect cover story for her to be with me.
"Colin had no idea. The police have taken my phone and computer, but they will see there are not hundreds of calls or messages to her at all.”
Marco, who works for Italy’s national news agency ANSA in Brazil, added: “I wrote an email to Colin and I attached some pictures of Livia to prove what I was saying was true.
“I do now regret sending that to Colin, but I wanted him to know the truth and — to be honest — he has been very understanding.
“I think they went to the police because they were scared I would reveal details in the media. If it does go to court then Colin and Livia will have to give evidence. People will see I am not a mad stalker.”
Details of the police stalking probe first appeared in Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
Marco is accused of threatening to write compromising articles about Livia and Firth before emailing photos to the actor, prompting him to alert Italian prosecutors.
In the complaint, Livia said she was living in terror and thought Marco, right, might be following her, the newspaper said.
A spokesman for Italy’s Carabinieri police said: “A complaint has been made by the couple to prosecutors and police have been investigating.”
Love factually
COLIN Firth’s Love Actually character Jamie discovers his girlfriend is cheating on him with his brother in some of his first scenes in the 2003 romcom.
The heartbroken writer flees to France to work in his rural cottage.
There he meets Portuguese housekeeper Aurelia and falls in love, despite the fact she does not speak English and he speaks no Portuguese.
Sources yesterday said Firth had confronted his wife about her alleged affair after he received an email.
A friend of the actor was reported as saying: ‘This email basically told Colin everything he had been doing with his wife for a year.
“The email was a detailed diatribe, humiliated Colin and was designed with no other motive than to wound.
"He described intimate meetings that would devastate any husband.
“He did so with the misguided and hopeless belief he could destabilise the efforts being made by Colin and Livia to sort things out.
“Colin presented this to his wife and in what must have been a very difficult confrontation.
"But he has maintained his dignity throughout.”
A spokesman for the couple said: “A few years ago Colin and Livia privately made the decision to separate.
During that time Livia briefly became involved with former friend Mr Brancaccia. The Firths have since reunited.
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“Subsequently, Mr Brancaccia carried out a frightening campaign of harassment over several months.”
The Firths appeared together on the red carpet numerous times during the period they said they were separated.
They posed for the cameras at the Baftas in February 2016 and a host of other red carpet engagements.
The couple, based in Chiswick, West London, have been married for more than 20 years.
They also own a house near Città della Pieve in Umbria, Italy.
Livia founded a brand sustainability consultancy called Eco-Age and her pals include singer Annie Lennox.
Last month she also met the Duchess of Cambridge at the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange reception held at Buckingham Palace.
In 2011 Firth said he would never cheat on Livia with any film co-stars.
He said on Piers Morgan’s show: “It does help to realise that, however stunning the person who is fluttering eyelashes at you, she doesn’t do anything to match up to your wife.
“To me she’s the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Amanda's tatt tribute
COLIN Firth’s marriage came under strain after he grew close to actress Amanda Seyfried, who got a rude tattoo tribute to him.
Amanda met him while filming 2008 hit Mamma Mia. Revealing the “m**ge” inking on her foot, she said: “Colin used to say it on set and Rachel McDowall had to explain to me what it meant.
“So it’s on my foot. It’s to make me laugh — and every time I look at it I do.” Amanda, 32, admitted finding Firth “very sexy”, though it is not suggested anything improper took place.
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