Natasha Giggs expresses feeling ‘devastated’ after the revelation of her secret affair with her brother-in-law, Ryan Giggs.
In her first comments following the scandal, she mentioned that her ‘fantasy’ lifestyle has come crashing down.
Breaking her silence after returning from Majorca, where she fled with her two sons amid the chaos, she said, ‘It’s really starting to sink in now.’
She continued, ‘Since coming back from holiday, I haven’t been able to sleep knowing how my family has been harassed…even cars in my parents’ street have been vandalized, and I’m fearful that more could happen.
‘My marriage has ended, and my children no longer have their dad around regularly, which is devastating for them.
‘I feel gutless and guilty for the way my actions have shattered my family. There are no excuses…what I did was wrong, and I do not perceive myself as a victim.’
Natasha engaged in a tumultuous eight-year relationship with 37-year-old Ryan, which included her becoming pregnant and terminating his child just two weeks before her wedding to Rhodri last summer.
It is reported that he has submitted divorce papers regarding his wife over the weekend.
The couple first crossed paths in a Manchester nightclub in March 2003. Natasha spent the night with him while his then-pregnant fiancée Stacey, now his wife for three and a half years, remained at home.
Despite Natasha, 28, beginning a relationship with Ryan’s brother Rhodri, 34, only two months later, the affair resumed after a year, marked by secret get-togethers in hotel rooms and vacant properties she accessed through her work as an estate agent.
Even after moving in with Rhodri just 18 months into their relationship, Natasha acknowledges that she remained ‘mesmerised’ by Ryan and boldly continued her affair, seeking an escape from the tedium of her daily life.
Natasha openly admits, ‘The ongoing affair was fueled by my boredom; it was thrilling. I’d have my dreary life at home…with cooking, laundry, and ironing…yet I knew I had that special connection with this famous footballer loved by many.
‘Many women wished to be with him, and having him to myself was exhilarating,’ she shares. ‘I would drop everything for him in an instant because I was emotionally invested. For him, it was merely physical.
‘I would frequently argue with Rhodri about trivial matters, yet in the back of my mind, I thought, “It doesn’t really matter since I’m going to see Ryan later.”
‘I became adept at living with guilt and lying. I was leading a double life. I believe it’s possible to have feelings for two people simultaneously.’
She adds, ‘When I observed Ryan with his family, it felt like I was looking at a different person. Our families were never a topic of conversation when we spent time together…we kept those parts of our lives completely separate.
‘I never anticipated Ryan would leave Stacey for me. If we had attempted to establish a genuine relationship, it likely wouldn’t have succeeded. It was merely a fantasy.’
Natasha ultimately chose to expose their passionate affair after glamour model Imogen Thomas, 28, claimed she had been involved with him for the past six months in April.
Since their last encounter on April 9, Natasha, who has not spoken to Ryan, shares, ‘I believed all of Ryan’s lies (I bet that’s not all she believed) when he assured me the rumors about Imogen were false. I felt utterly foolish when I discovered I wasn’t the only woman he was involved with.
‘He has proven to be spineless.’and arrogant, I felt compelled to speak out to end the deceit. I also realized that my affair with Ryan would have continued unless I made it known publicly. Breaking his hold over me was necessary.
Natasha admits that while she feels tremendous regret over her own family issues, she bears no guilt towards Ryan’s wife, Stacey, or their two children.
She asserts unapologetically, ‘It’s Ryan’s responsibility to take care of his family. I’d be surprised if he and Stacey’s marriage can survive this. If Stacey chooses to stay with him, she’s accepting that kind of behavior.
‘Clearly, she loves him deeply and struggles to face reality. Ryan enjoys the stability of having a wife and children, but I can’t say whether he has any real love for Stacey. I doubt he could ever care for anyone as much as he loves himself.’
Despite declaring her wedding day the ‘happiest day’ of her life, Natasha reveals an inconsistent relationship with Rhodri.
She describes, ‘My relationship with Rhodri has seen many ups and downs. There has always been a love/hate dynamic, with Ryan lingering like a shadow.
‘We stayed together for the sake of our children, which is heartbreaking because knowing we’ve both betrayed each other makes me wonder, “Why did we even try?” We’ve lost so much time being miserable.
‘Rhodri reached out to say he still loves me, but we can’t make things work now. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us. Just thinking about going through a divorce is overwhelming. I need time to myself.’
Natasha expresses her desire to rebuild her shattered life. ‘Now, I have to focus on returning my life to some semblance of normalcy. I’m aware there are significant repercussions for my actions, but at least by finally speaking the truth, I feel a tremendous weight lifted from my shoulders.’
She concludes, ‘I once had an intense infatuation with Ryan, but now I find myself questioning, “What was I ever attracted to?” It’s time for a fresh start with a clean slate.’
by Debbie Dot
