As they walked in a park yesterday, every bit of the stress from the past ten days was etched on the faces of McFly singer Danny Jones and his betrayed wife Georgia.
It was the first time the couple had been pictured together since Danny, 38, was caught drunkenly locking lips with his former I’m A Celebrity camp-mate Maura Higgins, 34, at a raucous Brit Awards after-party.
But Georgia, with a face like thunder and her left hand firmly in her pocket – refusing to show her wedding ring finger – did not present the image of a united front that Danny might have hoped for.
In fact, I am told that her hidden hand was a ‘little act of defiance’ by the vulnerable mother-of-one, who was angry about being asked to parade publicly at her husband’s request – with no little involvement from his publicity machine, which, says my source, staged the photographs in a ‘last-ditch attempt to salvage his reputation’.
Far from there being any family unity, I can reveal that Georgia and Danny – who have been married for 14 years – have taken a break and are living separately after his ‘ultimate betrayal’.
A friend of Georgia’s told me: ‘She is furious – not just with her husband’s actions, but with all the chaos this has brought to their lives, particularly for their young son Cooper.
‘All she wants to do is protect her boy from this mess.
‘It has been overwhelming and she needs time to process what has happened. Only then can she begin to talk about the future.
‘They are now on a break and are living apart from each other.’
Georgia, with a face like thunder and her left hand firmly in her pocket – refusing to show her wedding ring finger – did not present the image of a united front that Danny Jones might have hoped for
I’m told that some friends have even privately urged former Miss England Georgia to ditch the love rat permanently.
Before the emergence of the photographs taken in Richmond, south-west London, yesterday, Georgia went on to social media to share a tender snap of Cooper, seven.
She posted a black and white image of him wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and playing on a handheld device to her 265,000 Instagram followers.
A host of Georgia’s nearest and dearest were quick to share their support in the comments. Sarah Louise Merrygold, wife of JLS star Aston Merrygold wrote: ‘Little dude. Sending you all my love.’
Made In Chelsea’s Binky Felstead said: ‘We got you girl! Adore you.’ Novelist Anna Whitehouse shared: ‘Love you darling. We’ve got you.’
Influencer Chessie King added: ‘Absolutely adore you, we’re all rallied round you.’
But despite all the words of encouragement, one voice was notably absent – that of Cooper’s father, Danny.
Fans took it as a sign that all was still not well in the Jones household.
‘She is really struggling to get past the betrayal, but she wants to do what’s best for Cooper,’ my source added.
In the early hours following the Brit Awards this month, while Georgia shunned the limelight to look after their son, Danny was being whisked from the adoring crowds of the O2 Arena to a private after-party hosted by Universal Music. There, at the star-studded bash, Danny reunited with his former jungle camp-mate, Maura
The pair, whose chemistry was palpable on the jungle show, were seen chatting intimately
Danny began the year with a legion of new fans, after the seemingly devoted husband and father was crowned King of the Jungle in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity.
But that reputation has been brought into question after one drunken night out.
For in the early hours following the Brit Awards this month, while Georgia shunned the limelight to look after their son, Danny was being whisked from the adoring crowds of the O2 Arena to a private after-party hosted by Universal Music. There, at the star-studded bash, Danny reunited with his former jungle camp-mate, Maura, who also appeared on Love Island.
The pair, whose chemistry was palpable on the show, were seen chatting intimately as she lay her head adoringly on his shoulder.
Then, just before 3am, she was caught locking lips with Danny in that ‘drunken kiss’ before they left in separate cars. The incident could mark the end of a romance that began when Danny and Georgia met in 2008.
She was unimpressed when the McFly star asked her out and added that he had ‘two other dates lined up’.
She said: ‘He was a bit of a d***, and I didn’t really like him.’
But a determined Danny didn’t give up on the blonde model, who had been crowned Miss England the year before.
Georgia finally agreed to a date in 2009, and the couple married near Georgia’s family home at St Mary’s Priory Church in Old Malton, Yorkshire.
Today, Danny is said to be heartbroken about the consequences of his foolish behaviour, and has issued a grovelling apology.
Meanwhile, Maura jetted off to Los Angeles at the weekend.
Representatives for the couple refused to comment last night.
