The 38-year-old singer began dating actress Emma Ferguson five years ago, the couple wed in 2009 and they are parents to two children, Elwood, three and Willow, 16 months.

But Owen has now confessed to a string of affairs behind his wife’s back, admitting to a series of drunken one-night stands while on tour with the band, as well as a secret relationship with accounts manager Neva Hanley, 24.

He says, “I don’t know how many girls there were in all, maybe 10. I have been an idiot, a dkhead. All of the above and more. I have been living with the guilt. It has always been there - you carry it around with you. It held me back in my relationship with Emma, I wouldn’t have done any of this if I had my time again.”

He admits his affair with Hanley, which began in 2004, continued up until just weeks before his wedding in November (09) - but insists he has been faithful to his wife since they exchanged vows.

He adds, “When I met Neva in September it was because I was having a tough time with Emma. I wasn’t feeling very good about myself or the future. After that last meeting I realised I had to try to sort my life out. I had to change the person I was. The wedding for me was a new slate and a new start. In my head there was never a time when I was doubting getting married. It was a chance for me to put it all behind me.”

The Shine star’s exploits were uncovered in an interview with British newspaper The Sun, and the report also revealed Owen has given Hanley nearly $18,000 (£12,000) over the last few months, but he’s adamant he wasn’t paying her to keep quiet - he was just helping out a friend in need.

He says, “She phoned me the week before I got married. She said she had lost her job and was going to lose her flat (apartment) - and asked if I could help her out. In all I paid her about £12,000, the last one just last week. I wasn’t paying Neva to keep her quiet.”

Owen admits he has now told his wife everything, he’s quit drinking and they are trying to repair their relationship: “She loved me - she still does love me - and I have let her down. I wish I had told Emma about this before we got married and come clean then. I wish I had realised about my drinking earlier. Emma is a strong girl, she has to do what is right for her and the kids. And I am here if she wants me. I want to do the right thing now for the kids and Emma. I am really sorry that I have done this to them, and to Emma.”
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EMMA told Mark they owed it to daughter WILLOW ROSE, one, and three-year-old son ELWOOD to work things through.

A family friend said: "Emma will do absolutely anything for her beautiful children. Mark has been a complete idiot - which he openly admits - but it doesn't stop him being a brilliant dad.

"He dotes over those kids and Emma knows it. It's a long road ahead. But for the sake of their children, she will forgive him."

Singer Mark, 38, checked into a booze clinic after confessing to The Sun last week he had cheated on Emma ten times - with one affair spanning FIVE YEARS.

Now he has vowed to stay in rehab "indefinitely" until he is sure he has beaten his addiction.

He has told actress Emma, 33, he will do anything to save their six-month marriage.

He swore he had NOT cheated on her since they wed and said he was admitting everything in a bid to "wipe the slate clean".

Emma, who has removed her wedding ring, is being comforted by pals at the family home in Wandsworth, South West London.

The source added: "She's heartbroken and feels totally empty.

"This will be the biggest test their marriage may ever have to endure. Emma wants so much to believe this could never happen again - she just needs time to heal and consider whether she can fully forgive."

A source close to Mark said: "Mark has told Emma he will be staying in rehab 'indefinitely'. That was the word he used.

"He begged her to give him time to prove he can give up drinking for ever. He said he might feel strong enough to come home after just one week, or it might take a month or more.

"He is doing everything to convince her he is worth staying with."

Mark is being supported by bandmates GARY BARLOW, HOWARD DONALD and JASON ORANGE, while ex-Take That star ROBBIE WILLIAMS has been texting advice.

The band are currently recording an album with Robbie at a studio in Wiltshire.

Mark will add his voice later.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol....DiOj1TX

Shane Lynch said it was not too late for Mark Owen to turn his image around after he confessed to cheating on his missus with ten women.

‘I would say to him: “You totally f***ed up.” He has to accept that and know that’s part of life,’ said Lynch, 33.

‘We all make bad mistakes at some point and he’s just got to suck it up and pull himself together and make it up.

'Life goes on. It will be tough for him because, when you are in the public eye, you think everyone is talking about you. But newspapers come and go, headlines are forgotten.

'He just has to focus on sorting himself out and his wife and forget what other people think.’
http://www.metro.co.uk/showbiz....rk-owen

Take That’s PR agency DawBell released a media statement as soon as the story went live on The Sun’s website. It read: ‘From Mark Owen: 'I'm so deeply sorry for the pain my actions have caused my family and friends. I'd like to ask the media to please respect the privacy of my wife and children during this difficult time.' There will be no further comment.’

PROs were waiting to see whether newspapers would run with lurid kiss and tell stories this weekend, but there was only one such story in the News of the World about band member Howard Donald’s sex life.

Band & Brown’s board director Mark Lowe said: ‘It was pretty inevitable that after Owen’s orchestrated first ‘confession’ other revelations would come out and the band’s PRs have done what they can to minimize the fall-out.’

PHA Media senior consultant Phil Taylor, the former associate editor of News of the World, said the story had been handled ‘absolutely right’. ‘The Sun clearly had evidence on Mark, and he’s clearly done a deal. But coming out with it all at once stops the drip-drip of scandal stories. He’s drawn a line under it, he’s made clear the affairs didn’t happen during his marriage and he’s said he has a booze problem. He’s gone into rehab and now he can come out and move on’, he said.

Taylor Herring’s managing partner James Herring agreed: ‘I am guessing that The Sun had Owen over a barrel, so a total confession was the only route. But honesty does seem to have been a good plan.’

Herring warned that these stories could have a negative impact on potential and current brand partners like Marks & Spencer. ‘This kind of coverage is certainly going to make any commercial sponsors pretty twitchy. How they are seen to be dealing with their issues will have a key bearing on ongoing contracts’, he said.

But Taylor believes these stories will not have a long-term effect on the band’s reputation. ‘The latest Howard story is not a big problem. Mark is the big story and it will have shocked a lot of his fans. But there will be no long-term implications. Take That are adored by all age groups and they will forgive him. Life’s a big learning game. If you own up to your mistakes then you can move forward.’

Lowe agreed with Taylor: ‘I don’t think these revelations are in Tiger Woods territory. Most of Take That’s fanbase have been round long enough not to be that shocked so a major backlash is unlikely, even if a few sponsors do get the jitters.’
http://www.prweek.com/news....or-PROs