The News of the World published a story yesterday saying that Deayton had had a brief affair with an escort girl and reported that he had "snorted cocaine in the nude". Deayton has a partner and a one-year-old son, and has said he is "devastated by the hurt this has caused to those loved ones close to me".
He added: "But I'm sure Ian [Hislop] and Paul [Merton] will help soften the blow with their usual sympathetic attitude on the show," referring to his co-stars on the BBC2 quiz show 'Have I Got News for You'.
Matthew Freud, chairman of Freud, told journalists: "I do not think this will be professionally damaging but it is relationship damaging. Angus will probably be doing the baby's night feeds for the foreseeable future."
Rumours have been circulating that the story was timed to coincide with this Friday's screening of 'Have I Got News for You', which will go up against the debut of the third series of 'Big Brother' on Channel 4. The News of the World article speculated on the treatment Deayton will receive at the hands of his co-stars and reported on comments he had made about other stars who have strayed, including Sven-Goran Eriksson.
A source close to the story said it had been a horrible day for Deayton and that he was likely to be wishing it had been a publicity stunt, but said that it was unlikely anyone would stoop so low just to publicise a television show.
Freud Communications handled PR for both Chris Evans and Geri Halliwell when they were briefly rumoured to be having an affair -- at a time when Halliwell was releasing a single and Evans' Virgin Radio show had seen flagging ratings.
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