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Heather: I have tape of Paul 'admitting that he hit Linda'
By Amar Singh and Valentine Low, Evening Standard Last updated at 10:28am on 01.11.07
Rant: Heather Mills attacks the press
Mills played a tape she claimed was of estranged husband Paul admitting that he had hit his first wife Linda
Heather Mills astonished witnesses by playing a tape which purports to record Sir Paul McCartney allegedly admitting that he hit his first wife Linda, it was claimed today.
Sir Paul's estranged wife played the tape in an off-camera moment during her emotional tour of TV and radio stations yesterday, according to a newspaper report.
'Suicidal' Heather says 'I'm hated like Kate McCann' during media blitz on Macca
A witness who heard the tape said: "It was quite extraordinary. There were raised voices. Heather and Paul were shouting. Paul can be heard confessing he hit Linda 'once or twice'.
"No one knew what to do. It was astonishing stuff and seemed to back up Heather's claim that she's the victim in all of this."
What was not clear today was when the tape was made - or why Ms Mills started taping her arguments with Sir Paul. A spokesman for Sir Paul declined to comment.
What was certain, however, is that the extraordinary barrage of interviews yesterday - from GMTV and This Morning to BBC News 24 - has had a huge impact, although not necessarily the one Ms Mills envisaged.
One TV presenter who saw it all at first hand, Phillip Schofield of This Morning, described her as a "woman on the very edge" who had gone "into meltdown". His comments came after one of the most bizarre interviews in which Ms Mills, who is locked in an acrimonious divorce battle with her multi-millionaire husband, likened herself to Kate McCann and Princess Diana and claimed she had considered suicide. Speaking at last night's National Television Awards, Schofield said: "She is clearly a very, very, very angry woman. We found out a couple of minutes after the GMTV interview that she was coming onto This Morning. I think she is obviously a woman right on the very edge. It must be very tough for her living under such intense scrutiny.
"I hate it when people go into meltdown on my show. Her life is tough but she hasn't made it any easier for herself."
Schofield, who with co-host Fern Britton interviewed Ms Mills after she had earlier launched her offensive on GMTV, insisted however that he felt Ms Mills was a "good mother" and said she was "standing up for what she believes in".
It was also revealed today that Ms Mills's PR adviser has quit over her tirade against the media yesterday. Phil Hall, a former editor of the News Of The World, was strongly against Ms Mills going on television to hit out at her detractors - including calling for a boycott of the Sun.
Mr Hall confirmed today that he was no longer representing Ms Mills. He said: "We are still mates but I am not working with her any more. Yesterday she said she wanted to do this TV campaign attacking newspapers, but I have a good relationship with newspapers and my business depends on feeding that good relationship.
"She wanted me to orchestrate this campaign and make calls to newspapers but I have got friends and mates in national newspapers and it didn't seem right to make those calls and attack them."
He added that Ms Mills was now handling her own PR. He said she called GMTV herself to set up yesterday's interview where she showed a folder of clippings and spoke of "4,400 abusive articles" about her.
Mr Hall said: "My advice to her for the past 18 months has been, 'keep your head down and let's wait until the divorce is over, and then rebuild your career afterwards' through the charity and foundations she works for.
"That's the way it was going. We've had very few conversations with newspapers as far as placing any stories are concerned apart from denying the more extreme stuff."
Reader views (12)
She needs to understand that if she's not going to keep her head down with her personal issues then the media are going to tear her apart.. she's making it worse for herself by ranting and raving on tv.
- Lauren, Wales
She should think of her daughter and shut up.
- Douglas Hood, london
Oh dear - she's really played into the hands of the media this time.
- Luciano, Bristol
Why on earth does she have a tape of a row that happened years ago? Why has she started taping her rows with Paul? I'm not a fan of either of them but her behaviour is getting more and more erratic to the point where she really needs professional help. Hopefully, she'll resolve every issue in her life and concentrate on her daughter leaving the press to go to war with another non-entity.
- Trevor Roll, London
At last I see some support for Ms Mills and about time. I have been astounded by the media's one-sided attitude.
- Stephen, London
JK they got married 5 YEARS after Linda died - hardly 'soon'.
Heather has delusuions of grandeur, imagine comparing yourself to Princess Di or Kate McCann. What I don't understand is, if the media are the ones who made her feel suicidal, surely she'll be feeling worse now after a whole's days worth of interviews!
- Melissa, London
No one really knows the truth. However, I do feel that the public attitude towards her is uncalled for. Paul is no saint but everyone acts as if he is the best thing since sliced bread. He married Heather very soon after his wife Linda passed away, which probably wasn't the best move on his behalf. The poor woman has probably had enough of the biased press and is at her wits end.
- Jk, London
Who is she anyway? Can't she go and do her charity work somewhere we don't have to see her anymore. Please Heather - go away.
- Rick, Hackney Wick, London
You have to admit the media is way out of control these days. All they want to do is make money and Heather is the perfect victim for them. Heather is the one suffering.
- Carla, USA
The marriage didn't work, they are divorcing, why not just get it done Mills and stop the hysterics.
- Tede, NJ, USA
There are two things she needs to realise urgently for her own sake:
1) The public really don't care that much about her side of the story.
2) The more she implies she is a victim the more people will be put off her. If she had a bit of dignity she could be a popular hero. Compare and contrast Billie Piper and Chris Evans - a divorce with dignity.
- Steve, Brighton, England
She is making a fool of herself on TV. I switch off the television whenever she appears. I am sick of her now.
- Phillipa, Slough, Berkshire
