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Ramsay's wife braves storm over his 'secret affair'
Robert Mendick, Chief Reporter24 Nov 2008
GORDON RAMSAY'S wife, Tana, put on a brave face today amid allegations the celebrity chef has been having a seven-year affair.
Ms Ramsay, 33, smiled and ignored questions about her husband's alleged infidelity as she left the couple's home in Wandsworth to take their children to school this morning.
Ramsay, who has been married to Tana for 12 years, has refused to confirm or deny a relationship with Sarah Symonds, 38, author of a handbook for mistresses and a former lover of Jeffrey Archer.
Industry experts said today that the fiery chef's business empire could suffer from the damage to his "family man" reputation.
It was also claimed that Ms Symonds, 38, approached the publicist Max Clifford earlier this year as she wanted to launch a television career, prompting suggestions that Ramsay, 42, had been "set up".
The News of the World claimed she and Ramsay had sex on Thursday in the Marriott hotel off Grosvenor Square, adjoining his Maze restaurant.
Today Richard Harden, co-publisher of the Harden's restaurant guide, said the allegations could dent the chef's reputation.
He said: "It must damage the (Ramsay) package. If you are going to build up this image as a perfect family, tucking into perfect food and on the basis you have eyes for nobody else and it turns out to be rubbish - then it does make you think that it is all built on a lie.
"In the long term, it is a weevil burrowing into the carefully-built structure that is Gordon Ramsay."
A source close to Ramsay said today the chef was "fuming" over the newspaper report but was going to "ride it through". The source added: "It doesn't take a bright spark to see why she (Symonds) is doing this. We are going to have to wait and see how the next few days pan out."
Ramsay has built a multi-million-pound business empire, with restaurants in London, Europe, and the US as well as in the Middle East and Japan.
He also makes huge sums from television and book deals and is hosting a live cooking programme on Channel 4.
Ramsay's annual income is reckoned to be around £15million. Tana, mother of their four children all under nine, appears to be standing by him. They were pictured outside their £3.5 million home yesterday but he refused to answer questions.
Tana's father Chris Hutcheson is the chef's business partner with a 31 per cent stake in Gordon Ramsay Holdings.
Meanwhile, Clifford said Ms Symonds, from Newport, South Wales, approached him keen to launch a television career on the back of her book Having An Affair? A Handbook For The Other Woman.
He added: "She was talking about getting herself a television profile ... She's articulate and intelligent and she's got it all worked out - she realised that this was her opportunity to launch herself like other people that have launched themselves out of scandals."
Reader views (20)
I watch Ramsey every week (faithfully) NO pun intended, I love him and his show, although I cringe at his using the F word all the time I still watch...I hope everything goes well with him and his wife. GOD BLESS THE FAMILY.
- Sarah, United States, 13/03/2009 04:39
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So, what if he did, what they claim! Who gives a rats? I watch his show, because he's good! You guys can stick your morals where the sun doesn't shine! What goes on in his private life, is just that! "Oh My God, there's allegations about his infidelity!" haha get a grip, get a life!
- Ricky Stevens, Mississippi, USA, 18/12/2008 10:25
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Have any of the parties involved given any consideration to the children in this? How are they going to feel when they get teased at school about this? When will parents get a sense of responsibility towards their children??
- Deborah Hayward, London UK, 25/11/2008 09:31
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Ramsay is a very arrogant man.
- Tucker Gustafson, Jr., Los Angeles, CA USA, 24/11/2008 16:23
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The title of this story says everything about our society today.
- Louise, Essex, 24/11/2008 16:08
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Well done Elaine from Maidenhead, I agree with everything you say. The media always seem to want to blame the mistress for some reason. It was just the same when Beckham got caught.
I read two interviews with Ramsay last Saturday, he was bragging about his wonderful family and how he adores his wife. What a hypocrite!!
- Christina, Bedford, 24/11/2008 14:53
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There is always two sides to every story and when there's an affair, always three.The truth,motivations and reasoning, aswell as excuses, often lay somewhere in the middle. At the end of the day, who really cares anyway...? Starving Africans/CONGO/The Muppet show?...More important things perhaps??
- Mark, Doncaster England, 24/11/2008 14:32
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Sad stuff, but it's not really any of our business even though he has stuck his chin out a bit with the family man image. And it goes to show how little one knows about other people's private lives.
On the pure looks front I'd say Mrs. Ramsay wins by a mile, but this story shows that life is massively more complicated than all that - as anyone who lives it should understand.
- Mike, London, 24/11/2008 14:26
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These are just hearsay. Did they actually do the F word?
- Dan, Manchester, 24/11/2008 14:09
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Looks like his wife has known all along, but was happy to comply, for reasons that are all too obvious. And he was happy to be voted Dad of the Year... what dreadful people!
- Delphine, Oxford, 24/11/2008 14:03
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A bit stiff but it applies, "he who lives by the sword dies by the sword".
- Zznhl, london, 24/11/2008 13:53
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I never thought he had a "family" image as his shows have to be broadcast after 9PM because of his language. Now the F word has bitten him where it hurts.
- Jack Thompson, London, 24/11/2008 13:35
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Whether or not the allegations are true, Gordon Ramsay is not a man to cross... Apart from the fact he has a lot of money to go to court, he is also a Scorpio and Scorpios always get their revenge- eventually...
- Martin Kostyrka, Stratford Upon Avon United Kingdom, 24/11/2008 13:24
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why are affairs a) a surprise and b) an issue anymore. i want news, not Schadenfreude.
- Jvc, new york, new york, 24/11/2008 13:11
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I made the mistake of logging onto that rag News of the World recently, and it was a mistake!!. They make their living scavenging around peoples private lives. It cannot be called journalism, which is a noble profession. When I recall the number of journalists who've given their lives to provide us with worthy News, it infuriates me that the scum who write and publish this call themselves journalists.
The rag of a newspaper is not providing news its pimping.
I do feel sorry for Gordon and his family..that they all must suffer due to others GREED and HYPOCRASY.
Let people have a private life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- John Reidy, London England, 24/11/2008 13:06
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When does Ramsay have time for an affair - the guy works 24/7 - sex maybe - but an affair - that would make him super human surely!
- Emma, Greenwich, 24/11/2008 12:53
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Well, well, well, it looks like the arrogant and aggressive fool has well and truely tripped up.
As for being 'set up', what, over 7 years? grow up.
The lesson learned here is you can't have your cake and eat it.
- Simon Caleb, London, 24/11/2008 12:42
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The minute the media stop fuelling the schemes of fame seekers and kick out these stories out the editorial stage the less money they will lose in court.
Even a blantant lie can give you just enough fame and exposure to launch a digital channel presenting career or pulp book. When will people learn!!
- Big Andy, London, 24/11/2008 12:18
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MAX WHO!
- Paul Skinner, Ilkeston Derbyshire, 24/11/2008 12:12
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The implication in this article is that the woman set up Ramsay, but he had no brains at all, willpower or maturity to resist her himself. It was all her fault. Should one be surprised at this, especially if his brains are positioned south in his pants instead of north in his head? She might be 'intelligent' and have it all worked out, but one would have thought that someone like Ramsay who has crafted such an empire by himself was equally intelligent too, unless the ego always wins every time! :o(
- Elaine, Maidenhead, UK, 24/11/2008 11:37
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