Charles Saatchi is defending himself following the publication of photos which show the multimillionaire chocking his celebrity chef wife Nigella Lawson. Saatchi is dismissing the reports saying, "There was no grip, it was a playful tiff.”
Photos of the alleged chocking surfaced over the weekend while the two dined at Mayfair restaurant, Us Weekly reports. Saatchi is seen grabbing his wife’s throat with an intense look on his face while Lawson looks on tearfully in the photos published by Daily Mail.
Saatchi has come forward to defend himself saying, 'About a week ago, we were sitting outside a restaurant having an intense debate about the children, and I held Nigella’s neck repeatedly while attempting to emphasize my point.”
The 70-year-old art enthusiast explains that there “was not grip” callin the incident “a playful tiff.”
“The pictures are horrific but give a far more drastic and violent impression of what took place. Nigella’s tears were because we both hate arguing, not because she had been hurt.”
Following the fight, Lawson was seen fleeing her home with her two children, Cosima and Bruno (with late husband John Diamond), but still Saatchi insists that they “made up by the time” they made it home.
“The paparazzi were congregated outside our house after the story broke yesterday morning, so I told Nigella to take the kids off till the dust settled,” he explains.
Lawson’s rep confirms that she and the children have left their home, but will not comment on the reason or the images at this time.
Daily Mail notes that Saatchi is likely to be questioned by police although a formal complaint has not been submitted.
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