Tony Blackburn has admitted cheating on his first wife – and how he was in a love square with their neighbours

Veteran BBC radio legend Tony Blackburn, now 82, has made a jaw-dropping confession about his past — revealing that he cheated on his first wife while trapped in a tangled love square involving their own neighbours.

The broadcaster opened up about his infidelity during a candid appearance on the Rosebud podcast with Gyles Brandreth, where he was asked whether he had stopped “playing the field” after marrying Tessa Wyatt at the age of 29.

The BBC DJ, 82, opened up about his infidelity to wife Tessa Wyatt, who he wed when he was 29 years old (pictured in 1972)

Without hesitation, Tony replied:
“Yes I did. Although we both had affairs.”

What followed stunned listeners even further.

A Hidden Love Square With Their Neighbours

Unbeknown to each other at the time, both Tony and Tessa were being unfaithful — with the very same neighbours who were also close friends.

They had married in 1972 and the following year welcomed a son together, Simon, with their marriage ultimately ending in 1977

Tony confessed he had been having an affair with Margo Webb, while at the same time Margo’s husband, Roger, was secretly having an affair with Tessa.

He explained:
“She didn’t know I was having an affair with the next-door neighbour, and then she was having an affair with her husband.”

The Truth Only Emerged Years Later — Through His Book

Tony later found love with Debbie Thomson and the couple married in 1992. Debbie gave birth to their daughter Victoria five years later in 1997

Tessa only discovered the full extent of Tony’s affairs years later — when she read his autobiography. Tony later described the book as “awful” due to how brutally honest it turned out to be.

The pair married in 1972 and welcomed their son Simon the following year. Their relationship ultimately ended in 1977.

Reflecting on their split, Tony said:
“She left me for Richard O’ Sullivan. We got married too young. I could never understand why she married me in the first place because she was very beautiful.”

“It Was Too Honest” — The Book That Shocked His Family

Beaming Tony and Debbie at their wedding, which was held at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster on June 13, 1992

Tony admitted that his autobiography revealed he had slept with around 250 women — something he says he never intended to make public.

He recalled:
“It was too honest. My parents didn’t like it very much. It was written by somebody called Cheryl Garnsey.”

According to Tony, the ghostwriter even encouraged him to add more scandal:
“She said, ‘This is OK, but there should be a bit more sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll in it.’”

He added:
“So she asked me how many people I had slept with — and I stupidly told her. And it was published. I never even read the book before it went out.”

Finding Love Again — And A New Family

Despite the chaos of his early relationships, Tony later went on to find lasting love with Debbie Thomson. The couple married in 1992.

Five years later, in 1997, Debbie gave birth to their daughter Victoria.

A Life-Threatening Health Battle In Later Years

In August 2023, Tony revealed he had suffered a terrifying medical emergency that left him in hospital for two months.

He explained he developed pneumonia and blood poisoning, which led to sepsis after a tooth extraction.

Tony recalled:
“My blood was infected and it got into my heart, so I’m quite lucky to still be around.”

He added:
“I don’t remember a lot. I was rushed into A&E and had this thing up my nose. The doctor told me I’d be in hospital a while — I said I had a show in two days, and he told me he didn’t think I’d make it.”

More than five decades after his whirlwind early fame, Tony Blackburn’s explosive confession has reopened one of the most unexpected chapters of his private life — a reminder that behind the familiar voice of radio lies a story few ever imagined.

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/