MGN journalists accused of ‘digging around’ life of Paul Whitehouse’s ex

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Paul Whitehouse told the High Court that journalists at the Mirror’s publisher “overstepped the mark” and were “digging around” into his ex-wife’s private life – including her cancer diagnosis. The comedian’s ex-wife Fiona Wightman is one of several people suing Mirror Group Newspapers, alleging journalists at its titles – The Daily and Sunday Mirror and the Sunday People – were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called “blagging” or gaining information by deception, and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities. When somebody in a less obvious profession breaks up, they have enough problems to deal with without total strangers knocking on the door asking about it Paul Whitehouse Ms Wightman is bringing her claim against the publisher over two Daily Mirror articles, including one from October 2000 which her lawyers claim involved journalists unlawfully obtaining “highly private details surrounding the breakdown of her marriage to Mr Whitehouse”. “I was the one on telly, not her.” Whitehouse later said: “I know a lot of people have it worse but it is unnerving to say the least when you see yourself being written about by somebody who doesn’t know you and shouldn’t have had access to it.” And it was not just my life they were investigating, it was Fiona’s, our daughters’ and her parents’ lives Paul Whitehouse He concluded: “It is called a private life for a reason – it is axiomatic.