A couple of weeks ago, a showbiz story broke. It was just before I was about to head off to Marbella for the last of my Dirty Thirty celebrations with my best friend (more on that another time). Coincidentally (and I promise it was just that; a coincidence), The Only Way Is Essex cast and crew were out in sunny Spain filming the latest series; The Only Way Is Marbs.
Whilst filming was underway, The Sun newspaper had picked up a salacious tale involving one of the TOWIE regulars and his alleged misdemeanours.
Pete Wicks, who as a long standing fan of TOWIE I've always had a certain amount of appreciation for, had been caught up in a 'sexting scandal'. Behind his girlfriend's back. Said girlfriend is former CBB housemate and fellow TOWIE cast member Megan McKenna, who he had just declared his undying love for, on camera, whilst gifting her with a rather expensive Rolex watch for her 24th Birthday. All very TOWIE-esque, providing plenty of fodder for the glossies and the tabloids, not to mention sending Twitter into some sort of meltdown on the day the news reached the public domain.
Since the story broke at the end of September, I've followed the saga with curiosity. Many of you may know of my love for all things Reality TV, coupled with anything of a scandalous nature. However, yesterday, I found myself getting a little angry about the whole scenario (it doesn't take much) and it really got me thinking.
Allow me to tell you why.
The woman who Pete Wicks has been messaging is an ex of his. They appear to have indulged in a dalliance earlier this year, which according to the recipient of said messages, fizzled out.
Conversation seems to have been reignited a couple of months ago, while Pete and his girlfriend Megan were on a heavily publicised holiday. Lots of PDA's took place on said holiday. Complete with risqué selfies and outpourings of affection and love. However, it seems Pete wasn't being quite as genuine as he'd have liked his followers et al to think he is.
Now, that isn't for me to judge. No one is perfect, not one relationship is flawless. We're only human and we all make mistakes when it comes to affairs of the heart. Love is complicated, as are our feelings.
However, there's one part of this sordid set of circumstances that has REALLY, REALLY PISSED ME OFF. And that is the reason behind the story becoming public knowledge. Or, let me rephrase that slightly, the reasons Pete's ex would have you believe.
Jacqui Ryland, star of TV's 'Body Fixers' decided she was duty bound to let Megan know exactly what her boyfriend was up to.
Because of 2 words: Girl Code.
Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but Girl Code seems to be something of a recent label. It's something that is often talked about amongst girls, a set of unwritten rules that females should adhere to, in respect of their fellow woman.
I guess the rules, if written, would read something like.
Thou shall not borrow ones clothes without asking.
Thou shall not slag one off behind ones back.
Thou shall not shag a friends ex.
You get the gist.
So, Jacqui, the recipient of some steamy messages (I heard on the grapevine one of them read "I miss doing you up the arse") from a guy who was in a relationship, decided she simply had to let the girlfriend know of the unadulterated filth that was filling up her inbox.
Admirable, you're thinking? Well done her.
How did Ms Ryland break the potentially devastating news to Megan?
Did she call her? No.
Did she text her? No.
Did she seek her out on Twitter and reveal all to her on there? No.
Did she track down a friend of Megan's and break the news that way? No
Jacqui, in her infinite wisdom, decided the best way for Megan to find out about her boyfriend being a cad, was to read about it in a tabloid newspaper.
Classy.
Following the explosive fall out, yesterday Jacqui Ryland decided to put her side of the story across in a weekly celebrity magazine.
Asked the question "What was behind your decision to leak the messages" Jacqui answered:
It was the whole thing about girl code. It wasn't about being fame-hungry and selling a story. It was to tell Megan "Don't be fooled by this".
Course it was love. Course it was. And a fucking gert big pig just sprouted wings and flew past my bedroom window laughing.
Why didn't you contact her directly instead of going public? Jacqui was asked.
I don't have Megan's number, so I can't just drop her a WhatsApp. She's a celebrity, it's not like they're easy to contact.
BIG FAT HAIRY BOLLOCKS TO THAT.
In an era where contacting a celebrity is probably the easiest it has ever been thanks to Twitter, Instagram and the like, would it really have been that difficult to get your point across, if that was really what it was all about? She might not have wanted to take heed of your words but at least she'd have been spared the shame of having to open up a newspaper and reading the same as what millions of others are, over their cornflakes and coffee.
Now yes, I know Megan and Pete have flaunted their relationship for column inches, airtime and money over the last 6 months or so. Perhaps you're thinking "if you live by the sword then you die by the sword" and "you made your bed you can lie in it". And of course, you're welcome to have that opinion. In fact, I totally appreciate where you're coming from with that thought.
However, I can't be alone in thinking just how crass and disingenuous it is for Jacqui to try and sell herself as a 'Girl Code supporter' and not just your bog standard Kiss & Tell girl we've read about in the Sunday rags for god knows how many years. Because I fail to see any display of this "girl code" she speaks of here. At all.