FILM STAR DOUGRAY'S WIFE CHEATS ON HIM WITH SHRINK

Sunday Mirror, Oct 5, 2003 by STEPHEN MARTIN, FIONA CASSIDY

BRITISH movie heartthrob Dougray Scott is trying to patch up his marriage after learning that his wife had a secret affair with a showbiz therapist.

The Scots-born actor discovered only last month that his wife Sarah, 40, was in a relationship with married Christophe Edwards, 49.

The Enigma star immediately complained to Edwards' bosses at the world-famous Priory clinic in South West London about his "inappropriate relation-ship" with his wife.

A fortnight ago the Priory revoked Edwards' licence to practise as a therapist for them.

When Scott - who was himself linked to Kate Winslet after she split with her first husband two years ago - confronted Sarah she broke down in tears and confessed to the affair. But she vowed the relationship was over and promised she would never see Edwards again.

Edwards, whose private practice is once based just a mile from the Scotts' pounds 750,000 family home in Hammersmith, West London, has been married to his wife Perilla since 1987. The couple live in Battersea with their two young sons.

It was unclear last night what Edwards had said to his wife about the complaint from Scott or whether she was aware of it.

Yesterday Scott, 37, and Sarah, who have five-year-old twin daughters, were trying to repair their three-year marriage during a weekend break in a luxury hotel on the Isle of Man.

On Friday Sarah and the twins flew to the island from London to join Scott who is currently filming there.

Later the couple enjoyed a romantic dinner in the restaurant of the Admiral House Hotel in the island's capital Douglas.

Last night a friend told the Sunday Mirror: "Sarah fell head over heels for Edwards after she met him last year.

"She has promised Dougray that she will not see him again.

"Dougray is furious with Edwards and is on the warpath. He has complained officially about him."

Edwards yesterday refused to comment on the affair. He simply claimed: "I was not aware that Dougray Scott had complained to the Priory."

Last night a Priory spokeswoman said: "An external therapist who has worked for us has had his right to practise revoked."

Scott is filming his new movie - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - alongside singer Billie Piper, wife of Chris Evans, and actor Jimi Mistry.

Yesterday Scott, who is investing his own money in the pounds 3.5million film, refused to comment on his wife's affair and his complaint to the Priory.

Speaking from the Isle of Man he said: "I never comment on my family life."

Sarah began her affair with Edwards less than a year after giving a magazine interview in which she said of her relationship with Scott: "We've always been incredibly in love with each other, and together."

She was speaking following rumours that Scott was linked romantically with Titantic star Kate Winslet, his on-screen love interest in the film Enigma.

Sarah did not attend the film's premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival, sparking reports that her husband and Winslet had become close.

Sarah, a freelance TV casting director, said: "We're very happy, honestly. We've never been happier."

But she added: "All long-term relationships have their ups and downs - I'm not saying that they don't - but the problems tend to occur when you spend time apart.

"I don't work all year round, and we always said we would never spend more than two weeks apart. There's a lot of envy out there directed towards people like us."

Speculation about the Scotts' marriage was fuelled further when Scott went to kiss his wife at Enigma's London premiere in front of photographers. Sarah turned away and the kiss ended up planted on her chin. Sarah said at the time: "I'm just not used to kissing my husband in front of 76 photographers.

"He tried to kiss me to make me feel better and because we were being shouted at non-stop to, 'Give her a kiss'. But that's not my style. I'm just not comfortable with it."

Sarah, who has always been a reluctant celebrity, added: "Look at pictures of any other premiere, and you'll see that I always walk three paces behind Dougray. I don't do a Liz Hurley because I'm not an actress myself, and I'd rather the limelight fell on him."

Speaking of the time she became pregnant, which coincided with a huge rise in her husband's public profile, she said: "We went from being just two people on their own, madly in love, to expecting a baby and being surrounded by agents and publicists. It was pretty scary.""

And she said: "Alex Ferguson's wife once said, 'We cannae all be superstars,' and I really subscribe to that. I don't need fame and attention in the way that some people do. I think it's very hard when both halves of a couple are actors." Former antiques dealer Edwards became a counsellor 10 years ago and has built up one of London's busiest therapy practices, numbering TV stars and actors among his clients.

Edwards, an expert in drink and drug addiction, set up on his own three years after working full-time for the Priory rehab clinic in Roehampton.

He continued working for the Priory who would refer patients to him as an external therapist because of his specialist knowledge.