Colin Firth’s heartache

Wife’s cheating destroys their marriage

Heartbroken Colin Firth has been leaning on close friend Renée Zellweger in the wake of his divorce from his cheating film producer wife Livia Giuggioli.

A source tells, “Renée has been Colin’s rock over the last few months amid his marriage breakdown. She’s been jetting back and forth to London to comfort him and even staying at his home on many visits.”

The bosom buddies first met in 2001 when they starred opposite each other in Bridget

Jones’s Diary and they’ve continued to remain close, going on to make Bridget Jones:E dge of Reason and Bridget Jones’s Baby.

Now, according to our insider, devastated Colin, 59, has been pouring his heart out to Judy star Renée, 50, as he tries to rebuild his life after the breakdown of his 22-year marriage.

News that all wasn’t well in the Firth household first broke last year when it was revealed Livia had a short-lived fling with Italian journalist Marco Brancaccia during a temporary separation from Colin in 2016.

After the fling ended, Marco allegedly bombarded Livia with threatening phone calls and text messages, as well as sending an email to Colin contained “compromising photographs”. In 2017, Livia filed a police report in Italy claiming Marco had launched a “frightening campaign of harassment”.

Marco stated at the time that after the 11-month relationship ended in June 2016, “I never called her again. I did send her two WhatsApp messages, one happy birthday [text message] and an email to Colin, the latter which I truly regret.”

However, after police found “abusive messages and emails” on his phone, the journalist was officially charged with stalking.

The case was later settled out of court, and Colin and Livia – parents to sons Luca, 18, and Matteo, 16 – forged ahead with trying to repair their relationship. Last week, however, publicists for the couple confirmed the marriage was over.

“Colin tried to forgive Livia and wanted to make their marriage work for the sake of the kids, but he couldn’t get over her betrayal,” says an insider.

Livia tried to make light of the announcement last week, posting a humorous video on social media of herself in a white hard hat and ducking for cover under a desk.

Colin, meanwhile, has found a shoulder to lean on with Renée. “There’s always been a strong connection and chemistry between the pair, but of course they’ve both been in relationships,” says our source.

“Renée thinks her split from Doyle [Bramhall II] could have been a sign that the stars are finally aligning for her and Colin – she’s hoping he’ll admit feelings for her.”