Colin Firth’s wife ‘living in terror of stalker’
THE wife of actor Colin Firth was said last night to be “living in terror” of an Italian journalist she accuses of waging a stalking campaign against her.
Producer Livia Giuggioli, 48, claims childhood friend Marco Brancaccia has threatened her via telephone calls and texts.
She also accuses him of emailing photos to her Oscar-winning husband, which prompted the actor to alert Italian prosecutors.
It is understood police seized Mr Brancaccia’s computer and phone and prosecutors are seeking to take the case to trial.
A spokesman for Firth, 57, said last night: “There is an ongoing criminal prosecution and it would be inappropriate to comment in this circumstance.”
Ms Giuggioli posted a feminist tweet yesterday which said: “To all the women out there #sisters #globalfeminist #gamechanger #activecitizens happy.”
Mr Brancaccia, 55, who works for Italian news agency Ansa, has known Ms Giuggioli since school.
She and The King’s Speech and Pride And Prejudice star Firth own a house near the town of Citta della Pieve in Umbria and Firth has Italian citizenship.
According to police papers, Mr Brancaccia allegedly began stalking Ms Giuggioli in September 2016 because he could not face being cut out of her life.
Italian newspaper la Repubblica said the complaint stated he threatened to write compromising articles about her and Firth.
Ms Giuggioli was said to be living in terror, believing he might be following her.
Mr Brancaccia’s lawyers said last night he had “absolutely nothing to do with the events described and has already filed a legal complaint to protect his good name and his honour and to be able to supply his version of the truth of what happened”.
Italy introduced a law against stalking in 2009, which carries a prison term of up to four years.