"I feel I have no choice but to address these."

Former The Only Way Is Essex star Ferne McCann has issued an apology to victims of her ex Arthur Collins’ acid attack after a voice note was leaked. The 32 year old was accused of sending a number of “vile” and “nasty" voice notes in recent months, starting with one regarding her friend and co-star Sam Faiers. She was later accused of sending another but this time it was regarding her ex-boyfriend Arthur’s acid attack victim Sophie Hall. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday evening, Ferne posted a lengthy apology to Arthur’s acid attack victims, insisting the voice notes had been “edited” and taken “out of context”. https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck_vOqgoU1e/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=228fb8ef-41ac-4ed7-b5a3-46ace2a5188f She wrote: “I am aware that people will have a number of questions about the voice messages being put into the public domain and purportedly sent by me. “I feel I have no choice but to address these — to the extent that I can as there are restrictions on me. “Most importantly I want to apologise to all the victims of Arthur Collins’ abhorrent actions in 2017 that they have to relive that night and the pain that followed because this matter is again in the public domain.” “Arthur Collins’ crimes created genuine victims, so I am not trying to portray myself as one,” Ferne added. “I am unable to say much because there are important and significant legal proceedings that prevent me from setting the record straight at this stage. “What I can say is that the voice messages that are being released are manipulated; edited and taken entirely out of context. “Even so, I will have said things that are untrue, and I did not believe – but I did so to protect my family and myself from serious harm and in the face of significant threats.” In April of 2017, Arthur threw acid into a packed nightclub and was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the attack after blinding two people and injuring 18 others.