Colin Firth's Wife Livia Giuggioli Admits to Having an Affair with the Couple's Alleged Stalker

Colin Firth and his wife revealed she had an affair with the man she has now accused of stalking her.

Livia Giuggioli accused an Italian journalist of harassing her with “frightening” messages and police are now investigating, according to British newspaper The Times.

The 48-year-old film producer, who married the Oscar winner, 57, in 1997, claimed journalist Marco Brancaccia, 55, was stalking her, although he denied the accusation telling the publication that she was lying to hide their relationship which occurred between 2015 and 2016.

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, the couple confirmed the relationship, saying, “A few years ago Colin and Livia privately made the decision to separate. During that time Livia briefly became involved with former friend Mr. Brancaccia. The Firths have since reunited.”

The statement continued, “Subsequently, Mr. Brancaccia carried out a frightening campaign of harassment over several months, much of which is documented. For obvious reasons, the Firths have never had any desire to make this matter public.”

The couple shares two sons together, 16-year-old Luca and 15-year-old Matteo.

“The reporting this week on this case is understood to be the consequence of a leaked court document. This is greatly to be regretted,” the statement concluded.

Italian prosecutors requested Brancaccia’s indictment, according to ANSA, the publication that Brancaccia remains employed by.

Brancaccia, 55, denied the allegations to the newspaper, saying they were “romantically involved.”

“She wanted to leave Colin for me,” he said, adding that the marriage had “been over for years.”

He continued, “My ‘stalking’ consisted of two messages via WhatsApp after she ended our relationship in June 2016, and an email. I wrote an email to Colin about my relationship with Livia, which I now regret sending, and she filed a complaint against me for stalking out of fear that I could go public with what she had revealed to me about her marriage and work.”

Brancaccia said, “In a year she sent me hundreds of messages of love, photos and videos, even a diary,” adding that Firth had shown “understanding.”