Showbiz
© Rex Features / Ken McKay
It was revealed last weekend that McDermott - Ryan Malloy in the BBC soap - had cheated on his wife with 16-year-old Chloe Peebles just weeks after the birth of his first child.
Speaking to the Evening Gazette, Peebles insisted that she had not sold the story to the Sunday newspaper who published details of their encounter.
"All I want is everyone to know I didn't sell the story," she told the paper. "I'm deeply sorry, I didn't want this to happen. I didn't know he was married and he had a baby. I'm so sorry to my family and friends as well."
Peebles said that having the story published was the "last thing" she wanted, adding: "I was devastated. I didn't want to hurt his wife or her family. I felt guilty, I didn't want to be known as that type of person."
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