Richard's husband blasts affair rumours

The husband of the late Wendy Richard has blasted rumours that he was romantically linked with her former EastEnders co-star Natalie Cassidy.

However, John Burns, 45, said that Cassidy was one of his greatest confidantes following Richard's death from cancer in February.

He also revealed to The Mail On Sunday that the 26-year-old lent him £20,000 so that he could pay for the funeral but said that rumours that they might be more than friends were sickening.

"The insinuations were ridiculous. It made me very angry but I was more angry for Nat than anything," he said. "She was just helping out, being a good friend. People were saying these terrible things about us - but behind the scenes she was helping me more than anyone knew. The last year has been dreadful, the worst ever in my life."

Burns admitted that his first Christmas without Richards had been difficult, stating that he misses "everything" about her. "She was my wife and my best friend," he said.