Heather: I Have "Nothing To Lose Anymore"

Taking On Brit Press; Says She's Protecting Paul's Reputation Even As She's Vilified

(CBS)  Heather Mills McCartney says just about everything she's done since she and ex-Beatle Paul McCartney split has been for the sake of the couple's daughter, Beatrice.

That includes staying mum about McCartney, even as she's been raked over the coals by the British press with stories she feels originate in the McCartney camp, and finally speaking out now, defending herself, and fighting back against the tabloids.

In an interview Thursday with Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen, McCartney's estranged wife expanded on comments she made Wednesday on ITV television in Britain.

"We've had death threats, I've been close to suicide. I'm so upset about this," she said on an ITV morning show. "I've had worse press than a pedophile or a murderer, and I've done nothing but charity for 20 years."

The couple announced their separation in May and began divorce proceedings in July. Their daughter, Beatrice, is now 3.

"They make up such lies," she tearfuly told ITV. "They've called me a whore, a gold digger, a fantasist, a liar -- the most unbelievably hurtful things -- and I've stayed quiet."

Mills McCartney stuck up for herself, telling Chen, "When I first left (McCartney), and he knows why (I left), and I have no choice, I said, 'I don't want a penny, just protect me. If you don't protect me, things are gonna be different, but just protect me, because I will be vilified. Everyone thinks you're perfect. You're human. You're not perfect. Just protect me.' That has not happened."

---

Photos: Heather Mills McCartney

---

The McCartneys are in the midst of what long ago became a bitter battle that many observers feel could result in one of the biggest divorce settlements ever.

Mills McCartney told Chen she wants money now "because he's created millions of pounds worth of debt that I have ... incurred because of the libels, because of protecting myself, so no, that does not stand at all anymore. That's why we're in court, because I'm being told that I have to be gagged and not say a word, yet nobody's offering me any clearing of my name or any protection, and I'm not going to be abused like that. I'm just not."

She is pushing for a law to force media members to apologize when they report lies, and told Chen she has no regrets about speaking out: "This is not just about me. This is about many, many people who have written to me who have been abused by the press but don't have a platform to do anything. I feel very responsible. And seeing as I've had severe death threats, I've got nothing to lose anymore."

The death threats, she says, led to thoughts of suicide: "At first, I just felt so devastated. I felt suicidal. 'Cuz I thought, 'Well, if I'm dead, then she's with her father, and he's so, you know, adored that maybe she'll be safe with him.' But then I saw sense and thought, 'Well, yeah, she's gonna be without a mother.' So, it was a very difficult thing."

Why would anyone want to kill her? Because, she responded too Chen, "The press have written over 4,000 articles saying the worst thing that I've, you know, done to Paul. I've protected Paul from day one, and I've had virtually no protection from the other side. And I've kept quiet. ... And I've just had enough now. My friend said to me, 'For goodness' sake, you have to say something. She's (Beatrice) gonna be 12 and 13, reading these horrific lies on the Internet, and you've never spoke up. And what if something happened to you? You could never clear your name, and she's gonna live with that on the Internet for the rest of her life."

Mills McCartney also told Chen that, contrary to some press reports, she's "not close to a nervous breakdown. What I am now is revealing my emotions. I'm a human being. I'm not a robot. And I'm not fake, so if I'm gonna cry, I'm gonna cry. I'm not gonna pretend. I'm not manipulateing any situation. I'm just being real. I have been -- nobody can imagine unless they've been through it themselves what I've been through watching and listening to all these lies with actually no protection while I have protected the other party, when I could reveal unbelievable things that i never want to reveal because of my daughter.

"But at the moment, it's completely one-sided. My daughter has to read all these horrific things when she's older, and I'm not meant to stick up for myself. And if nobody else is going to stick up for me from our family, then I have to do it myself."

To see Chen's complete interview, click here, as well as here.

[linny1000]

Way to go, Heather. People have gone from not believing to HOPING Paul punched you out. What an evil, vile and blackmailing woman who is hell bent on destroying Paul and his family. God help that poor child Beatrice.

[keithle1]

One other thing I don''t understand. Why would Paul want to have another child at his age? He''s been there, done that. I think Paul married this woman in a moment of insanity.

There are worse things than being alone, gents. Ask yourself before marrying any woman if your REALLY want to spend EVERY day of the rest of your life with the woman. Day after day after day after day.

If you''re in a relationship & thinking about marriage, take a year off from seeing each other.
No phone calls, no emails, no letters. Nothing.
See if you can "survive" without her for a year.
That experience will tell you if you really love her.

More people regret getting married than regret NOT getting married.

[cmp271]

What is the number to call for Britains Child Protective. After reading and seeing the video in The Sun newspapers on line Pauls child is in grave danger. This woman is nuts! And if she is suicidal the child should be taken away.

She is just jealous of how everyone is on Pauls side. If he smacked her she probably pushed him until he did it. She is a sicko!!

Next time she tries it on I am sure any of us would be willing to be sure she is successful!!

Paul, give her some money and get rid of her. No one is going to believe her rubbish anyway, and be sure to strip her of the title "Lady." She is no lady to be sure!

[likeitis5050]

She may be unstable to a degree, but Paul could have stepped in to shield her from some of the cr..ap she''s had to put up with for the sake of his daughter. She appears to be a person ready and willing to move on but can''t for being constantly found at fault. Paul needs to think more of what his daughter endures as an innocent passenger in this whole affair. Paul isn''t the angel the media makes him out to be...in fact what we know of any of these characters played out in all this garbage is what the media tells us. And of course they have such a sterling reputation and should never be questioned for their motivation or integrity in reporting. They create more than they actually just report.

[misspp-2009]

Paul McCartney is a fool for marrying w/o a pre-nup. This woman is a delusional liar who married him for his money.

[erasmus6]

I have always thought that she was TRASH from the first time I saw her, there was just something about her.

I have always liked Paul but I have to say that my opinion of him did go down after he married her.

[lil_d3vil]

I laughed when she started to talk about how her daughter was going to feel when she got to 11..12 and seen all the press.

Well she should of thought about that before she did PORN.{Saw the pictures} What a freaking hypocrite.

So I wonder how ol Heather is gonna explain that one away to her daughter.

[keithle1]

What was our Paul''s compelling reason to marry this one-legged lady? Linda was the love of his life.

Every man likes a little female company from time
to time. So date. You don''t have to marry them.

"..could result in one of the biggest divorce settlements ever." But why? Why does she deserve millions & millions? I don''t understand that.

Why does an ex-wife who is not responsible in any way whatsoever for Paul''s wealth entitled to even one euro? Why are women entitled to maintain the lavish/luxurious/first class section lifestyle
that they enjoyed with their husband when they were still married?

Did she sacrifice & work three jobs to put Paul through music school & now he''s a wealthy songwriter/musician?

How long was she married to him. Four years? I mean, come on. Child support is something separate. Got nothing to do with alimony. I have no problem with child support.

Come on all you lawyers out there. Give me the lawyerspeak.

[thisandthat1]

She''s a nut case! She should be in a straight jacket. If she thinks that people will side with her over Paul McCartney .... she must be nuts!

[citizenusa-2009]

All she wants is is to be "protected" for the sake of "her daughter". That little girl is Heather''s meal ticket. If she hadn''t gotten Paul to impregnate her, (which guarantees her money for life), what would be her platform then? It was clear from the beginning that she had an "agenda" and worked it very well until Paul started fighting back. Now she''s crying foul! What a sad creature.

[cmp271]

This woman deserves no sympathy. She has bad mouthed Pauly and deserves the nothing she should get.
She should lose her daughter too!!!

She is a gold digging w-h-o-r-e, and has done a porn book and has been a call girl for Arab Business men. Perhaps The Sun Newspapers would be kind enough to reprint the pictures and articles.

She was on Leno and admitted she didn''t even know the man''s Beatle music. True Love? My Arse it is not!!

She complained of almost wanting to committ suicide. Does she need help??? Many of us are willing to help!

She is an unfit Mother and is a fraud.

DONT BE FOOLED BY HER AMERICA. SHE IS TRASH!!!

WE FORGIVE YOU PAUL-JUST GET RID OF HER ONCE AND FOR ALL!!1

[mamichael59]

I''m not going to make any judgments on Heather Mills, because I don''t know her. It is also because tabloid magazines seldom tell the truth about celebrities, I''m not necessarily going to believe anything they say.

However, one thing is true and I am on her side in the sense that the British tabloids are far more aggressive and far more meanspirited than any other publications anywhere else in the world, and I do support her in the sense that there has to be some laws passed. She''s right when she says that the paparazzi played a major role in Princess Diana''s death, and that cannot keep happening to celebrities.

Watching the View this morning, I agree that when people become famous, they have to expect to give up on their privacy. However, many celebrities have endured far beyond what they should have for the sake of multimillion dollar pictures and the public''s insatiable appetite to know more. Something''s gotta give.

[citizenusa-2009]

I have to agree with the folks that have noted that Heather is "not quite right". She did not EARN Paul''s money, yet she wanted him to GIVE IT AWAY, and became upset when he refused. She clearly has issues. It seems she is upset because her charity work defines who she is and if she can''t convince her husband to help her in her quest to be a mega giver, her reputation will be comprimised. What say you, Freud?

[thgdriver]

When it comes to making major decisions, Paul doe''s not seem to make the grade.

Remember how he was snickered out of the publishing rights to his own music by M. Jackson.

Maybe he''s not as bright as we give him credit for, although I''ll be the first to say he is better off then I.

[jetlizhan]

toldyouso21 -

a lot of ''i,i,me,me'' in your posts. ok, we get it, you love yourself. pity you just don''t understand that your post is merely your opinion, not necessarily everyone''s. you make some good points, but your being a braggart just ruins it.

[thgdriver]

Paul, I saw her yesterday, she said she loves you and you know that can''t be bad, she said she loves you, and you know you should be glad. She loves you yeah, yeah, yeah, she loves you yeah, yeah, yeah, and the more you pay, the more you will be sad.

[toldyouso21]

He got what he paid for. He was not an innocent, he had been in this business for years--old school. My take is that this woman got the worst of the deal, that when Paul realized she was not a replacement for Linda--he put her through hell and a child made it no better--and now, with all the misplaced adoration of fans, of being an icon, etc in his favor--he plans to break her and take the child. Heather should also not write a tell all book, because "all" can never ever be told even if they both told it. There are always 3 sides to any story. One side, the other side and between them both--the truth. It all is about perspective and perception. I hope it does not work that way (with Paul destroying her or her him)--but if this is the case--I hope Paul quickly joins the Beatles who have gone on before him-- and Heather starts raising their daughter and shuts up and gets on with her life. We don''t need to know how ugly or evil all of our heros are.

[toldyouso21]

I have always been a very good judge of character and have rarely been wrong in my predictions about a person or what they were about. I never paid much attention to this person and Paul--except to think she was a gold digger and could never replace Linda. For years I was an investigator for a mfg genre, where often--I had to rely on my gut to determine how I pursued a case and how I ultimately found out info, troubleshot and resolved problems for companies. A lot can be learned just by listening to a person. I am a political blogger--who occassionally indulges in other forums. So here I am and I listening to the video and my interest goes off and this stuff from this woman comes on, and I am not interested, but I listen, because I am not ready to go back to my real work--and this is my take: There are no innocents here--but this woman is not a witch and she is being treated unfairly by Paul and the press and fans. If she is a gold digger--Paul knew it. nxt post

[mjpage]

Sorry Heather but I have ZERO sympathy for you. Take your millions and go live in complete luxury for the rest of your life. Get over yourself and realize that 99.99% of the world would KILL to be in your "sad" situation.

[thgdriver]

If they go to court, I don''t think she has a leg to stand on.