Ordinary people who had affairs with celebrities share horror stories that will put you off famous flings for life – including an actor’s gross ‘finishing move’ and a VERY indiscreet A-list sugar daddy

Celebrities: They’re just like us, right?

They still have to pay taxes, call their mom occasionally, do the weekly grocery shopping and, oh, sometimes they cheat on their partners.

Yes, you’d think that having a high profile would make you less likely to give in to temptation – and be recognizable in public and all – but in my experience, the rich and famous are some of the worst offenders.

There’s a saying, “With great power comes great responsibility,” but celebrities seem to live by different rules: the more powerful they are, the more reckless they become.

And while I may sound judgmental, I must confess that I am not an innocent bystander.

Sometimes, in the stillness of the night, I cringe as I think back to my own moment of weakness.

Picture this: a silly, starry-eyed 23-year-old Jana suddenly coming face to face with her high school crush: a former soap star who I idolized growing up. I had his poster from Dolly Magazine hanging on my wall – and here I was, talking to him.

It was at a TV awards after-party, the kind that glitters with free champagne and questionable decisions – also lots of ‘sniff, sniff’ and bathroom appointments. All of Sydney.

My girlfriends and I were somehow charmed by the night of television, and before I knew it, there he was – grinding next to me on the dance floor.

Was he married? I didn’t know, and, embarrassingly, I didn’t care. Oh, crazy, naive Jana in her early twenties. How much you had to learn.

Fast forward to the next morning, and there I was, sliding my dress off the floor of his hotel room and trying to tiptoe out without waking him.

What had felt exciting the night before suddenly seemed like a really bad idea.

Of course, back in my own hotel room with the girls, I pulled out my phone for a quick Google deep dive. And there it was: a photo of him and his wife, smiling on the red carpet. I felt so foolish.

Of course, he got away without any problems (well, not exactly, but that’s a story for another time). But I couldn’t help but wonder: Why do celebrities so recklessly gamble their careers (and marriages) on these fleeting affairs with regular people like me?

Thanks to my privileged position as a journalist, I am now privy to a steady stream of scandalous secrets, often involving celebrities.

Every now and then I get messages from women spilling tea about famous men they’ve hooked up with – men who almost always have a partner.

Just this week we saw David Beckham’s former mistress, Rebecca Loos, give a tell-all interview. She wailed, “I was hurt. Me going public was a “f***you, mate” for treating me like one. Big time. I don’t care how powerful you are or how much money you have; it’s not okay.’

Oh, men. Have we not yet learned that a woman scorned is a very dangerous beast?

Naturally, I decided to dig deeper and asked my Instagram followers for their juiciest stories about ill-fated celebrity affairs. Some were full-fledged flings, some one-night stands, but all were very eye-opening.

One story in particular stood out. It came from a friend of mine who travels with some prominent figures in the entertainment industry.

I can personally vouch for its truth because I know it. Here’s what she dished up (and remember: she all had friends):

‘I used to have a short affair with a famous soap star, and I can tell you: it was… unforgettable.

‘He was absolutely obsessed with looking at himself in the mirror during the act. The piece de resistance? He had a pretty unique post-climax routine where he, shall we say, cleaned up in a way I’d never seen before.

‘Years later a friend of mine had a one night stand with the same man. She didn’t even realize it was him until he repeated his signature finishing move. Halfway through, she suddenly remembered the story I had told her and could barely keep it together.

‘Then there was the NRL star who, surprisingly, was a real gentleman: polite, attentive and friendly, despite the small problem of having a wife. Refreshing, right?

‘And last but not least, the great Hollywood actor with whom I briefly dated. He had a maddening habit of leaving me at the table while he went to the bar to order snacks, without ever asking if I wanted anything. Honestly, it’s the little things that can be the real deal breakers.”

(Side note: I love that the snacks were the deal-breaker – not the fact that this actor had a partner.)

Then there was the woman who was in a bit of trouble…

‘I had a sugar daddy relationship with a famous TV personality. One evening we had a steamy encounter in the bathroom of a Merivale establishment. Just as we were finishing up, security knocked on the door and demanded we leave.”

And who could forget this priceless question I once got for my Saucy Secrets advice column, which fits nicely here?

“I’m a single reality TV contestant and I’ve hooked up with a married TV star every time she’s in town. We have great sexual chemistry. What are the chances that she will leave her husband so we can be together?’

Spoiler alert: I eventually found out who he was (they always reveal themselves). Let’s just say this is one sex tape I would definitely watch.

For every celebrity who gets away with their affairs, there are those whose recklessness leaves a trail of heartbreak, scandals and public humiliation.

So perhaps the real lesson here is this: rich or famous, married or single, no one is immune from bad decisions – or the consequences that follow.

And for my 23 year old self? You stupid girl. Never meet your idols, they rarely live up to your ideal fantasy. Sigh.