Charles Saatchi says Lawson row was ‘playful tiff’

Nigella Lawson: Photos were result of 'playful tiff', claimed husband. Picture: PA

Charles Saatchi, the multimillionaire art collector, broke his silence over the images which appeared to capture an argument between the couple on the terrace of a London restaurant.

The 70-year-old admitted they had a row while dining at Scott’s in Mayfair, but claimed he held her neck while attempting to “emphasise” his point during an “intense debate”.

The photographs, which were taken on 9 June but were only published on Sunday, have sparked widespread concern for the welfare of the broadcaster and chef.

The series of pictures appear to show Saatchi raising a second hand towards his wife’s throat, while on another it appears as if he pinched or grabbed her nose.

The daughter of former Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson was reportedly seen weeping following the incident, and she left the family home with her son, Bruno, on Sunday.

While Saatchi accepted the images look “horrific,” he suggested they should be seen in their proper context.

In an interview with the London Evening Standard, where he works as a columnist, he explained: “About a week ago, we were sitting outside a restaurant having an intense debate about the children, and I held Nigella’s neck repeatedly while attempting to emphasise my point.

“There was no grip, it was a playful tiff. The pictures are horrific but give a far more drastic and violent impression of what took place. Nigella’s tears were because we both hate arguing, not because she had been hurt.

“We had made up by the time we were home. The paparazzi were congregated outside our house after the story broke, so I told Nigella to take the kids off till the dust settled.”

Lawson, 53, has previously admitted that she and her husband have fiery rows. She said in 2007: “I’ll go quiet when he explodes and then I am a nest of horrible festeringness.”

Mark Hutchinson, who handles press enquiries for Lawson, told The Scotsman: “There is no comment from Nigella. She has left the family house. Beyond confirming that there is nothing to add.” He declined to say whether Lawson has left the home on a permanent basis or a temporary one.

There was no sign of Lawson yesterday, but Saatchi was seen arriving by taxi at his £12 million home at around 2:15pm. He stayed for about 45 minutes before leaving again. He refused to comment on the allegations.

He is notoriously publicity shy and was not even at the opening night in 2003 of his previous gallery on the Southbank, attended by some of the art world’s biggest names.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said it was aware of the pictures, which were published in the Sunday People, but said no-one had made any complaint to the police.

The force said it had not made any arrests and a spokesman said inquiries were going on to “establish the facts in order to assess whether an investigation is necessary”.

Lawson, who married Saatchi in 2003, became a household name in 1998 with her first cookery book, How To Eat.

Heather Harvey from Eaves, a charity that supports victims of domestic violence, said: “I think some of the language we are hearing around this is shocking. This is not a row, it is not a tiff, it is an incidence of domestic violence.

“There is a myth that domestic violence only happens to a certain type of person. But it happens in every social class and in every profession.”