A long line of secret children

SMALL PRINT: WITH REVELATIONS that Arnold Schwarzenegger (pictured) fathered a child with a member of his household staff a …


SMALL PRINT:WITH REVELATIONS that Arnold Schwarzenegger (pictured) fathered a child with a member of his household staff a decade ago – prompting a split with his wife of 25 years Maria Shriver – he becomes the latest in a long line of public figures who have a secret "lovechild".

Schwarzenegger’s admission is scandalous, but he’s not alone:

Gavin Rossdale’s model connection

The singer of rock band Bush and husband of pop singer Gwen Steffani discovered in 2004 that he was the father of his then 15-year-old goddaughter, model Daisy Lowe, the daughter of Pearl Lowe.

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Bishop Eamon Casey’s secret son

In 1992, it was discovered that the then Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh had fathered a child, Peter, in 1974 following a relationship with American woman Annie Murphy. Casey resigned, and Murphy later published a book Forbidden Fruitdetailing the affair.

John Edwards’s refusal to admit

The one-time American presidential hopeful had an affair with a campaign worker, Rielle Hunter, while his wife was being treated for cancer. Edwards initially denied the affair and the child Hunter gave birth to in 2008. The National Enquirerdoggedly pursued the story for two-and-a-half years until Janurary 2010, when Edwards admitted he was in fact the father.

Eric Clapton’s tragic son

While married to Pattie Boyd, the guitar player had a daughter, Ruth, with Yvonne Kelly in 1985. He also fathered a son, Conor during an affair with the model Lory Del Santo. When Conor was four, he fell from a 53rd storey apartment window in New York, prompting Clapton to write Tears In Heaven.

Jacob Zuma, 20th time unlucky

South Africa’s polygamous president pushed things too far last year when his 20th child ended up being born to the daughter of a World Cup organiser. Zuma stated that he “regretted” causing pain and embarrassment to South Africans.