Brian May's wife Anita Dobson breaks silence on Freddie Mercury secret lovechild claim - after woman took DNA test to prove she is the Queen star's daughter
Queen legend Brian May was left stunned by bombshell claims that his late bandmate Freddie Mercury fathered a secret love child – but wife Anita Dobson has admitted they're not convinced the story is true.
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, the English actress, 76, revealed her own shock after hearing that Freddie allegedly fathered a daughter in the 1970s – and said Brian was equally floored by the news.
She told the publication: 'I went "what?" I thought no? And I said to Brian: "Do you know about this?" And he said: "Do you believe this?".'
The astonishing claim was made by biographer Lesley-Ann Jones, who says the Queen frontman secretly fathered a child during an affair in 1976 – and that she now has DNA evidence to back it up.
Jones, who has written several books on Mercury, says the 48-year-old woman – identified only as 'B' – is the result of a fling between Mercury and the wife of a close friend.
She alleges the late singer kept in contact with his daughter and even gave her 17 volumes of detailed personal journals before his death in 1991.
The English actress, 76, revealed her own shock after hearing that Freddie (pictured in 1985) allegedly fathered a daughter in the 1970s – and said Brian was equally floored by the news
But actress Anita is convinced that Freddie was too big a star for the news to have not leaked before.
She said: 'There must be lots of people who have children that we don't know about. It's just because it's him. Because he's iconic. And the type of animal that he was, it seems inconceivable that he would have a child with someone we don't know about.'
Anita added: 'If he does have one where is she - step forward. If she exists. Maybe it is just more fake news.'
The new biography, titled Love Of My Life, claims Mercury shared the secret with his bandmates before he died – and that the woman now lives in Europe with a family of her own.
In a handwritten letter included in the book, the woman writes: 'Freddie Mercury was and is my father. We had a very close and loving relationship from the moment I was born and throughout the final 15 years of his life.
'He adored me and was devoted to me. The circumstances of my birth may seem, by most people's standards, unusual and even outrageous. That should come as no surprise. It never detracted from his commitment to love and look after me.
'Those who have been aware of my existence kept his greatest secret out of loyalty to Freddie.'
The star even reportedly had his own room in their family home, so he could spend as much time with her as possible, and called every day, even while he was touring with Queen.
But actress Anita is convinced that Freddie was too big a star for the news to have not leaked before, she said: 'There must be lots of people who have children that we don't know about. It's just because it's him' (Anita and Brian pictured in May)
Writer Jones has since hit back at those who claim the story doesn't stand up.
She said: 'To those 'demanding' to see proof of a DNA test, otherwise they won't believe it - please rest assured that the requisite verification was obtained, legal teams have been involved, but that such measures are private and not shared publicly.'
She also hit back at those questioning whether a cache of Mercury's secret diaries was faked using artificial intelligence.
She posted: 'To those insisting Freddie Mercury's diaries were faked with AI, that his daughter 'doesn't exist' and that I've made the whole thing up: wait and see.
'His own story is his true story, told in his own words, is incredible. I love him all the more for it. You will too.'
Flamboyant showman Mercury is known to have had several relationships with women including Mary Austin, whom he met when she was 19 and he 24.
The couple lived together and were engaged for a while before Freddie came out as gay.
Though they did not have children together, Mary went on to have two sons with another partner, while remaining close to Mercury for the rest of his life.
He also had a relationship in the early 1980s with Austrian actress Barbara Valentin.
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