Reasons for staying

She said: "Some of them believe their men will change, others do not want to give up the lifestyle they have got used to, yet others stay on for the sake of the kids.

The reasons are many and varied.

"More than once, a Wag has told me how she yearned to return to the simple life she knew before she met her husband or boyfriend."

Ms Kervin said the Wags also know they are well-known in the press as long as they stay with their men.

She said: "Once they split up, they slowly and surely slip under the radar. They can stay within the UK but nobody will take notice of them any more."

Ms Kervin said the reactions to the sex scandals surrounding Chelsea footballers John Terry and Ashley Cole showed how different Wags behaved.

She said: "Cheryl (Cole) has said that she and Ashley are no longer together after the scandal. But John and his wife have said they will stay together."

Ms Kervin said Cheryl Cole would not be badly affected by a divorce if it occurred, as she was independently wealthy and capable of looking after herself, like Victoria Beckham.

She also said the UK's fascination with the Wags and their lifestyles had turned some Wags into media personalities in their own right.

Ms Kervin said: "Some years ago, Wayne Rooney released a book about his football career and his then-girlfriend Coleen (now Mrs Rooney) released a book about make-up and looking good. But Coleen's book did better than Wayne's, although her fame was linked mainly to Wayne's."

Part 1 << Part 2 << Part 3 <<

This article was first published in The New Paper.