Sadie Frost Says Daily Mail Coverage Left Her ‘Humiliated and Ill’ During Marriage to Jude Law

Sadie Frost walked out of the High Court in tears this week after giving raw and personal evidence in her privacy case against Associated Newspapers Limited, the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.

Her testimony, delivered on January 26, laid bare the emotional cost of years of alleged phone hacking and unlawful information gathering, as Frost told the court there had been a “price on my head” during the height of tabloid interest in her private life. The actress is one of seven claimants, alongside figures including Prince Harry and Sir Elton John, pursuing damages in a case that continues to reopen painful questions about press conduct in Britain.

What Sadie Frost Told the Court

Frost described a period in the early 2000s when media attention felt relentless and invasive. She told the court that articles published about her marriage to Jude Law contained details she recognised from private voicemail messages. She said she felt certain journalists had accessed those messages without consent.

The most distressing moment in her evidence came when she spoke about her family. Frost recalled how her daughter, then just two, found an ecstasy tablet on the floor of Soho House, an incident that was reported repeatedly at the time. She told the judge the coverage made her ill with shame and left her feeling publicly judged while already struggling.

She also referred to a 2003 ectopic pregnancy that never became public, despite a journalist contacting her about it. Frost said she had confided in only one partner and a close friend, not even her mother. She told the court she believed the information could only have come from illicit access to her communications.

Associated Newspapers Limited strongly denies all allegations. Its legal team argues the claims rely on legitimate sources such as friends or family and says the case was brought too late under limitation rules. The publisher insists it did not hack phones or intercept voicemails and continues to contest the evidence.

How Media And Public Reaction Have Played Out

News organisations including BBC News, Reuters, Sky News and the Evening Standard reported Frost’s evidence in a largely factual tone, quoting her words directly and outlining the legal arguments on both sides. Headlines focused on her claim that the Mail had put a “price on my head” and on the visible emotion she showed while giving evidence.

Frost is one voice among several claimants, and the court has yet to test all the evidence through cross-examination. For now, the story sits in a familiar space for readers, another chapter in Britain’s long reckoning with tabloid excess.

Still, Frost’s account stands out for its clarity and pain. She told the court she was not part of any scheme, not playing any role, and not seeking attention. She said she was simply a woman whose private life became a commodity. As the trial continues toward March, her testimony has already drawn a sharp line between celebrity gossip and personal harm, even if the wider public has yet to fully engage.