The Only Way Is Essex star, Mario Falcone, has revealed he only messaged other girls behind his fiancée, Lucy Mecklenbugh’s back to give his ego a bit of a boost and restore his confidence!

Mario caused a hornets nest worth of storm back last year when it was revealed that he had been messaging several girls behind Lucy’s back on just about every media platform available to him, with girls still coming out of the woodwork now to link him to yet another textual affair.

Mecklenburgh was devastated when she found out, but after a brief spilt the pair put the past behind them and got back together, and then even engaged during this summer’s TOWIE special, The Only Way Is Marbs.

However, speaking in this week’s new! magazine Falcone has revealed the reason behind his act of betrayal was to boost his confidence and give his ego a little rub.

“It was never about the other girls. It was about distracting myself and the way I felt about myself.

“When everything happened with Lucy [she was pictured leaving her ex Mark Wright’s flat last September], it damaged me and my confidence.

“I’m quite confident, I’m a little bit arrogant but that happened.

“I messaged girls to get my confidence back. It was an ego boost.”

However, Falcone went on to say that these days the only person at the end of his saucy texts is Mecklenburgh herself, saying; “My Twitter [account] is on Lucy’s phone, hers is on mine. I’m not stupid enough to message a girl knowing Lucy is going to get the message on her phone.”

And when asked if he considered that the social networking site, Twitter, had been instrumental in the couple’s problems, he commented: “Yeah. We went to see McFly and Lucy was getting tweets from girls saying they were in a hotel with me.

“The funny thing was, I was with Lucy!”

But added: “If anything, it makes us stronger. We’re engaged. We’re happy. I come home to her every night.”

However, he went on to say that Lucy, who has recently admitted she is scared to take the plunge and marry the Italian heart-throb, has insisted his fiancée has gotten over the past and trusts him again, explaining: “She does. It’s common sense. She knows I’ll do a PA and then come straight home. She’s not stupid.”

And Mario says that he now trusts her completely too.

He added: “Of course, 100 per cent. I think she was naive and immature but now she’s moved in with me and she’s grown up.”

Read the full story in this week’s new! magazine – out today.

The Only way Is Essex can be seen Sunday and Wednesday nights at 10pm on ITV2/ITV2 HD.