Mark Owen has said he is "deeply sorry" after admitting a string of affairs behind his wife's back.

The 38-year-old singer acknowledged the "pain" he had caused to his wife and friends through his flings with as many as 10 women.

In a confession to The Sun, the Take That star said he had seen a number of women over the years during his relationship, and said in a statement: "I'm so deeply sorry for the pain my actions have caused my family and friends - I'd like to ask the media to please respect the privacy of my wife and children during this difficult time."

Mark and his wife Emma, who have two children, married only last October but have been an item for five years.

One of the affairs, with accounts manager Neva Hanley, went on for more than four years and Mark revealed they spent their final night together in a London hotel only a month before his marriage.

Mark admitted he had been "an idiot" and said: "It's about me, my mistakes. Nobody else is to blame."

The rest of the group are said to have known nothing about his long-term fling with Ms Hanley, whom he met at Preston railway station.

Mark said the one-off flings were due to his drinking, but he has now stopped and has been faithful since he and Emma were married.

"On many levels it was a fresh start and that was how I was looking at it," he said in the interview.

Oldham-born Owen has a three-year-old son Elwood and daughter Willow Rose, who is one. He broke the news of his infidelity to his wife at their London home on Wednesday.