Nude pic hell of Alan Carr’s ex as ‘professional blackmailer’ threatens to share intimate snaps – read the horror texts

PAUL Drayton’s phone lights up with an unassuming message from an unknown number – and within minutes his blood runs cold. Paul, the ex-husband of TV’s Alan Carr, is presented with his own intimate snaps staring back at him – and a terrifying demand. Paul was with Alan for 13 years before they split in 2022 Credit: Splash News Paul was targeted by an anonymous blackmailer who stole his intimate pictures Credit: The Sun An anoymous blackmailer is ordering he pay out £4,000 to make the snaps go away. But not wanting to cave into the cruel scammers, instead Paul bravely decides to take matters into his own hands. Paul – a comedian and actor, who was with funnyman Alan for 13 years – takes to his Instagram and shares the pictures, and texts, himself with his 26,000 followers. Defiantly, the 54-year-old tells his fans he had “nothing to hide” – and reports his ordeal to the police. Now, speaking for the first time about the horror – Paul tells The Sun he believes he was targeted by a ruthless cyber-extortionist. He says the scammer was demanding payment of $5,000 in either cryptocurrency or iTunes gift vouchers. The blackmailer threatened to release intimate photos of Paul Credit: The Sun The scammer created multiple WhatsApp accounts and contacted Paul’s personal number Credit: The Sun In a vile string of texts – revealed in full for the first time – the blackmailer threatened to release the intimate photos he had shared on gay dating app Grindr. But brave Paul decided to beat the scammer to the punch – sharing the photos and messages himself in a warning to fans. And in an exclusive interview with The Sun, Paul tells how the shocking cyber-attack unfolded. Paul, who lives in Horsham, West Sussex, explains that he thought he was taking safety precautions when sending the private snaps. “I always send expiring photos and you can’t screenshot them either. “But the blackmailer must have known I was sending them and got another device and took a picture of the phone”, he says. “Everything he did suggested this guy was a professional scammer.” The ordeal left the actor deeply shaken as the blackmailer rapidly escalated their demands across social media platforms and messaging apps. “When I first got a message and those pictures, my blood ran cold, it’s like your nervous system goes into high alert,” Paul explains. Paul Drayton (left) and his now-ex Alan Carr in 2017 Credit: PA Paul and Alan were married for 13 years before their split “I think I’ve been in survival mode for many, many years for whatever reason. “And that’s why I’m having therapy at the minute to kind of get back, to calm myself down again because of everything that I’d gone through in the last five to ten years.” Detailing the extortion attempts, Paul recalls: “This guy says I can either buy cryptocurrency or I can go and buy $5,000 worth of iTunes vouchers. “I say, ‘well, I don’t want $5,000 worth of iTunes vouchers’. “And he was like, ‘well, it’s for me’. I was like, ‘you must listen to a lot of bloody music’.” The scammer went to extreme lengths, setting up multiple WhatsApp accounts and contacting Paul’s personal phone number using fake profile photos of a handsome man with his shirt off. “The lengths that these people go to to find out information on you, it’s unreal,” Paul says. “It really is scary thinking that people are spying on you. Obviously I’ve got a public Instagram account… but you still have to be careful.” The blackmailer even tried to weaponise personal tragedies to rattle Paul, including reading about his late father online. In a cruel jibe he suggested Paul didn’t care about his dad’s death and loved his dog more. Paul fumes: “That really fired me up. “Because anybody who knows me, and even on Instagram, I lost my father in January, and it was sudden, and even when I think about it now, I get choked up because I love both my parents so much, and for him to turn around and say that, you know, it’s very upsetting.” Despite reporting the case to West Sussex Police, Paul refused to be bowed by the cyber-bully’s threats or feel any sense of shame over his private life. Paul told the scammer he wasn’t ashamed and to share the photos Credit: The Sun The incident has left Paul shaken as the scammer’s demands escalated Credit: The Sun “I’ve posted things of me in the past, I’m not ashamed of my body, I don’t really care,” he declares. “And so I said, you know, if you want to post them, feel free, but don’t forget to mention the book.” Paul reported the blackmail to West Sussex Police and was interviewed by officers. The force is investigating. A spokesman for Sussex Police told The Sun: “We can confirm we are aware of this allegation and have engaged with the informant.” The disturbing cyber-attack comes as Paul works tirelessly to rebuild his life following his high-profile split from TV’s Chatty Man. Paul was married to comedy superstar Alan, 50, for three years after dating for more than a decade. The pair famously tied the knot in 2018 in pop icon Adele’s back garden, but called time on their 13-year relationship in January 2022 following Paul’s well-documented battle with alcoholism. Paul was asked to buy cryptocurrency or iTunes vouchers Credit: The Sun The scammer wanted Paul to part with $5,000 Credit: The Sun Paul said the lengths that scammers go to to find out information is ‘unreal’ Credit: The Sun Paul believes the blackmailer was a professional scammer Credit: The Sun Reflecting on their current relationship, Paul – who is now sober and battling his demons – reveals he has had to completely cut contact with his comedian ex for his own peace of mind. “We had, you know, a relationship that we would still have a little bit of banter on the phone and we’d exchange things we saw on Instagram, a funny reel or something, or comments,” he says. “But then it got to a point where I realised that it wasn’t good for my mental health. “And so I decided to block all contact from him.” Now, Paul is stepping out of his famous ex’s shadow, signing with a new acting agent, and carving out his own future with his candid new book, Ride – Or Die Trying. Opening up about living in his ex-husband’s shadow, Paul confesses: “I’ve been in Alan’s shadow for many years and, you know, I am my independent own person and I kind of feel like I was overlooked quite a lot of times. “The book’s not all about my relationship with Alan, but it’s about my life and how, you know, I’ve faced rejection and being misunderstood for many, many years. “Being married to a famous comedian, you expect jokes to be made. “But being on the receiving end of it, bit by bit it chips away at you. “And when it was so public, you know, it hurts.” “I want to come out as my own man, I don’t want to be known as Alan Carr’s alcoholic ex-husband anymore. “I’m trying to break free.” Determined to succeed as a performer on his own merits, Paul added: “I’ve just signed with a new acting agent last year, a small agency. “I’ve auditioned for a couple of pantomimes, which I absolutely love. “So that’s what I’m trying to do now, just build my profile up and let people get people to see me for who I really am.” Paul’s book Ride – Or Die Trying: A life before, during and after the laughter, is available to buy on Amazon. Paul says all profits from sales of his book will be distributed among several dog rescue charities.