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Chrissie Swan Admits To Smoking While Pregnant

Swan at the 2012 Logie Awards/Getty

After being photographed smoking a cigarette while pregnant with her third child, Australian TV personality Chrissie Swan emotionally confessed she has "struggled terribly with totally giving up cigarettes since I found out I was pregnant" during a segment on her Melbourne radio show Chrissie and Jane this morning.

"Up until about six years ago I was what you call a full-time smoker. I really gave it a nudge in my 20s, as a lot of us did," the former host of The Circle said. "Then I met 'the Chippie' (husband Chris) who has never smoked and I cut back a lot...Then I got pregnant with Leo and I quit completely for a couple of years, which was fantastic."

"Now sadly, I picked it up about a year ago and I was what I would call a 'not really smoker'. I never smoked at home and I never smoked around my family. I'd just sneak a few here and there and I know I'm not alone in this. Mainly I would do it in the car, in fact, I would only do it in the car when I was certain that I was alone," Swan admitted.

After discovering she was pregnant for the third time six months ago, Swan said she "tried to go cold turkey like I did with Leo and I was confident that I could do it, but I couldn't do it," Swan confessed about her unhealthy habit. I just failed and failed, time after time. I'd win for a few days then I would have one."

Swan's confession comes just days after paparazzi photographed the pregnant star "having a sneaky cigarette." Begging they "not write the story" of her secret shame "because I know how bad it looks," Swan decided to come clean. "It is bad. And I also told them it was a deeply shameful secret no one knows...not my mum, not my best friend, not my partner."

"Obviously I know it's wrong, I'm not an idiot. No smoker wants to smoke, especially when they're pregnant but it is clearly an addiction and a very serious one," Swan said."I'm devoted to my children. I would never do anything to harm them and yet, here I am having five cigarettes and justifying it. It's madness, I cannot explain it.''

Speaking on his long-time client's behalf, Swan's manager, David Wilson, issued a statement in support of Swan following the scandal: "Chrissie is horrified and heartbroken she couldn't find the strength to quit whilst pregnant. Addiction is serious and smoking is an incredibly difficult habit to kick. These past few days have galvanised Chrissie's commitment to take the steps needed to stop it once and for all with the full support of those she loves and love her."