Mark Morriss, frontman of the Britpop band The Bluetones, has been accused of years of abuse by his ex-wife, Anna Wharton, in a detailed blog
post titled “If I’m Lying, Come Sue Me.” In the post, Wharton alleges that Morriss engaged in years of emotional manipulation, gaslighting,
and infidelity, calling him a “pathological liar and serial predator.” The accusations also include claims of physical abuse, with Wharton
revealing that Morriss was cautioned by police for an incident where he allegedly throttled her. The Bluetones, who gained prominence in the
1990s with hits such as “Slight Return” and “Cut Some Rug,” disbanded in 2011 after releasing their final album, A New Athens. They reformed
in 2015 and continued to tour. Morriss also pursued a solo career and collaborated with other artists, including Matt Berry and Billy Reeves.
In her blog post, Wharton writes that she had kept her ex-husband’s identity private for years but felt compelled to speak out to protect other
women. She claims that Morriss repeatedly misrepresented her, spreading false narratives that she was mentally unstable and
manipulative. Wharton also describes how Morriss allegedly engaged in relationships with multiple women, including fans he met at
concerts, while concealing the truth from each of them. Wharton’s post includes testimonies from other women who reported similar
experiences with Morriss, some of whom claim to have been involved with him simultaneously without their knowledge. One woman, who
reached out to Wharton after reading the post, described feeling manipulated and ashamed of her brief involvement with Morriss.
When approached for comment, Morriss categorically denied the allegations. In a statement to NME, he said, “I completely refute
all the allegations of abuse raised in this article,”adding that he did not wish to comment further. However, in an interview with The Guardian,
Morriss acknowledged his personal mistakes but rejected the claims of abuse, stating, “These allegations of abuse and gaslighting are wholly
untrue, and I refute them completely.” He did express regret over his actions, admitting that “in many ways, all this coming to light is a great
relief,” and offered an apology to those affected by his behavior. In the blog post, Wharton also criticizes the music industry for enabling
Morriss’s alleged actions, claiming that both band members and fans were complicit in allowing his behavior to go unchecked. She
emphasized the need for accountability, writing, “The industry is complicit in the abuse of women…they don’t care about our pain, or the pain of our children, as long as they get free gig tickets.”
Wharton concluded by stating that while the women affected by Morriss’s actions would eventually heal, he would remain unchanged, describing him as a “malignant narcissist.”