The messy love triangle involving Nollywood actor Yul Edochie, his second wife Judy Austin, and her ex-husband Emmanuel Obasi has exploded again.
Obasi, in a new interview on the podcast 'The Honest Bunch', alleged that Austin and Yul's relationship started long before it became public in 2022 — while she was still married to him.
He claimed that whenever Yul appeared on TV, Austin would lose focus. She'd praise the actor, saying his voice reminded her of her uncle, Chinedu. Obasi said he initially didn't think much of it.
But things escalated. According to Obasi, Austin came home one day from school and told him she had met Yul. She reportedly relayed what Yul had said to her — that she was wasting her time with Obasi, and that a beautiful woman like her belonged with celebrities like Genevieve Nnaji and Omotola Jalade Ekeinde.
Obasi also alleged that Yul offered to become a family friend and help him financially, but he refused.
“I have four pieces of evidence showing that they were dating under my roof,” Obasi said on the podcast.
He had previously pleaded with the public to help locate his two children, whom he said Austin took when she left him. He also said he regretted financing her university education.
Judy Austin responded on Tuesday with a video on her Instagram page. She denied ever having a relationship with Yul while married to Obasi.
“I met Yul Edochie three years after my marriage ended,” she said. “I met Yul Edochie on a movie set in 2016 for the very first time, and up till that time, I had had no interest, even in acting.”
She called the allegations lies and accused Obasi of being paid to destroy her name. She announced that she would sue him.
“You didn't give me my name, and you won't be able to destroy it,” she said. “All the lies you've paraded against me and my family, you'll defend in court.”
The controversy first erupted in 2022 when Yul Edochie announced that Austin was his second wife, sparking a public crisis with his first wife, May Edochie.
Yul is the son of veteran actor Pete Edochie. He and May have children together. The actor hasn't publicly responded to the latest allegations.
“Any smart and learned person who listens to this podcast will see and hear how he's contradicting himself in everything he said. That's because everything he said is a lie.” — Judy Austin
Obasi, for his part, insists he's telling the truth. He's called on Yul to release his children, though Austin has questioned why he'd ask Yul if he doesn't even know where they are.
This story keeps delivering new twists. The courts may now have the final say.