Hugh Hefner fires back at Playmate's mansion 'misery' claim

Holly Madison says life inside the Playboy Mansion wasn't as fun as it's made out to be. Photo/Getty

Hugh Hefner has accused former girlfriend and Playboy Playmate Holly Madison of trying to "rewrite history".

The Playboy founder has hit back at his former girlfriend after she claimed in her new autobiography that she was verbally and emotionally abused while living in the Playboy Mansion.

She claimed the 89-year-old media mogul - whose legendary house was in severe disrepair - thrived on conflict between his lovers.

Hefner told Us Weekly magazine: "Over the course of my life I've had more than my fair share of romantic relationships with wonderful women.

"Many moved on to live happy, healthy and productive lives, and I'm pleased to say remain dear friends today.

"Sadly, there are a few who have chosen to rewrite history in an attempt to stay in the spotlight.

"I guess, as the old saying goes: You can't win 'em all."

Despite the adult entertainment tycoon - who married third wife Crystal Harris in 2012 - denying Holly's allegations, she insists she is telling the truth.

The 35-year-old beauty - who split from Hefner in 2008 and now has a two-year-old daughter, Rainbow, with husband Pasquale Rotella - said: "I realised I wasn't treated well.

"I'm done being afraid of people. I don't have any loyalty to Hef. I haven't talked to him in four years, so there's no reason to reach out now. Besides, it's the truth."

Writing in her memoir Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny, Madison claimed she thought about suicide, saying: "I just couldn't take my misery anymore.

"Of course my family would be devastated, but I rarely saw them enough for my absence to make a difference...

"Maybe it was the pot and the alcohol, but drowning myself seemed like the logical way to escape the ridiculous life I was leading."

Madison felt that of the 89-year-old media mogul's other six girlfriends, only her friend Bridget Marquardt would have been saddened by her death.

In extracts from the book obtained by People magazine, Madison - who has two-year-old daughter Rainbow with husband Pasquale Rotella - insisted her life was not as "incredibly glamorous" as it seemed and was very different to what she had expected as an aspiring model.

She said: "Everyone thinks that the infamous metal gate was meant to keep people out. But I grew to feel it was meant to lock me in."

In further extracts, Madison claims Hefner offered her drugs when they first met in 2001.

Holly Madison has claimed that Hugh Hefner offered her drugs when they first met when she was working as Hooters waitress in 2001.

'"Would you like a Quaalude?" Hef asked, leaning toward me with a bunch of large horse pills in his hand'."

Madison refused, and she claims Hefner replied: "Usually, I don't approve of drugs, but you know, in the '70s they used to call these pills thigh openers."

She also claims Hefner criticised her appearance, and made her feel inferior.

"You look old, hard and cheap," she claims he once said.

- Bang! Showbiz