Shape magazine’s editor-in-chief apologized in an email to readers for featuring homewrecker LeAnn Rimes on its October cover, acknowledging it was a “terrible mistake.”

Some readers were upset that Shape Magazine seemed to glorify LeAnn Rimes who admitted to cheating on ex-husband Dean Sheremet with then-married “CSI” Eddie Cibrian. The Cover Story was titled “LeAnn Rimes: How Working Out Saved Me.”

This is the email that the magazine’s editor-in-chief, Valerie Latona sent to those who expressed outrage over the cover:

Subject: To my dear Shape readers

You are all in good company (why I’m e-mailing you all together) as you all agree Shape has made a terrible mistake in putting LeAnn Rimes on the cover.

Please know that our putting her on the cover was not meant to put a husband-stealer on a pedestal-but to show (through her story) how we all are human. And this woman in particular found strength in exercise in what she said was her most difficult personal moment.

But it did not come across that way … And for that I’m terribly sorry.

I hope that we can do better the next time for those of you that will give us another chance.

Humbly,

Valerie

Valerie Latona has denied this story telling USA Today that her words were twisted around. This is what Valerie had to say:

My comments have been taken out of context. I used the words of the few unhappy readers who wrote in.

I stand by the fact that LeAnn’s story is compelling–and her courage and strength in the face of so much adversity is compelling. That is why I put her on the cover of Shape for what is now the third time.

The fact is a mere 40 readers out of almost 6 million readers wrote in to complain calling LeAnn a “husband stealer” and a “terrible mistake for Shape”. I wrote to those women apologizing that our cover choice did not make them happy—as I have done for other cover stars in the past.”

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