Woman in Sex Tape with Hulk Hogan Fights Back Tears in Deposition at Trial: 'I Didn't Know I Was Being Recorded'

The woman in the Hulk Hogan sex tape testified Wednesday at Hogan’s trial via a videotaped deposition from 2015, saying she didn’t know the pair was being recorded and that she later asked for the tape to be destroyed, according to reports.

Heather Cole, the ex-wife of “Bubba the Love Sponge” Clem – the man who recorded the sex tape at issue in Hogan’s invasion of privacy trial against Gawker Media – said she had sex with Hogan several times at Clem’s behest, and that she was upset when he showed her the infamous tape, CNN reports.

“I was shown the video,” Cole said, fighting back tears. “I immediately asked for it to stop.”

Cole said she didn’t know she was being recorded having sex with Hogan, and that as far as she knew, Hogan didn’t either.

She also said she was “embarrassed” by a 2012 press conference that Hogan and his attorneys held after he filed suit against Gawker, adding: “I didn’t want this to be anything. I wanted it to go away.”

Cole said she didn’t leak the video to Gawker, and doesn’t know who did, ABC News reports. She also said that in her opinion, Hogan is someone who likes publicity.

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The former wrestler, whose legal name is Terry Bollea, is suing Gawker Media for $100 million for posting a clip from the sex tape. Hogan, 62, claims his privacy was violated when Gawker posted the clip. Gawker has said it thought the clip was newsworthy, and that the company is protected by the First Amendment in posting it.

Gawker’s lawyers had hoped to get Clem to testify, but he exercised his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination Wednesday and won’t be taking the stand, reports the Tampa Bay Times.

Gawker claims Clem at one point told FBI investigators that he, Cole and Hogan all knew the sexual encounter was being filmed. Gawker had also wanted to question Clem about whether he conspired with Hogan to release the sex tape.