Rumors on Lockhart banished
Author J.K. Rowling said she has based a few characters in her successful childrens books on real people, and admitted that Lockhart happened to be one of them. She's been known to say this about him, "It made up for having to endure him for two solid years."
However, finally her spokesman has spoken out about all these 'reporters' making such accusations, that the character was based on her ex-husband.

Her spokesman says, "Rowling categorically said she did not base Gilderoy on her ex-husband. She said she did base him on a real person, but not her ex-husband. It's not a lover, just somebody she knew in her past."

So hopefully this will put all those rumors to rest now; and of course, this is why this site never put such reports in here.
I guess that's why they say, "Don't believe everything you hear." ;)