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Kerry Katona (born 6 September 1980) is an English television personality and former singer. She was an original member of the Pop music girl group Atomic Kitten between 1998 and 2001, leaving as the group's success peaked. Katona has appeared on various reality television shows, including I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here (2004), Celebrity Big Brother (2011), Dancing on Ice (2011), and Celebs on the Farm (2021), as well as her own documentary series about her life on MTV UK.
She was quickly replaced by former Precious singer Jenny Frost and their debut album was re-released with the new vocalist. With Frost, "Whole Again" reached number one in 18 other countries, and the group had four number one singles in UK, two number one albums and estimated sales of 10 million records.
In 2011 she was a contestant on Dancing on Ice Series 6 and Celebrity Big Brother 8, finishing in second place.
In 2021, Katona starred in some more reality shows, including , Fame in the Family, Celeb Cooking School and Celebs on the Farm, which she won. In 2022, she became co-host of the Wheel of Misfortune podcast alongside comedian Alison Spittle.
Like her mother Sue, Katona was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2005. On 19 July 2007, Katona was admitted to the Priory Hospital with a mental health crisis. Katona also has dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Katona is a patron of The Shannon Bradshaw Trust, a Warrington-based charity which helps children with life-threatening conditions.
On 8 May 2019, Brighton Magistrates' Court ordered Katona to pay a £500 fine after the school attendance rate of one of her children had fallen below 50% in 2018, but her solicitor argued that Katona did not have childcare and had to take the child to work with her.
2002–2012: Reality shows
In 2002, Katona presented the ITV's dating show ElimiDate and appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank. In 2004, she won the third series of the British reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. She also appeared as judge on the RTÉ talent show You're a Star. In 2005 Katona starred her own reality show, My Fair Kerry, on ITV. "Showbands" IMDB. Retrieved 17 May 2009 From 2007 to 2010, she starred in five more reality shows on MTV UK about her life, rehab and bipolar disorder: Kerry Katona: Crazy in Love (2007), Kerry Katona: Whole Again (2008), Kerry Katona: What's The Problem? (2009), Kerry Katona: Coming Clean (2010) and Kerry Katona: The Next Chapter (2010). In 2009, she also attempted to become a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother 7 but she failed the required psychological tests.
2013–present: Atomic Kitten return and new reality shows
In 2013 Katona reunited with Liz McClarnon and Natasha Hamilton to reform Atomic Kitten for the reality show The Big Reunion, along with five other pop groups of their time – 911, Honeyz, B*Witched, Five and Liberty X. After the show, they officially reunited and toured for four years. In 2017 Katona left the group again when she got drunk and hit Hamilton after a performance in Australia. In 2019, Katona appeared in the sixth series of E4 reality series Celebs Go Dating.
Personal life
From 2002 to 2004, Katona was married to singer Brian McFadden and they had two daughters. In 2005, she started dating taxi driver Mark Croft, whom she married on 14 February 2007 and had two children. In her autobiography, Still Standing, Katona said she met Croft when she was supplying cocaine to her mother. They divorced in 2011. On 14 September 2014, Katona married former rugby league player George Kay and had her fifth child. On 7 October 2015, Katona announced their separation after he allegedly assaulted her at their home in Crowborough and was subsequently arrested by police. Kay died on 5 July 2019 after an overdose. Despite not living in the United States, Katona endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 US Presidential Election.
Health and drugs abuse
Since 2004, Katona has been in rehab many times for cocaine and alcohol abuse, according to her autobiography, Still Standing. In 2009, Iceland Foods and Asda supermarkets broke a long-standing €290,000 advertising campaigns deal with Katona after photographs appeared in the tabloids, allegedly showing her taking cocaine in a bathroom. In 2024, Katona publicly discussed undergoing reconstructive surgery to repair a nasal septum perforation and collapse caused by years of cocaine use, with cartilage from her rib used to rebuild her nose.
Legal issues
On 15 July 2007, Katona, Croft, and their infant daughter Heidi were held hostage, when three men forcibly entered their home in Wilmslow, one of them holding Katona at knife-point while the others forced Croft to show them where valuables were kept. Katona held captive by armed gang. BBC News. Retrieved 16 July 2007. Nobody was physically harmed, but the men left with a blue BMW and other valuables with an estimated total value between £100,000 and £150,000. On 21 August 2008, Katona was declared bankrupt at the High Court in London after failing to pay the final £82,000 of a £417,000 tax bill. On 2 July 2013, Katona filed for bankruptcy again at County Court in Wigan.
Filmography
Television
2002 ElimiDate Presenter You're a Star Judge 2004 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Contestant; winner Series 3 2005 My Fair Kerry Herself ITV's reality show 2007 Kerry Katona: Crazy in Love MTV UK's reality show 2008 Kerry Katona: Whole Again 2009 Kerry Katona: What's The Problem? 2010 Kerry Katona: Coming Clean Kerry Katona: The Next Chapter 2011 Dancing on Ice Contestant Series 6 Celebrity Big Brother Series 8 2013 The Big Reunion Herself 2019 Celebs Go Dating Contestant Series 6 2021 Celebs on the Farm Series 3 2022 Fame in the Family Celeb Cooking School 2023 The Big Celebrity Detox
Bibliography
External links
Categories: 1980 Births, Living People, Atomic Kitten Members, English Autobiographers, English Child Singers, English Women Pop Singers, British People Of Hungarian Descent, English Television Personalities, English Television Presenters, English Women Novelists, I'm A Celebrity...get Me Out Of Here! Winners, People With Bipolar Disorder, People With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Musicians From Warrington, English Women Columnists, 20th-century English Women Singers, 20th-century English Singers, 21st-century English Women Singers, 21st-century English Singers, Musicians With Dyslexia, Onlyfans Creators, English People With Disabilities
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