Katie Price and Kerry Katona have shared a famous friendship and an equally famous feud over the past two decades.
The former glamour model, 45, and the Atomic Kitten singer, 43, initially grew close while in the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! jungle in 2004.
The two TV personalities formed a tight bond and even asked each other to be a bridesmaid during two of their combined six weddings.
However, their friendship fell apart in 2007, after Katie called Kerry a ‘druggie’ and the pair embarked on a bitter and public war of words.
During their falling out, both women suffered plenty of drama and heartbreaks before finally managing to bury the hatchet, partly thanks to the bond between their children.
With their friendship back on track, the pals have had each other’s backs and even rang in the New Year together.
Now Kerry has helped a bankrupt Katie bag a role in an upcoming Cinderella pantomime, where they play the Ugly Sisters together.
MailOnline takes a look back on the duo’s friendship over the past 20 years, from their initial bond and subsequent public spats, to their reconciliation.
Katie Price and Kerry Katona have shared a famous friendship and an equally famous feud over the past two decades (pictured together)
The former glamour model, 45, and the Atomic Kitten singer, 43, initially grew close while in the I’m A Celebrity …Get Me Out of Here! jungle in 2004 (pictured)
MailOnline takes a look back on the duo’s friendship over the past 20 years, from their initial bond and subsequent public spats, to their reconciliation (pictured in 2016)
Kerry and Katie first formed a close friendship back in 2004, when they appeared on the third series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
Katie, who memorably began a relationship with Peter Andre in the jungle, came in fifth place while Kerry won the show.
When Katie and Peter went on to tie the knot in 2005, Kerry supported her pal on her big day as one of her bridesmaids.
However, the pair then famously fell out in 2007 when Katie called Kerry a ‘druggie’ and accused her husband at the time, Mark Croft, of being ‘a bully’.
They did not speak for months, until Kerry revealed that Katie had apologised for her comments and they have called a truce.
In December she said: ‘She apologised for what she’s said about Mark in the past. She also said she’d like to give him a second chance.
‘Well I’ve been waiting for an apology for ages. What upset me most was her calling us both druggies on TV. It’d be nice for us all to go on a night out so she realises we’re not.’
However, by February 2008 the two had reignited their feud once more, after Kerry commented on allegations made by Katie’s former nanny about her employer’s abilities as a mum.
Kerry and Katie first formed a close friendship on the third series of I’m A Celebrity, where Katie, who memorably began a relationship with Peter Andre in the jungle, came in fifth place and Kerry won the show (pictured)
When Katie and Peter went on to tie the knot in 2005, Kerry supported her pal on her big day as one of her bridesmaids (Katie and Peter pictured at wedding)
The glamour model was enraged and told OK!: ‘[Kerry] said that bad stories about me should bring me down a peg or two.
‘I thought that was really unnecessary because I’ve not been saying anything bad about her, and she’s been nice about me recently.’
Hitting back with a dig of her own, Katie added: ‘I wasn’t invited to Kerry’s baby shower but I don’t care. Maybe it was her bipolar medicine.’
Following Katie and Peter’s split in 2009, Kerry took her revenge by getting very cosy with the Mysterious Girl singer and going on playdates with their kids.
While both insisted they were just pals, Kerry said he would be her ‘ideal’ boyfriend, after they joined the same management company.
Speaking to OK! in May 2010 about possible boyfriends, she said: ‘Pete is the ideal candidate. He’s my sweetheart and it’s nice to know I’m not on my own.
‘I can see why women love Pete. He’s the perfect guy to take home to your mum, he’s everything a girl needs.’
She also told how her children think the singer is ‘great’, adding: ‘They love him — and his music, I took them to one of his shows, he was wonderful with them.
However, the pair then famously fell out in 2007 when Katie called Kerry a ‘druggie’ and accused her husband at the time, Mark Croft, of being ‘a bully’ (Kerry and Mark pictured in 2008)
By February 2008 the two had reignited their feud once more, after Kerry commented on allegations made by Katie’s former nanny about her employer’s abilities as a mum (Katie pictured with kids Princess and Junior)
Following Katie and Peter’s split in 2009, Kerry took her revenge by getting very cosy with the Mysterious Girl singer and calling him her ‘ideal’ boyfriend (pictured together in 2004)
‘Hopefully when Pete’s got a free weekend we can take the kids to the beach together.
‘I can see all this appeal with me and Pete. I feel like he’s the only single bloke I know.’
Their closeness reportedly infuriated Katie, but later that year it was alleged that Kerry was hoping to reconcile their friendship.
A source told the Daily Star: ‘Kerry wants to meet up with Katie and talk things through. She thinks they have both been through similar experiences over the last few years and should stick together.
‘They’re both from broken homes, both have had children with men who’ve left them and both have had a lot of stick from the press.
‘Kerry became a hate figure and Jordan is the same after her split from Peter Andre. They’ve had to be hard and look after themselves.
‘Kerry thinks that, rather than slagging each other off, they should make friends.’
Kerry and Mark eventually divorced in 2011, after a relationship marred by cheating allegations from both parties and claims he had an ‘obsession with spending her money,’ that contributed to her bankruptcy.
Kerry went on to admit to her drug abuse and crippling addiction, saying her marriage to drug dealer Mark was ‘about cocaine’.
Kerry and Mark eventually divorced in 2011, and she went on to admit to her drug abuse and crippling addiction, saying her marriage to drug dealer Mark was ‘about cocaine’ (pictured together in 2009)
In the wake of the split, Kerry buried the hatchet with Katie again, later admitting that her friend had been ‘right’ when she called her out (pictured in 2014)
In the wake of the split, Kerry buried the hatchet with Katie again, later admitting that her friend had been ‘right’ when she called her out.
She said: ‘I was in denial. I didn’t realise I had an addiction myself. No matter your closest friends… Kate said ‘he’s no good for you, you’re becoming basically a druggie’.
‘So I started slagging her off. Until you can see it yourself and you’re ready to get help, no one could tell me, until you can see it for yourself.’
The pair became so close that Kerry invited Katie to be her bridesmaid at her wedding to her next husband George Kay, in September 2014.
However, Katie pulled out of her official duties last minute because she couldn’t get into the size eight bridesmaid dress, after giving birth to daughter Bunny six weeks earlier.
Instead, she attended the ceremony as a guest, with a source telling The Sun at the time: ‘Kerry was disappointed, but wasn’t going to let it ruin her day’.
They added that Katie was still displeased about wearing her own outfit and ‘had a face on her like a bulldog chewing a wasp’.
Kerry opened up about the incident in her autobiography, Kerry Katona: Whole Again – Love, Life and Me, in 2022.
The pair became so close that Kerry invited Katie to be her bridesmaid at her wedding to her next husband George Kay, in September 2014 (pictured with George in 2015)
However, Katie pulled out of her official duties last minute because she couldn’t get into the size eight bridesmaid dress, after giving birth to daughter Bunny six weeks earlier (pictured in 2014)
She admitted that she was far from impressed when Katie ‘left her in the lurch’ the morning of her wedding, but that she understood.
She wrote: ‘The morning wasn’t without its issues. Katie Price was supposed to be a bridesmaid but she pulled out as I was getting ready. She still came to the wedding, she just wasn’t part of the bridal party.
‘I can’t remember now what the issue was, something about her dress not being right I think. She’d just had her daughter Bunny though, and that was probably part of the reason.
‘I wasn’t best pleased. I was probably a bit of a bridezilla anyway, so I felt pretty pissed off, but Danielle [Brown] sat me down and gave me the pep talk I needed.’
But the BFFs seemed to still be on track, appearing together in Instagram posts and at football matches, before making joint appearances on Loose Women, where Katie gushed that the pair had a ‘true friendship’ .
She added: ‘I might not see Kerry all the time, but if she’s ever in trouble or you need a decent friend’s voice, not someone who is just going to say what you want to hear.’
It was reported that the duo had become inseparable once again now they both lived in Sussex and had both suffered heartbreaks, with Katie’s husband Kieran Hayler cheating on her and Kerry divorcing George after he assaulted her.
In November 2017, a source told The Sun: ‘Kerry and Katie drifted apart after their time in the jungle but have always kept in touch in a very loose way.
‘Now Katie had her drama with Kieran and Kerry with George they have really become close again.
But the BFFs seemed to still be on track, appearing together in Instagram posts and at football matches (pictured in 2017)
They made several joint appearances on Loose Women, where Katie gushed that the pair had a ‘true friendship’ (pictured on show in 2016)
It was reported that the duo had become inseparable once again now they both lived in Sussex and had both suffered heartbreaks, with Katie’s husband Kieran Hayler cheating on her and Kerry divorcing George after he assaulted her (pictured in 2018)
‘They both live near each other in Sussex so it’s easy for them to see each other and they have become a regular fixture in each other’s lives again.’
Despite the former foes becoming best pals once again, rumours of their war of words rising again still swirled.
In September 2019, Katie was reportedly ‘furious’ with her friend, after the Atomic Kitten star said Katie had ‘crossed the line’ with her latest cosmetic surgeries.
Writing in her New! magazine column, Kerry warned the mother-of-five that she needs to be ‘careful’ and admitted she believes the star looks ‘weird’.
At the time Katie had displayed the results of one of her many plastic surgery sprees, after undergoing yet another face and eye lift, a breast reduction and a bum lift reversal in Turkey.
In an attempt to give her a more youthful-looking visage, surgeons made incisions by her ears, and photos after the procedure showed the star sporting painful looking wounds and stitching at the base of her ears.
Kerry admitted she was worried when she saw gruesome images of her pal after going under the knife once again.
She penned: ‘Seeing pictures of my friend Katie Price after her recent surgery was pretty awful. Those wounds!
In September 2019, Katie was reportedly ‘furious’ with her friend, after the Atomic Kitten star said Katie had ‘crossed the line’ with her latest cosmetic surgeries (Katie pictured in 2019)
Kerry admitted she was worried when she saw gruesome images of her pal after going under the knife once again (pictured)
‘Her ears look really big. I imagine they’re swollen from where the face gets pulled up, but, that said, the last time I saw her they looked weird.’
Proving her concern comes from a good place, she added: ‘I love Kate to bits but I think she’s crossed the line. She’s beautiful but she’s clearly got terrible insecurities. She needs to be careful now.’
But The Sun reported that Katie felt as though she has been ‘stabbed in the back’ by her friend and sees her word as hypocritical as Kerry has also been open about having had multiple cosmetic surgeries in the past.
A source said: ‘Katie is upset that Kerry commented publicly about her recent surgery rather than pick up the phone or message her.
‘She’s actually feeling furious and p***ed off about the whole thing because she thinks Kerry has stabbed her in the back.
‘She views it a bit like ‘pot kettle black’. Kerry’s had just as many procedures and Katie’s never talked badly about her.
‘Katie says Kerry should know better and feels like yet another friend has let her down because they were quick to go around talking about her for their own airtime.’
However, Kerry denied that the pair had fallen out and said they were still ‘great friends’ while insisting that ‘nothing could destroy their friendship’.
However, Kerry denied that the pair had fallen out and said they were still ‘great friends’ while insisting that ‘nothing could destroy their friendship’ (pictured in 2004)
In her column, she wrote: ‘Katie called me up straight away to assure me she never said she was upset. She told me she loves me, she misses me, that we’re indestructible and nothing could destroy our friendship.
‘We’re planning on meeting up in a few weeks when I’m sure we’ll have a good laugh about the rumours. The bottom line is, me and Kate are great friends.
‘There’s no big fallout. We’ve always been brutally honest with each other and we both know how this industry works.’
The duo made sure to squash the feud rumours once and for all by filming a video together, poking fun at the speculation.
Celebrating Kerry’s birthday, they sat eating kebabs as Katie said: ‘I’ve got something to tell you I’m sick to death of you stabbing me in the back.’
Kerry shot back: ‘Well Kate, your face looked awful’.
After Katie asked how much surgery she’s had, Kerry then joked: ‘Well only because I want to look like you, I just copy you.’
Katie replied: ‘Well I can get you discount anyway. Anyway it’s your birthday today have a slice of cake.’
The two TV personalities have stayed close, with their daughters even forming a strong friendship of their own, which had been credited with keeping their mothers’ bond going (Princess and Heidi pictured with Kerry)
Katie’s daughter Princess, 16, and Kerry’s daughter Heidi, 17, have been best friends since birth and have brought Kerry and Katie back together many times
She then hit out at the rumours and said: ‘All you who said she stabbed me in the back over surgery are so wrong. They won’t ever get between us. You’re wrong again! Try again!’
The two TV personalities have stayed close, with their daughters even forming a strong friendship of their own, which had been credited with keeping their mothers’ bond going.
Katie’s daughter Princess, 16, and Kerry’s daughter Heidi, 17, have been best friends since birth and have brought Kerry and Katie back together many times.
After appearing on The Voice Kids in 2020, Heidi opened up about their friendship, saying they were like sisters.
She told New magazine: ‘We are best friends. Like, when I got through on The Voice Kids, I was told not to tell anyone, but I did tell Princess and this boy called Blake from my school. They’re the two friends who are always there for me.’
She continued: ‘We’ve actually been friends since I was in my mum’s tummy. Mum and Kate did a belly shoot together. Princess’s name on my phone is “Sister From Another Mister”.’
Heidi described her mum and Katie as ‘murder together’, adding: ‘They’re always laughing and messing around and singing. But it’s nice and I feel like because Kate and my mum are so close, me and Princess are so close.’
Kerry was there for the star in August 2021, when Katie was hospitalised herself after being assaulted by her then fiancé Carl Woods (pictured with Carl)
While both enjoy having a laugh together, Katie and Kerry have also supported each other through tough times.
In July 2020, Kerry looked after Princess while Katie’s son Harvey was in intensive care with a fever and breathing issues.
And she was there for the star in August 2021, when Katie was hospitalised herself after being assaulted by her then fiancé Carl Woods.
Katie revealed bruising to her face and was treated for a suspected jaw fracture and a split eye, while Carl was arrested on suspicion of assault and later charged with using threatening behaviour.
Throwing her public support behind her pal, Kerry wrote in her New column that she had reached out to her.
She penned: ‘What happened to Katie Price is devastating and I want to send her lots of love. The thought of anyone laying a hand on her – whether it’s a man or woman – makes me so sad.
‘Katie has always been there for me when I’ve been in a difficult situation and she knows I’m here for her now, and I’ve reached out to her. Everyone is rallying around her and supporting her.’
However, the pair still took subtle swipes at each other over the next few years, suggesting their bond wasn’t always so steadfast.
However, the pair still took subtle swipes at each other over the next few years, suggesting their bond wasn’t always so steadfast (Kerry pictured)
The singer also mocked her pal for all her public scandals and her infamous relationship with ex-husband Peter (Katie and Peter in 2009)
Kerry complained that Katie wouldn’t answer her calls and that she speaks to Princess more than her mum.
She admitted: ‘I find it hard to get in touch with Katie – she’s a nightmare to get hold of. Heidi and Princess are always FaceTiming, so I speak to Princess more than I speak to Katie.’
In February 2022, she even quipped that Katie only got in touch with her to get her advice about OnlyFans.
The mother-of-five has raked in thousands on the adult subscription site, with Katie then following in her footsteps.
Appearing on Steph’s Packed Lunch, Kerry was asked whether she was ever asked to give advice to her friends.
She replied: ‘The last person that asked me for advice – and the only time she ever gets in touch – is Katie and that’s when she started asking about her over 18 subscription thing.’
She went on: ‘And that’s it, it’s the only ever time you hear off Kate. I don’t know why because she’s the queen of glamour.’
The next month she made a subtle dig at Katie again, writing: ‘I saw some pictures of my pal Katie Price in her bikini while on holiday in Thailand, and I must admit, her boobs are not my cup of tea.
After it was reported that she had taken a swipe at Kerry over their supposed OnlyFans rivalry, she took to Instagram to declare they would be ‘friends forever’ (pictured in 2004)
‘Back in the 90s, big boobs were the thing, but for me, the itty bitty titty club is the way forward.’
Further confirming that the pair had drifted apart, in October that year Kerry told the Daily Star: ‘People have this impression that me and Katie are like bosom buddies.
‘I live up north she lives down south. I have no idea what goes in her life. We may send the odd text every now and then but that’s about it.’
The singer also mocked her pal for all her public scandals and her infamous relationship with ex-husband Peter.
Speaking with Keith Lemon and Lucie Cave on their podcast Back Then When, Kerry declared herself the ‘bounce back queen’ before adding: ‘Who’s had more chances than me? I was going to say Katie Price, but they’re over.’
Discussing their meeting and Katie and Peter’s blossoming romance in the I’m A Celeb jungle, Kerry went on: ‘I saw it all, it was very cringeworthy. I knew they were going to do it.
‘I haven’t got a clue [why I won] because y’know we had Pete in there and Kate was there. And it was their storyline.’
Speculation that the friendship had soured grew over recent years, until Katie shut down the rumours last February.
After it was reported that she had taken a swipe at Kerry over their supposed OnlyFans rivalry, she took to Instagram to declare they would be ‘friends forever’.
She wrote: ‘Me and @kerrykatona7 will be friends forever nobody will tarnish our friendship, we will always support each other and if we really need help we are there for each other. All these bulls**t stories. Ps Kerry thanks for getting me into onlyfans we still have it.’
Kerry backed her up in her New! magazine column, saying: ‘Sorry, but Katie has said nothing bad about me and there’s no swipe at all.
‘There’s nothing wrong with it. It was actually a nice response – she also said I had been trying to get her on OnlyFans for ages, which is true, and that she was pleased that I did!
‘I would never say anything bad about Kate and she would never bad-mouth me.’
With their bond going from strength to strength ever since, the pals soon rang in the New Year together, showing their former enmity had been put to bed.
They shared posts to Instagram of them celebrating together with Princess and Heidi, with Katie saying she was ‘spending new year with my longest bestie ever’.
While Kerry shared a selfie with Katie and wrote: ‘Doesn’t get better than this!! @katieprice @lils.mc happy 2024!!!
‘We might not see each other for a year or two but we’re always there for each others, no matter what!’
With their bond going from strength to strength ever since, the pals soon rang in the New Year together, showing their former enmity had been put to bed (pictured)
Kerry also told OK! that their teenage daughters encouraged them to spend more time together and that the two girls even wanted to copy their famous mums and go into the jungle.
She said: ‘Our kids get along so well and it made me realise we need to meet up more often. It has been 20 years since we did I’m a Celeb, so the girls were asking us about that and saying they’d like to do it too.’
That same month, Kerry was said to have vowed to help Katie ‘turn her life around’ following her split from fiancé Carl.
A source told Closer magazine: ‘In the past, when she’s been single, Katie has been known to go a bit wild as a bit of a coping mechanism, so pals are hoping she won’t be heading into trouble again.
‘Kerry has really been encouraging Katie to slow down a bit and look after herself.’
The insider added: ‘Katie leans quite heavily on Kerry for support and guidance, and Kerry wants to help Katie continue to turn her life around this year.
‘Katie had some low moments in 2023 and it’s heartbreaking that she doesn’t seem able to move on.’
It was claimed Kerry would be ‘blunt, honest and candid’ with Katie if she feels she needs to be to keep her on the right track, with the source insisting: ‘Kerry doesn’t take any rubbish.’
That same month, Kerry was said to have vowed to help Katie ‘turn her life around’ following her split from fiancé Carl (pictured with Katie)
So when Katie moved on with Married At First Sight star JJ Slater, Kerry didn’t hesitate to give her seal of approval and voiced her joy that her friend had found love again (Katie pictured with JJ)
So when Katie moved on with Married At First Sight star JJ Slater, Kerry didn’t hesitate to give her seal of approval and voiced her joy that her friend had found love again.
After finally declaring Katie was his ‘girlfriend’ following a whole host of of loved-up snaps on Instagram, JJ, 31, said it would have been ‘ideal’ if she had been the one he was matched with on the E4 reality show, as it would have ‘saved a lot of time’.
In her column for OK!, Kerry gushed: ‘It was lovely to hear JJ Slater’s comments about Katie Price – she finally deserves some happiness!
‘JJ said he would have saved a lot of time if Katie had walked down the aisle when he was on Married At First Sight. I don’t know if marriage is on the cards just yet, but they have said that the L word has been used.
‘It looks like JJ’s treating her nicely and it’s what she deserves. Katie helped me through some tough times, so it’s great to see her happy again.’
And now the pair are teaming up together to play the Ugly Sisters in a pantomime production of Cinderella.
Katie revealed that her longtime pal of over two decades was also the one who helped her secure the part – helping out with her current financial issues.
Announcing the news on her podcast The Katie Price Show on Thursday, she said: ‘I’ve signed up to another Panto! Cinderella! I’ve signed up for Cinderella and I’m one of the Ugly Sisters – and guess who is the Ugly Sister I’m doing it with? It’s Kerry Katona!’
And now the pair are teaming up together to play the Ugly Sisters in a pantomime production of Cinderella. Katie revealed that Kerry was also the one who helped her secure the part – helping out with her current financial issues after she was declared bankrupt for a second time
She explained: ‘So Kerry got me the gig because she has been working with them for six years and she was like, “Why don’t you come and do this panto?”
‘And she said it was for the Ugly Sisters and I said, “Oh are we ugly then?” and she said we can still be really pretty.
‘And we can sing and I said, “Well I can sing better than you Kerry.” Because we have known each other 22 years even before she was in Atomic Kitten and the jungle.
‘So we know each other well and we can have innuendos and stuff on stage and little digs so it will be good to do that this year with her.’
The names of the Ugly Stepsisters are Anastasia and Drizella in the original version of the Cinderella story by Charles Perrault.
The new job opportunity comes just at the right time for Katie as she has been declared bankrupt for a second time after failing to pay over £750,000 in unpaid tax – and will now face losing her home unless HMRC can recover the money.
It is the second bankruptcy faced by the star as she is being chased by creditors for a £3.2million payment over the failure of her company Jordan Trading Ltd, which sold perfume and cosmetics before going bust in 2019.
