Personal Life
On 31 August 2001, Katona gave birth to Molly Marie McFadden, daughter of former Westlife star Brian McFadden. On 5 January 2002, the couple married at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Rathfeigh, County Meath, Republic of Ireland, with Katona's former Atomic Kitten colleague Natasha Hamilton as bridesmaid. The couple spent their honeymoon in Mauritius. Their second daughter, Lilly-Sue, was born on 3 February 2003. The couple separated in September 2004 and their divorce was finalised in December 2006.
On 14 February 2007, Katona married taxi driver Mark Croft in a private ceremony in Gretna Green, with two friends as witnesses. Six days later, on 20 February 2007, the couple's daughter Heidi Elizabeth Croft was delivered by Caesarean section at Macclesfield General Hospital. Six weeks premature, the baby weighed 5 lb (2,300 g).
On 15 July 2007, Katona and Croft were held hostage at their £1.5 million home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, along with their daughter Heidi. They reported that three men forcibly entered their home, one of whom held Katona at knife-point while the others forced Croft to show them where valuables were kept. Nobody was physically harmed, but the men left with a blue BMW and other valuables with an estimated total value between £100,000 – £150,000. On 19 July 2007, police found the undamaged car ten miles away on Reeves Road in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester.
On 19 July 2007, Katona was admitted to The Priory hospital suffering from bipolar disorder. Her publicist, Max Clifford, claimed she had suffered from the disorder for some time, but her symptoms were aggravated when armed robbers broke into her home.
Katona announced in late September 2007 that she was expecting her fourth child, her second with Croft. At one point, she feared that she had suffered a miscarriage but further examination found the foetus was still alive, and due in May 2008. On 30 December 2007 she announced that her fourth child would be a boy named Maxwell Mark, after Max Clifford and her husband Mark. Five weeks before the due date, and after two days of labour, she gave birth to a 5 lb 4 oz (2,400 g) baby on 11 April 2008, at 5.42 pm.
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. After losing her Iceland contract, her magazine column, and her MTV shows, Katona suffered further financial setbacks. In December 2009, she received a repossession order on her £1.5 million home, having not paid her mortgage in months.
On 13 March 2009, Katona's financial advisor Frank Cochran read a statement to the media stating that Katona and Croft had decided to divorce. On 16 March 2009, it was reported that Katona and Croft had reconciled.
On 27 August 2009, it was reported that Katona was under investigation by Cheshire Police after allegations she had assaulted her accountant, and for criminal damage and a public order offence. After being arrested and questioned, she was released on police bail until 12 October 2009, pending further enquiries.
In February 2010, the media reported that Katona had separated from Croft again after he accused her of becoming romantically involved with fitness instructor Kevin Green. Katona went on holiday to Tenerife with her youngest daughter after the split.
Katona has been criticised for smoking and drinking alcohol during her pregnancies. The Foundation for the Study of Infant Death (FSID) warned Katona that babies of smokers are up to fifteen times more likely to die from a cot death, and the British Heart Foundation also condemned Katona for smoking while pregnant. Katona defended her behaviour after these statements were made.
Appearing on 12 February 2008 edition of Channel 4's Richard & Judy show, Katona admitted that she had taken cocaine, but claimed that she had not taken any drugs for the past three years. She also claimed that the press was constantly making up stories about her and claimed that she was in the process of renewing her contract with Iceland.
When she appeared on 22 October 2008 live episode of ITV1's This Morning show, Katona's speech appeared to be slurred, prompting questions about her well-being. Katona later claimed her slurred speech was the result of having taken prescription drugs late the previous night. According to the presenters, she was angry at having been asked about it on air. In the same interview, when presenter Fern Britton asked whether her drug addiction had been replaced by an alcohol addiction, Katona rejected the suggestion.
In December 2010, Katona admitted to taking cocaine during her marriage to Croft.
Read more about this topic: Kerry Katona
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