Kerry Katona has shared that her mum needs to move into “assisted living” following a significant fall. The 45-year-old star revealed that she is having important discussions with her mum, Sue, because the former Atomic Kitten singer cannot provide care for her at all times.
She wrote in her new! magazine column: “I did have to take time out [this week] to check on my mum, as she had a really bad fall. “Thankfully she’s OK, but we are trying to get her to agree to assisted living because I can’t be with her all the time and she needs more hands-on help.”
Kerry is a mum-of-five, as she has Molly, 23, and Lilly-Sue, 22, with first husband Brian McFadden; Heidi, 18, and Max, 17, with Mark Croft, and daughter DJ, 11, from her marriage to George Kay. She is currently dating Paolo Margaglione after they met on reality series Celebs Go Dating, and her children are getting on well with his two daughters.
She said: “This week I’ve been super busy touring but I did have a day with Paolo and the kids – my lot and his two girls – which was lovely.
“I love spending time with his girls, it’s such a nice feeling to have little ones around again.
“We’ve blended our families together seamlessly and everything fits into place perfectly.”
The Atomic Kitten star split from her ex-fiancé Ryan Mahoney after six years last November.
She recently acknowledged the “big age gap” with her new man, who is 34, but she insisted they have a special “connection.”
During an appearance on the Suddenly Single podcast, Kerry said: “The guy I’m with now [Paolo], there’s 11 years between us. It’s a big age gap, and it’s not something I’ve deliberately gone for.
“If someone matches that energy and you have that connection, where every atom in your body goes on fire … I’ve never had that. It’s like being sucker punched in the stomach. I’ve got it now.
“I hope it works, but even if it doesn’t, I’ll never forget this feeling. You see me falling in love [on Celebs Go Dating]. Even if this ends tomorrow, I don’t think I’ll have a feeling like this ever again.
“I get really emotional because it scares me. He gets me flowers all the time. I got back from Marbella and there was this big spread of beautiful roses saying, ‘Welcome home, beautiful.’ I don’t need big diamonds, it’s the thought that means more.”
In May 2024, Kerry briefly moved back in with her mum while she was recovering from an operation on her nose.
She said at the time: “I want to say a massive thank you to my mum, who has been my rock during the last couple of weeks. I’ve been staying at hers and she’s really looked after me. If I’m honest, I’ve felt more lonely than ever during my recovery.
“Ryan was away getting a tattoo in London when I went into hospital and I haven’t seen him since my surgery over a week ago.
“That upset me, because it made me feel unsupported and I could have done with the emotional support.
“I’m always the ‘strong mum’ in our house and this week I really wanted to be looked after and have him here, but I had my mum instead.”