Kerry Katona has claimed Heidi Range left girl group Atomic Kitten after a fight with bandmate Liz McClarnon.
The reality star, 41, has opened up about Heidi's sudden exit from the group, saying: "I think one of them slapped the other."
Atomic Kitten formed in Liverpool in 1998, with Kerry the original member, and would go on to have hits such as Whole Again, Ladies' Night and It's Okay.
Heidi, now 38, later joined Sugababes, contributing to hits such as Hole in the Head and About you Now.
Speaking on The Jay Hutton show, Kerry revealed there were arguments before the group had even signed to a record deal, following Heidi and Liz being selected during auditions.
She said: "I was in the band for two and half months on my own and then we held auditions.
"I picked Liz and Heidi Range - who was in the Sugababes. And Heidi and Liz they didn't get on. I think one of them slapped the other, something like that. And Heidi wanted to go solo."
After Heidi's departure, Natasha Hamilton joined the group.
Kerry said initially she wasn't a fan of Natasha but after two weeks she "fell madly in love with her", adding "I thought 'this girl is absolutely great.'"
Soon after the group got a record deal.
Kerry, a mum of five, left the group after three years, following a number of top five singles, due to her pregnancy. She was replaced by Jenny Frost.
The 41-year-old rejoined the group in 2013 for the ITV show The Big Reunion, which they starred in alongside other bands from their era such as Blazin' Squad. Kerry left Atomic Kitten again in 2017.
In the same interview, The I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! star said her boobs saved her from going bankrupt for a third time - and she's "grateful" for them.
Kerry started selling exclusive racy snaps on OnlyFans during the coronavirus lockdown in May 2020 as she couldn't afford to pay her rent.
Fast forward to 2022, the mum-of-five has earned herself a £1million fortune as her subscription-only page took off and the money started coming in.
Now almost two years later, the reality star claims her boobs are what made her a millionaire once again after she was close to being bankrupt.
She told Jay: "I've always been a grafter, I've always had my own money. I've never met anybody like me, to be honest!
"Someone who's been on every side of the coin - go into bankruptcy, become a millionaire, go into bankruptcy and become a millionaire again. Who does that?"
Tattoo Fixers star Jay asked if she was in a good position now, to which she replied: "That's down to OnlyFans and these babies! I'm so grateful for these, but I want to go a bit smaller.
"I was on the verge of going into my third bankruptcy at the first lockdown, it was so tough. I just thought, 'I'm gonna start an OnlyFans account' and I'm so glad that I did."
