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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Alan Johnson

Kerry Katona reveals she couldn't afford kids' school uniforms amid bankruptcy woes

Kerry Katona has spoken candidly about not being able to afford her own children's school uniforms in the past, as kids break up for their summer holidays across the country this week.

The mother-of-five has twice been declared bankrupt - in 2008 after failing to pay a tax bill, and again five years later.

Speaking on the Sun's Dear Deidrie podcast, the former Atomic Kitten star admitted she was even forced to sell her vintage jukebox during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 in order to make ends meet.

"I couldn’t afford to pay my rent. I thought, 'Oh my God, how am I going to feed the kids?'" she said.

Kerry went on to reveal it was actually somewhat of a blessing in disguise as it weeded out the 'rats' in her life.

"There's a stigma that comes with debt. Just like little rats, they all just disappeared," she explained.

She added that she had suicidal thoughts at the height of her problems - a time she was receiving little support from friends.

"There’s been times when I've been ­wanting to drive my car off a bridge because I think, 'How am I going to clothe these five kids?' I understand the anxiety over money."

Since Covid-19 hit, however, Kerry, mother to Molly, 20, Lilly-Sue, 19, Heidi, 15, Max, 14, and Dylan-Jorge, eight has managed to completely turn her life around.

She is said to be making a sizeable income from her Only Fans content.

The star's financial woes appear to be firmly behind her now - at least if her new motor is anything to go by.

The former face of Iceland took delivery of a new lime green £170,000 Lamborghini earlier this month, telling fans she was "so proud" of her and fiancé Ryan Mahoney for making the purchase.

"This isn't about bragging," she stated. "You've all seen my story. You've all seen my at my lowest, where I could have died, I should have died.

"I took loads of drugs...I can't believe I'm alive.

"At the start of the pandemic, I thought 'how am I going to feed me kids', just like everybody else."

However, seemingly concerned about bragging claims regarding the sports car, Kerry pointed out she never posts pics of the other car she owns, revealing she remembers what it's like to stay in a refuge when she was nine.

"We had no Christmas presents, no furniture, but then the refuge dropped off a bag of second-hand stuff and I was eternally grateful," she said.

"Now look what we've received."

Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct at 0207 29 33033.

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