Kerry Katona has spoken out to deny claims she’s “glad” her ex-husband George Kay is dead.
The former Atomic Kitten singer gave an exclusive interview to the Sunday Mirror following George’s death at the age of 39 earlier this month.
The story, published on Sunday, carried the headline “Kerry Katona: ‘I’m glad my ex George is dead - he could have killed me’”, although this has since been changed online.
Posting a photo of the article on Instagram, Kerry insisted this was not the case, claiming her words had been “completely and utterly twisted to make a headline”.
She wrote: “Let me make this very very very clear... in no way shape or form am I GLAD my husband is dead!!!! I feel my words have been completely and utterly twisted to make a headline!!! George was someone’s son, brother and daddy!”
However, Kerry did stand by accusations George had been violent during their relationship, having been granted a restraining order against him last year.
She continued: “Don’t get me wrong George put the fear of god into me and the kids and I stand by putting safeguards in to place for myself and my children! Which anyone who went through what we did would do the same! But NEVER EVER would I be GLAD someone, even more so my husband who I once loved with all my heart is dead!!!
“I did this interview wanting to touch on mental health, drug addiction and domestic abuse for men, women and children but I feel it reads completely in the wrong direction!
“My heart is broken and I am struggling to come to terms with all of this!!”
Kerry said that the fact her and George’s five-year-old daughter Dylan-Jorge would one day see the article “completely kills”.
She went on: “These last few weeks have been the most painful and difficult time for me and my children...
“Once again feel this interview really doesn’t show or read the true feelings of me and my family! No about of words can express the pain we are all in! I know he will be at peace now more so then he ever was on this earth [sic].”
Kerry and George knew each other as teenagers but began dating after meeting again in 2012.
They welcomed Dylan-Jorge in April 2014 and married five months later.
The couple split in 2015 and divorced two years later.
While George moved away from the limelight after the split, he previously spoke openly with the press about his mental and physical health issues.
In 2014, he was detained under the Mental Health Act after an incident in the street outside the home he shared with the former Atomic Kitten star.
Weeks later, he said his actions outburst was fuelled by a mixture of alcohol and pills, telling The Sun on Sunday: “I wasn’t sleeping, so I was taking sleeping pills and I’d been drinking and taking steroids. I’d been up for the best part of four days.”
Useful websites and helplines:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill.)
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email: help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0300 5000 927 (open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on www.rethink.org.