Kerry Katona opens up to Jackie Brambles on Greatest Hits Radio

The former Atomic Kitten spoke about writing her new biography, finding fame and her own mental health struggles.

Appearing on Jackie’s show this evening from her holiday in Turkey, Kerry spoke candidly about her latest memoir Whole Again – Love, Life and Me: My Story. It details her violent marriage to third husband, George Kay, who passed away in 2019 following a history of mental health issues and drug abuse.

Jackie asked Kerry why she felt she had to write this book: “It’s for domestic awareness abuse,” she answered. “I was in a really violent relationship with my third husband George, who sadly passed away three years ago, and it’s just a tale of strength, resilience and hope.”

Kerry has previously published two other autobiographies but says this one was the most difficult book she’s written and was traumatised by it. She’s had to get therapy because of it and is still having it.

Continuing, Kerry admitted: “I thought it would be therapeutic, but it hasn’t been – halfway through I thought ‘I can’t do this anymore, I’m done’. I felt I can’t put it out there because there’s such a sense of shame and guilt with abuse but in the end, I thought if it helps just one person then it’s been worth doing.”

She says it’s annoying ‘being put in a box’ being from a council estate, having had a certain kind of upbringing, the fact she’s a woman and a mother means she’s judged differently.

“For instance, I applaud Ant McPartlin’s recovery. I think he’s doing amazing, and I love Ant & Dec, I think they’re great,” she said. “But Ant had his own issues, when he crashed his car, it was a big, big story yet eight months later he’s winning awards and it’s all forgotten about.

“How many years later and we’re still talking about it with me,” Kerry said, referring to the time she was interviewed on This Morning where she was accused of being drunk on air.

Recalling her fame when she was with Atomic Kitten, Kerry said: “That very first time you hear your song in the charts, you see yourself on the telly, in the papers or in a magazine and people start shouting your name – that for me was amazing, that climb. Doing all the rubbish gigs, in clubs where people throw bottles at you, and no one knows who you are.

“We did a Southeast Asia tour for six weeks and we all ended up in hospital we were so knackered. We worked so hard but the climb for me was amazing just when you get there it’s not what I expected.”

Even though the band went on to do big things after Kerry had left, she wasn’t bitter about it or jealous: “Well maybe just a little bit,” she joked, “but they went on to do so much more than I ever imagined, and I was so proud of them.

“Even though I was only there for a minute the fame just stuck with me and my personal life took over more than anything. It’s been a long run – 26 years now – but its only in the last ten years that I’ve been able to use that fame to my advantage and not let it bother me,” she added.

You can the whole interview of Kerry Katona speaking to Jackie Brambles on the Greatest Hits Radio app and website.