While she’s had a recent spell of explosive drama and backlash, Ferne McCann appeared to brush it all off last week as she frolicked on a sun-soaked beach in Marbella with fiancé Lorri Haines and their children from previous relationships.
Packing on the PDAs with her beau, Ferne McCann, 32, grinned from ear-to-ear as she enjoyed what she called a “much-needed break” following an explosive fallout with her childhood pal Sam Faiers – which has left her reputation in tatters.
And pals say Ferne – mum to daughter, Sunday, five – looks amazing as she’s stepped up her workouts and has been rigid with her nutrition plan in a bid to get her body ready for another pregnancy.
The source says, “Ferne has really been taking care of herself recently – watching what she eats and doings loads of regular but gentle exercise. She wants her body to be in the best shape possible to get pregnant again and have another baby.
“She’s been open about wanting more kids for a while, but all the recent drama has pushed her more towards getting pregnant as soon as possible. She thinks it would be something happy and exciting for her and everyone else to focus on.”
Ferne – who got engaged to real estate agent Lorri in July after just seven months of dating – has spoken out about wanting more children a lot over the years. She told Closer in September, before the scandal exploded, “I’d love for Sunday to have a sibling – I really want a baby now, I’m so ready. But do you know what, every baby is a miracle, and it will happen when it’s meant to be.”
She’s also said her dream is for her daughter to have a “proper family” – as Sunday’s father Arthur Collins is in jail for 20 years for committing a horrific acid attack when Ferne was just a few weeks pregnant.
As well as being caught up in that scandal in 2017, Ferne also hit the headlines in September after shocking voice notes emerged. A voice sounding remarkably like Ferne’s was heard branding her former TOWIE co-star a “narcissistic b**ch” and a “fat c***”. The comments were reportedly made just a month after Sam, 31, gave birth to her third child, Edward, in May.
And insiders now say that Ferne has accelerated her plans to get pregnant in a bid to detract from the backlash she faced and give her a new focus.
The source says, “Ferne has understandably been in a low place in recent weeks – she had a very real fear that the career she’s worked so hard to build could all be over. But she’s been channelling her anxiety and stress into working out and taking care of her body, to not only feel better but to get in the best shape possible to get pregnant.
“She’s been making home-cooked, nutritious meals and cutting down on booze. Ferne’s been keeping as active as possible, and she’s also been doing a load of yoga and meditation to deal with the stress of it all. She’s made her health her main priority in recent weeks.”
The reality star faced an onslaught of backlash over the voice notes – with many calling for her to be dropped from brand deals with nutrition brand Herbalife, a company which champions body positivity and confidence.
She took a hiatus from social media and interviews for a few weeks as the drama rumbled on, but returned to Instagram after her victory on Celeb SAS: Who Dares Wins was aired – where she said she had gotten the confidence to “confront difficulties in [her] life and move forward”.
And as the star continues to pick up the pieces from the fat-shaming drama, insiders say she’s now hoping that a pregnancy would help save her career.
The source says, “While Ferne knows having another baby isn’t going to magically erase the past, she’s hoping that it will help give her the platform to change people’s perceptions of her and see how much she’s grown over the past few months. There are also loads of career opportunities as an influencer when you’re pregnant – new brands to work with, the possibility of a baby range, and it would also mean another great series of her reality show.
“She thought of her trip as a babymoon and is thinking an imminent pregnancy will help her both personally and professionally. She can’t change what’s happened between her and Sam, but she can control her future. Right now that’s focusing on Sunday and growing their little family so she can finally have her happily ever after.”
