She has been unapologetically prioritising her wellbeing since splitting from fiancé Ryan Mahoney in November, revealing during an exclusive shoot with Closer that she’s just dropped two stone in six months.
And now, amid her surge in confidence, we can reveal that Kerry Katona has signed up for Celebs Go Dating, six years on from her first appearance. An insider shares, ‘Since her split from Ryan, Kerry has blossomed. She looks incredible and deserves to meet someone who will make her feel that way too. While she’s nervous to go on Celebs Go Dating, she’s told pals she’s got nothing to lose. She’s doing it for the laughs but is also hoping to meet someone.’
They continue, ‘Her life has been spent under the spotlight, so her argument is why not go dating on telly? The kids are backing her all the way. Kerry laughs that anyone she dates will have to be signed off by her children – they are better judges of character than her and have her best interests at heart.’
Former Atomic Kitten popstar Kerry, 44, dated fitness trainer Ryan, 35, for six years and had been engaged to him since 2020 before they split last year following a ‘breach of trust’. She told Closer last week that there is ‘no going back, not in a million years’, particularly after the ‘toxicity of their arguments’ slipped into her kids’ lives.
At the end of January, Kerry – who has five children, Molly, 23, and Lilly-Sue, 22, with Brian McFadden, Heidi, who turns 18 next week, and Maxwell, 16, with Mark Croft, and 10-year-old Dylan-Jorge with the late George Kay – sparked romance rumours with celebrity chef Jameson Stocks after they spent the weekend together. However, a representative for Kerry insisted that she and Jameson, who previously dated Jo Wood, were ‘just friends’.
Thrice-married Kerry has been unlucky in love. Her first marriage to former Westlife hitmaker Brian ended in 2004 after two years, and he admitted to cheating on his then wife-to-be on his stag do. Kerry then wed taxi driver Mark, but their four-year marriage was plagued by allegations of infidelity on both sides, as well as claims that he ‘had an obsession with spending her money’. Then, in 2014, the mum of five tied the knot for the third time to former rugby player George, who she accused of domestic abuse, claiming that he would beat her.
But our source says that despite her past heartache, Kerry knows what she wants and Celebs Go Dating is a way of moving forward. ‘Kerry has no plans to sit on the shelf gathering dust. A man is not a priority, she isn’t in need, but she is up for a mingle,’ the insider says.
‘She says she is happy just her and the kids, but a man would be a cherry on top. She’s not got time for swiping – she’s quite old-fashioned. It’s about chemistry and most importantly someone that makes her laugh. Laughter is the best medicine, and she could do with an injection of that.’