Kerry Katona and her fiancé Ryan Mahoney were snapped on a sunshine break in Spain last week, and it appeared at times things were tense between them.
In Closer’s exclusive pics, the couple were seen rowing in public before making up and larking around.
And sources have revealed that there is an underlying issue that causes the ongoing rows.
“Spain was supposed to be a chance to clear the air. But the trip still ended up causing more frictions. One of the big problems is that Kerry doesn’t switch off and actually enjoy her holidays, she spends too much time focussed on work. Ryan will tell her he’s not on holiday to stare at her head leant over her phone all day! He sometimes ends up feeling like he’s the bottom of the list of what’s important to her and they often row about it.”
Kerry and Ryan have been engaged for four years but have yet to walk down the aisle. And it seems the various arguments and tension have left Kezza feeling worried about making the commitment – especially as she’s been burnt in the past.
The insider adds, “The idea that marriage is for life has failed over and over for Kerry. She still wants to marry Ryan but she’s scared that marriage doesn’t bring that happy ending – to her, it’s more of a fairytale than reality. She’s realistic about everything and asks herself if there’s any point in taking things further when it’s only setting her up for failure.
“It’s a view that’s formed after years of betrayal. Kerry has become so independent in coping that she puts walls up and that’s no easy ride for Ryan. She can be so headstrong and self-sufficient but he knows that ultimately she has a heart of gold.”
After joining dating app Bumble at the suggestion of pal Danielle Brown, Kerry matched with Ryan, 35, in 2018 and they began dating. Following two years together, Ryan proposed whilst the pair were on holiday in Spain as part of her 40th birthday celebrations.
Although they’ve been in no rush to get married, earlier this year Kerry suggested that they might head to Las Vegas and elope, so as not to bother with the extravagance of a wedding. However, at the behest of her two eldest children – Molly, 22, and Lilly, 21, who she shares with first husband Brian, 44 – those plans were cancelled as they wanted their mum to hold her nuptials in a more traditional venue.
But despite calling off their Vegas wedding and recent rumours of a split – with Kerry admitting on Abbey Clancy’s podcast Exhibit A last week, “I fight like cat and dog with my fiancé… but that’s normal” and being spotted without her engagement ring earlier this year – insiders suggest the pair are now stronger than ever.
“After a wobbly patch, Kerry realised that she was the one pushing Ryan away,” they explain. “Kerry admitted that she would rather cut her nose off to spite her face than go through another failed marriage, and in a funny way she was almost resenting Ryan for wanting to marry her.
“The Las Vegas wedding’s off as it was a bad idea – her kids were right – there’s no rush, but marriage is very much on the cards and they will do it as a family with their closest friends. The Vegas idea was a knee jerk, ‘Let’s do it and not overthink it’, but in reality, Kerry does over think everything.”
All of the former Atomic Kitten star’s fears surrounding tying the knot for a fourth time stem from her previous problematic marriages. Speaking about her first marriage to singer Brian McFadden – which began in 2002 after two years of dating – Kerry admitted to Abbey, “We were just babies and fell madly in love. Then I fell pregnant with Molly when I was 20. I didn’t want to be rich and famous, I wanted to be a mum and a wife. That was my dream. That’s what I wanted more than anything. So when I got pregnant that was it and I gave it all up and moved to Ireland and got fat.”
The pair eventually split in 2004 and, despite sharing daughters Heidi and Lilly, have remained on bad terms ever since. Kerry shared, “We don’t speak. Last time we spoke was at Molly’s 21st – it was the first time our children had seen us in the same room together.
“In Brian’s defence – there is no defence – but we were babies, we didn’t know what we were doing. But I was absolutely devastated.”
The I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 2004 winner went on to date Mark, 53, in 2005. Two years later, Kerry tied the knot with the taxi driver and welcomed daughter Heidi, 17, and son Max, 16, with him. In 2011 however, Mark filed for divorce when Kerry cheated on him with a married man. Kerry has since called her affair, “the best thing I ever did”.
Kerry also opened up about her third marriage to George – which lasted from 2014-2015 – on Exhibit A saying, “I wanted to help him. He was a big man, but he was a softie with me. And every girl loves a bad boy. I was definitely the love of George’s life. One million per cent.”
Their relationship was hugely problematic, with Kerry calling the former rugby player “controlling” and an “abuser” in the years since. Despite that, Kerry welcomed daughter Dylan-Jorge with George – who passed away from a drug overdose in 2019 aged just 39 – in 2014.
But regardless of everything that she’s been through in her previous marriages, Kerry has admitted that she’s still a romantic at heart even though she’s nervous to make it official with Ryan.
She told Abbey, “It doesn’t put me off love, but it does put me off marriage. I’ve been engaged for four years, normally I’m talking to divorce lawyers at this point and I’ve popped two kids out.
“Ryan is eight years younger than me! I can still pull them! He went from being a bachelor to being a full-blown stepdad. Six years down the line and we’re still together by the skin of our teeth!”
The insider says, “Kerry has had enough husbands to know that Ryan is the one for her – married or not. He listens to her and lets her be herself. Not many men are happy in the shadows of a famous wife, but he is and that, for her, is everything.
“Ryan is steady and capable. He’s been the most loyal of the bunch and has proved his worth by supporting Kerry in every way. No relationship is perfect, but he accepts Kerry and all her faults. Kerry needs to find a place to trust in love and realise that not all people turn toxic. She has said she will marry Ryan, it’s just she’s scared of being broken again.”