Kerry Katona facts for kids

Kerry Katona (born 6 September 1980) is an English television personality and singer. She was a founding member of the pop girl group Atomic Kitten from 1998 to 2001. Kerry has appeared on many reality television shows. These include I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here (2004), Celebrity Big Brother (2011), and Dancing on Ice (2011). She also had her own TV series about her life on MTV UK.

Early Life and Background

Growing Up in Warrington

Kerry Katona was born on 6 September 1980 in Warrington, Cheshire, England. Her maternal grandfather was Hungarian. He moved to London from Budapest during the Second World War.

School Days and Early Work

As a child, Kerry lived with different foster families. She attended eight different schools. She left school when she was 16 years old. After leaving school, she worked as a model for magazines like New!, Now, and Star.

Career Highlights

Starting with Atomic Kitten (1998–2001)

In 1998, Kerry auditioned for a new girl group. This group was created by OMD frontman Andy McCluskey. Kerry was chosen along with Liz McClarnon and Heidi Range. Natasha Hamilton later replaced Heidi Range in 1999. The group became known as Atomic Kitten.

Their first song, "Right Now", came out on 29 November 1999. It reached number 10 in the UK music charts. After this, the group released more songs. Their first album reached number 29.

Leaving Atomic Kitten

Atomic Kitten's record label thought about dropping them. However, they decided to let the group release "Whole Again". Kerry filmed the music video for this song. But she left the group two days before the song was released. This was because she was expecting a baby.

Jenny Frost quickly joined the group to replace Kerry. With Jenny, "Whole Again" became a number one hit in 18 other countries. Atomic Kitten went on to have four number one songs in the UK. They also had two number one albums. The group sold an estimated 10 million records.

Becoming a Reality TV Star (2002–2012)

In 2002, Kerry hosted the ITV dating show ElimiDate. She also appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank. In 2004, she won the third series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. She was also a judge on the RTÉ talent show You're a Star.

Her Own TV Shows

In 2005, Kerry starred in her own reality show called My Fair Kerry on ITV. From 2007 to 2010, she had five more reality shows on MTV UK. These shows explored her life and her journey with bipolar disorder. The shows included Kerry Katona: Crazy in Love (2007), Kerry Katona: Whole Again (2008), Kerry Katona: What's The Problem? (2009), Kerry Katona: Coming Clean (2010), and Kerry Katona: The Next Chapter (2010).

More Reality Show Appearances

In 2011, Kerry was a contestant on Dancing on Ice Series 6. She also competed on Celebrity Big Brother 8, where she finished in second place.

Atomic Kitten Reunion and New Shows (2013–Present)

In 2013, Kerry reunited with Liz McClarnon and Natasha Hamilton. They reformed Atomic Kitten for the reality show The Big Reunion. This show brought together several pop groups from their era. After the show, Atomic Kitten officially returned and toured for four years. In 2017, Kerry left the group again.

Recent TV Appearances

In 2019, Kerry appeared in the sixth series of the E4 reality show Celebs Go Dating. In 2021, she starred in more reality shows. These included Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Fame in the Family, and Celeb Cooking School. She also won Celebs on the Farm that year. In 2022, she became a co-host of the Wheel of Misfortune podcast with comedian Alison Spittle.

Personal Life and Well-being

Family Life

Kerry Katona was married to singer Brian McFadden from 2002 to 2004. They have two daughters together. In 2005, she started dating Mark Croft. They married on 14 February 2007 and had two children. They divorced in 2011.

On 14 September 2014, Kerry married former rugby league player George Kay. They had her fifth child. They separated on 7 October 2015. George Kay passed away on 5 July 2019.

Health and Support

Kerry was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2005. She has also shared that she has dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Kerry is a supporter of The Shannon Bradshaw Trust. This is a Warrington-based charity that helps children with serious health conditions.

Television Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Kerry Katona para niños