Katie Price is UK showbiz’s great survivor – but can she overcome her latest chaos?
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Katie Price is known for her dramatic life in the media. She has been making headlines for nearly three decades, from her brief singing career to her extravagant wedding. The model and reality TV star is now caught up in a new chaotic episode. On July 30th, a warrant was issued for Price's arrest when she didn't show up to a court hearing about her unpaid taxes. This is the second time she has been declared bankrupt.
Price was actually out of the country, supposedly working on a documentary about cosmetic procedures - in Istanbul, which is known as Europe's primary location for plastic surgery. She has since released a strong statement on Instagram, stating that she is not avoiding her problems. Despite the many stories trying to shame her for her personal issues, she says she is not embarrassed or ashamed. She takes ownership of her situation and is doing her best to resolve it and make things right. However, on Thursday evening (8 August), she was detained at Heathrow Airport and taken into custody at a police station in west London.
It's very different from the high point of her career in the mid-2000s when she was making around £40 million from her successful businesses in fashion, fitness DVDs, and books. In fact, her novel Crystal was so popular that it outsold all the books on the Booker Prize shortlist in 2007.
This ongoing situation seems to have all the characteristics of a media storm focused on Price: financial difficulties, the looming possibility of legal issues, and plastic surgery. It has given more fuel to those who criticize her. If you look at the entertainment section of any British tabloid’s website right now, you will likely see headlines shouting about Price’s "SIXTH facelift" or the condition of her so-called "mucky mansion" (her home in Sussex, which the tabloids portray as constantly deteriorating, similar to Miss Havisham’s house in the heat magazine version). However, the model previously known as Jordan has a history of overcoming these challenging times: stories about her "rise and fall" have been written repeatedly, but she always manages to defy them. Price is known as the ultimate survivor of British showbiz: it is no wonder her motto is "never underestimate the Pricey".
Price has been in the public eye for most of her adult life. She first started by sending photos to a modeling agency and then was featured in a newspaper called The Sun in 1996, when she was only 18 years old. She needed a catchy name to go along with the photos, so she and her agent decided on Jordan instead of Katie. She became well-known for appearing in magazines aimed at young men and for getting multiple breast augmentation surgeries. She was a popular model known for her glamorous image, despite the controversies surrounding her personal life and relationships with other celebrities. Even when she wasn't posing in revealing photoshoots, she was always making headlines in the media.
The beginning of her many changes happened in 2004, when she decided to join the third season of the reality show I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! While in the Australian jungle, she crossed paths with Peter Andre, who at the time was only known for his music video where he sang "Mysterious Girl" under a waterfall. The audience watched as the two fell in love, and they were embraced with open arms. The persona of "Jordan" was replaced by the more relatable "Katie", who showed a humorous, vulnerable, and genuine side as a devoted single mother. Her son Harvey, who was born partially blind in 2002 and has Prader-Willi syndrome, has been mostly raised by Price alone as his father, footballer Dwight Yorke, has not been involved in his life.
The couple got married in a beautiful ceremony at Highclere Castle in Hampshire, which is now most famous for being the filming location for Downton Abbey. Price arrived in a pink carriage pulled by white horses. Their relationship was featured in many reality shows during the mid-Noughties. If you were watching ITV2 during that time, you would likely come across a show about Katie & Peter, following their journey from wedding planning to becoming parents of two children, Junior and Princess. They were so popular that even Kim Kardashian, before her global fame, was excited to see them on her flight home from NYC in 2009.
The phrase "reality TV" should be viewed with skepticism, but these shows were known for being more authentic. The couple didn't hide their stressful family moments; when they broke up in 2009, it was reported that they would still share their lives on separate shows (Price's show was called What Katie Did Next). Just like their relationship was a subject of public interest, so was their break-up, with every little detail being discussed in entertainment magazines and TV interviews.
During this time, Price was able to show that she is a versatile woman in the world of entertainment (Price is a significant figure in the online celebration of the UK's camp-adjacent female celebrities). She lent her name to various products like perfumes, bedding, and underwear. She even tried to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest and released a cover of "A Whole New World" from the movie Aladdin with Andre. As an experienced equestrian, she launched a line of riding clothes (including bright pink horse leg warmers) because she was tired of the bland options available on the market. An interview with Price in the Guardian was titled: "Who wants to be a billionaire? Katie Price does – and she might even achieve it."
Her books were very successful. Her first memoir, "Being Jordan," made £4.7 million in sales in 2004. This led to a big publishing deal with Random House. Her first novel, "Angel," was published in 2006. It told the story of a young model who falls in love with a member of a boy band. The Evening Standard reviewer was surprised to find it genuinely funny and easy to read. "Angel" sold 300,000 copies in six weeks. Her next book, "Crystal," was also a bestseller. The British public was clearly interested in her, even if they didn't want to admit it.
The people of Britain were obviously captivated by her, even if they were reluctant to acknowledge it.
After her public breakup with Andre, Price's personal life became more chaotic. She had a brief marriage to cage fighter Alex Reid in 2010, followed by another marriage to Kieran Hayler, who was sometimes a stripper, three years later. The second marriage fell apart when Price found out that Hayler had cheated on her with one of her close friends. They tried to work things out by renewing their vows, but ultimately filed for divorce in 2018.
After going through a very difficult period, Price experienced a series of troubling events. While working on a different TV show in South Africa in 2018, her car was stolen and she was sexually assaulted at gunpoint. As a result of this traumatic experience, she developed PTSD and tried to take her own life. She eventually sought help at The Priory to address her struggles with alcohol and drugs. Price shared that her therapist at The Priory acknowledged that she had faced an extraordinary amount of traumatic events. Despite it all, Price has managed to keep going. On top of everything, she faced financial issues and was declared bankrupt in 2019. The next year, she suffered a severe fall in Turkey that resulted in both of her feet being broken.
Price has recently started using OnlyFans, a subscription website known for more adult content. On her account, she shares special videos, pictures, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into her daily life. Fans were surprised when she charged them £53 for a video of her showering.
It's a new development that has led to more attention in the news, alongside the continuous coverage of her financial problems and the ongoing situation with her home. However, these headlines only show part of the story. Despite her public image filled with drama, Price has always been a dedicated parent and supporter of her son Harvey. She has worked to make online abuse a criminal offense after witnessing him being cruelly mocked by internet trolls. In 2021, she released the BBC documentary "Harvey and Me", which showcased their strong bond and her efforts to find specialized care for her son as he grew older. The Independent's review of the documentary pointed out that for those who only know Price from tabloid headlines, it may come as a surprise to see her as a down-to-earth single mother of five, doing her best in incredibly challenging circumstances.
The story of Price is full of contradictions; she is both strong and vulnerable, a smart media player who seems to have lost control of her own narrative. While other female celebrities like Britney Spears and Pamela Anderson have been able to redeem themselves in the public eye, Price's story is seen as too messy to follow that path. It makes you wonder if she is in a difficult situation where the only way out is to lean into and profit from her exaggerated image. In an interview with the Sunday Times in 2022, she mentioned that she would write a chapter about going to prison for her next book to make money. She also admitted in her recent memoir, This Is Me, that she would consider working as an escort for companionship and to earn a living.
In the upcoming part of her life, which takes inspiration from one of her TV shows on ITV, she may face some tough challenges. But don't doubt that she will make a comeback eventually. Remember, you should never underestimate her determination and resilience.
