Kerry Katona has opened up about the pain and humiliation she felt after discovering her ex-husband Brian McFadden had cheated on her during his stag do.
The former Atomic Kitten singer said she was left “mortified” after learning of his infidelity, only after the pair had already tied the knot.
Katona and McFadden began dating in 1999, with the Westlife star proposing after just three months.
Their relationship quickly became one of the most high-profile celebrity romances of the era, drawing huge media attention.
In January 2002, they married in a lavish ceremony at Slane Castle in County Meath, Ireland, surrounded by family, friends and fans.
The couple later welcomed two daughters, Molly and Lilly-Sue, cementing their status as one of pop’s golden couples.
But just two years later, the marriage broke down, and both have since spoken publicly about the reasons behind their split.
Speaking on Paul Brunson’s “We Need to Talk” podcast this week, Katona, now 44, reflected on her marriage and the feelings of humiliation she experienced.
She recalled how, ahead of the wedding, the pair were treated “like pop star royalty”, even being escorted by police as their fame soared.
“We had a big New Year’s Eve party, and we got The Commitments to come and play,” Katona said.
“It was phenomenal. It was like living on a different level of fame – we were pop star royalty, it was crazy.”
But beneath the glamour, Katona said she had “no idea” McFadden, now 45, had cheated on her at his stag do.
The affair, she claimed, involved a lap dancer whom McFadden later paid £15,000 and asked to sign an NDA to keep it secret.
“But she still told the papers anyway,” Katona said. “I only found out after we got married. It was never the same after that with me and Brian.”
Katona said the discovery left her “devastated” and described feeling “humiliated and mortified” by his actions.
Reflecting on the pressures of their young relationship, she admitted: “We were babies when we got married.”
“I think he must have had doubts. Then I started to resent him, and I became paranoid he would cheat again.”
Katona suggested their relationship began to fracture further in 2004 when she won I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! And her media profile grew.
“It used to be Brian’s world, not mine – and then it all changed,” she said.
“I think he even left Westlife because I became more famous and he wanted to make it on his own.”
Although she acknowledged the difficulties, Katona said she holds no bitterness and hopes they can one day reconcile as friends.
“Brian will hate me for talking about this, but it’s part of my story,” she said with a laugh.
“I really wish we could be friends – I do.”
The mother-of-five shared her reflections just days after celebrating her eldest daughter Molly’s 24th birthday.
Posting on Instagram, she shared family photos, including one with Brian, captioning: “I honestly cannot express how proud I am of the woman you’ve turned out to be.”
McFadden, for his part, has also spoken about the marriage, previously telling Reveal magazine that they were too young to cope with parenthood.
“If we hadn’t had kids, our marriage wouldn’t have lasted as long as it did,” he said in 2007.
“I was too young to understand what having kids meant. Having a child was like getting a dog.”
Last year, Katona told The Mirror that the marriage had been “all fake and phoney”.
Since their divorce in 2004, Katona has had a turbulent personal life, including struggles with addiction and financial hardship.
She married taxi driver Mark Croft in 2007, with whom she had two children, Heidi and Max.
Katona later admitted they had met while he was supplying cocaine to her mother.
They divorced in 2011, after which she married former rugby league player George Kay, the father of her youngest daughter, DJ.
That marriage ended in 2015 amid allegations of domestic abuse, and Kay died in 2019 following a suspected overdose.
Katona is now dating personal trainer Paolo Magaglione, 33, whom she met while filming Celebs Go Dating.
Before that, she was engaged to Ryan Mahoney, with whom she shared a six-year relationship before they split in late 2024.
McFadden went on to date Australian singer Delta Goodrem, later marrying model Vogue Williams before divorcing in 2015.
In July this year, he married PE teacher Danielle Parkinson, his partner since 2016, with whom he has a young daughter, Ruby.
Katona used the podcast to push back against suggestions that he has had numerous “flings” throughout her life.
“People think I’ve had these flings, but I haven’t,” she said.
“I’ve gone in wholeheartedly every time and given it my all.”
