Kerry Katona has revealed she lost £14,000 after cancelling a two-week cruise the night before departure due to a severe panic attack triggered by her fear of the sea. The former Atomic Kitten singer, 42, described it as the most expensive holiday she had ever booked, yet she never set foot on the ship.
Writing in her column, Katona explained that she had planned the first-class trip with her then-husband Mark Croft while pregnant with their daughter Heidi. However, her phobia overwhelmed her at the last moment. 'The night before I had a panic attack and we didn't go because I was so scared of the sea,' she wrote.
Despite the financial loss, Katona expressed gratitude for her career, which has afforded her many travel opportunities. 'It makes you think about people who work for a whole lifetime for that kind of trip,' she said. 'I'm so grateful that in the career I'm in, I've been given lots of amazing opportunities to see the world.'
Katona recently returned from a family holiday in Turkey, which ended badly when her eight-year-old daughter DJ collapsed. 'On the last day, I was blow-drying DJ's hair and she collapsed, with her eyes rolling back,' Katona recalled. 'Ryan picked her up and ran outside with her to get some fresh air, and she just sat there staring at me and throwing up.' Hospital staff attributed the incident to low blood pressure caused by overheating and hunger.
Katona has five children from three relationships: daughters Molly and Lilly with ex-husband Brian McFadden; Heidi and Max with Mark Croft; and DJ with the late George Kay. She is currently dating Ryan Mahoney.
