KATIE Price may be going through hell on earth as she waits for news on her “missing” conman husband Lee Andrews.
But if there’s one thing that the former glamour model, 47, knows how to do, it’s bounce back from heartbreaking and troublesome situations.
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Katie Price will be getting the last laugh after being conned by lying husband Lee AndrewsCredit: Louis WoodA source said the former glamour model will attract big money offers for a new autobiographyCredit: Backgrid/Instagram
And that’s exactly what insiders say three-times divorcee Katie is planning to do next.
While Katie is going through hell, a source has insisted that, ultimately, the business savvy star won’t let this ruin her and is used to “turning pain into power”.
And the dramatic scandal is already attracting big money offers, with an insider saying that Katie may reveal all in another autobiography.
Despite her love life going up on flames on multiple occasions, she’s always managed to find a way to ‘reinvent herself’Credit: Paul EdwardsKatie is set to cash in yet again as she turns her ‘pain into power’Credit: wesleeeandrews/instagram
A source told us: “With Kate, people underestimate her because they see the chaos before her comeback.
“That’s always been the story with her.
“She’s been through bankruptcy, public humiliation, heartbreak and things that would completely destroy most people – in fact, some close friends wonder how she’s still standing after everything she’s been through in her life but somehow she finds a way to rebuild her life and come back bigger and better every single time.
“Right now, everyone is genuinely worried about her.
“She’s extremely vulnerable, she wears her heart on her sleeve, and this whole shocking situation with Lee disappearing has shaken her badly.
“It really upset her too that people said she was in on it all.
“But Katie has this strange ability to survive things people think she won’t. She’s like a cat with nine million lives.”
As our source points out, while the TV star feels embarrassed that Lee has made a fool of her, she won’t be herself be a punchline.
“Katie is mortified that some people think this is one big joke and some cruel trolls are laughing at her for being so trusting, but she’ll dust herself off. At the end of the day, Katie may wish this had never happened but she knows that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about at all.
“Her life has been laid bare for the world to see for the best part of three decades and she has no desires to let her popularity die anytime soon. And one thing is for sure, she certainly won’t let her brand be damaged by another man.
The source continued: “The thing about Kate is she’s never been ashamed of her mess.
“Most people try to hide their scandals but she somehow turns hers into opportunity.
“It sounds ruthless when you say it out loud, but she’s incredibly smart when it comes to understanding how the media works and how to manage public attention.
“She knows people are fascinated by her life and so she puts it all out there warts and all, nothing is off limits.”
With the huge interest in her latest marriage growing by the day and Lee’s whereabouts still a mystery, it’s fully expected that publishers and streaming channels will want her to dish the dirt on what’s really gone on.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if six months from now she’s announcing a new bestselling book, a brand new Netflix , another series of her upcoming Sky documentary, or maybe even a new reality TV series back on ITV where she started out,” our source said.
“That’s what Katie does. Everything that looks a disaster or like the end for her somehow becomes the beginning of a brilliant new chapter.
“She’s had people mock her for years, saying she’s finished, saying she’s hit rock bottom, but she always seems to have the last laugh.
“Somehow, even disaster turns into profit for her.
“It’s almost unbelievable. Nobody else does this.”
Katie has had her fair share of ups and downs in her life and her romantic life has always been at the centre of that.
Each of her marriages have ended in heartbreak, with the star taking swipes at her various exes on social media over the years.
But despite her love life going up on flames on multiple occasions, she’s always managed to find a way to “reinvent herself” a source said.
The insider told us: “Katie’s biggest strength is that she refuses to stay down.
“She can cry one minute and be planning her comeback the next. That resilience is what keeps her going and it’s probably why the public can’t stop rooting for her.”
Over the years, Katie has faced criticism – whether it’s for her driving, her love for cosmetic surgery, her dramatic weight loss or her parenting.
But she has managed to use the backlash to monetise.
Katie’s cashed in on various avenues – from her podcast, to her live show with pal Kerry Katona, to her Channel 4 documentary about her Mucky Mansion and now even her OnlyFans.
And the star has shared her story along the way, writing a whopping eight autobiographies between 2004 to 2024.
Her latest was titled This Is Me and spilled the beans on her exes, her PTSD and her past trauma.
It’s clear that Katie’s not just a one-trick pony.
And it’s no different this time around, regardless of whether Lee is in the picture or not.
“There’s definitely a feeling among her friends that, as awful as this situation is, Katie will eventually find a way to turn pain into power again,” our source said.
“She’s done it her entire life.
“Every scandal, every crisis, every setback, she finds a way to monetise it, reinvent herself, and move forward.
“She is the ultimate brand with true longevity and star power.
“People see the headlines and think she’s fragile, but there’s another side to Katie. She’s incredibly determined. She’s a survivor.
“She’s always believed that if life gives her drama, she might as well make something out of it. Love her or hate her, Katie understands celebrity culture better than most people.
“She knows how to keep herself relevant. Even in the darkest moments, she’s already thinking three steps ahead.
“I think what shocks people is that she never really loses, even when it looks like she has lost everything.
“Somehow, she turns every catastrophe into another opportunity.
“Lee might think he’s won but by the end of it, she’s the only winner.”
She told her YouTube subscribers in a video that the police could not find any record of him being detained and she’d been in contact with the British embassy in Dubai to help track him down.
The former glamour model said: “We are now wondering, as far-fetched as it is, that he’s a missing person now, I don’t know if he’s been kidnapped.
“No one can find him in any prison, any police station, the police can’t find any record of him.
“We are wondering if he’s been kidnapped, he’s definitely a missing person now.
“The unsettling thing for me, the last time I heard from him, he FaceTime me, he had a hood on and said ‘I’ve just been captured or arrested’ and had ties around his hand, not handcuffs, and said ‘they’re coming back for me’. Then his phone went dead at 10.03pm.”
Katie shared her final text messages with Lee, where he told her he loved her and he will “sort it”.
There is ongoing speculation that Lee is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates city after allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend Dina Taji’s signature to secure a £200,000 loan – something he’s strongly denied.
Katie Price has taken to Instagram to open up about missing her husbandCredit: BackGridKatie fears Lee has been kidnapped after he vanished last weekCredit: wesleeandrews/Instagram
In the background, the former glamour model even crooned the hit Get Here.
“Missing my husband so much it breaks my heart knowing he is still missing so I did this song quick as words mean so much to the situation,” she penned in the caption.
“You can reach me by sailboat / Climb a tree and swing rope to rope / Take a sled and slide downslope.
“You can jump on a speedy colt / Cross the border in a blaze of hope,” Katie croons in the song accompanying the post.
She continues to sing: “I don’t care how you get here / Just get here if you can.”
Reacting to Katie’s heartbreaking post, one fan penned: “This is sad as she genuinely fell in love with him.”
“Katie he doesn’t deserve you. you deserve so much better.. enjoy the rest of your birthday with people who love you,” said another.
While a third wrote: “I really feel for you.”
And a fourth said: “What a sweetheart bless you Kate. Look after yourself. So sorry this is being played out, you have lots of great people around you family is all you need.”
Lee told Katie in a voicenote that he needed an “exit stamp” to leave Dubai when he was claiming to be coming back to the UK.
But after he failed to get on a plane, Katie sensationally claimed he had been kidnapped and that the last she’d heard from him, he was in the back of a van with cable ties on his arms.
Katie has since been left fearing for her husband and desperately trying to found out his whereabouts.
A source close to the ex glamour model told us earlier this week: “Lee is officially a missing person now.
At the weekend, Katie said: “I know there is all this speculation but something really serious has happened.”
Then, this week on her podcast, The Katie Price Show, the mum-of-five revealed she was giving up searching for her husband.
“There’s nothing I can do, nothing more that I can say.
“And the police are dealing with it. I’m just leaving it to the police.
“I’m not gonna talk about it anymore, I’m just staying quiet because it’s getting ridiculous now, people just taking the p**s out of everything”.
Katie added: “The police are now handling it, the British police, British consulate, the foreign office, Interpol they’re on the case looking for Lee.
“All I can do is just get on with my life.
“I’ve got lots of exciting things coming up, and I’m just waiting for a call.
“What am I supposed to do, sit here and cry and do nothing, stay in bed?”
She also said: “For my own sanity, I am taking a step back”.
Katie has now not heard from Lee for nine days now, with her husband failing to get in touch despite it being her 48th birthday.
Pop crooner and “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Girardi quietly put an end to a long and splashy legal battle over her ex-husband’s now-defunct law firm on Thursday, settling a $25-million bankruptcy lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court.
The suit alleged the singer should have known she was profiting off embezzled funds linked to the sprawling case against her ex-husband, former L.A. legal heavyweight Tom Girardi, and his firm Girardi Keese. The couple was accused of funneling millions from the law firm to prop up Erika’s music career.
Performing as Erika Jayne, she topped the charts in the 2010s with a series of raunchy dance club hits. But court records show she spent millions more than she made as a musician.
Larry W. Gabriel, an attorney for the plaintiffs in the case, wrote in a pretrial filing Monday that Erika and a company associated with her “received the benefit of [Tom] Girardi’s massive fraudulent scheme.”
Tom Girardi is currently serving a seven-year sentence in federal prison after he was convicted of wire fraud for bilking his personal-injury clients in 2024. The disgraced former attorney was found to have stolen tens of millions from his firm.
His wife’s pop hits mixed boasts about luxury brands and explicit sex acts with pulsing dance beats and a bratty falsetto, a tone actress Lake Bell famously dubbed “sexy baby voice.”
In depositions taken as part of the suit, Erika said she had no knowledge of her husband’s crimes. She claimed to be ignorant about where the millions she spent on recording, merchandise, tours and “fun, playful, and sparkly outfits” were drawn from.
“I did not know how much I spent per month or per year,” she said in one exchange. “Girardi Keese paid my Amex credit card bill every month.”
Monday’s filings show Girardi Keese paid at least $14 million in charges to her American Express account between 2008 and 2020.
The payouts began in the late 2000s when Erika, then a stay-at-home mom, sought to relaunch herself as a performer. In 2016, near the height of her pop fame, her husband began to complain she was charging too much on the credit card account. After repeated entreaties to tamp down her spending, Girardi tried for the first time to look at her balance.
Soon after, Girardi grew suspicious of charges being made to her card by a Hollywood costumer — worries she reported to one of Girardi Keese’s clients, an agent in the Secret Service, records show.
On the advice of the agent’s Secret Service colleagues, she said she disputed the AMEX charges and was ultimately refunded more than half a million dollars to her personal account, despite the original payments having come from the law firm.
Erika Girardi’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday.
Kyle Busch was one of NASCAR’s biggest stars and most successful drivers.
He was Cup Series champion in 2015 and 2019 and his 234 wins in NASCAR’s top three series is an all-time record.
The driver known as “Rowdy” and “Wild Thing” may have been known for brash behavior that included post-race fights and feuds with other drivers, but he was also respected as a fierce competitor and dedicated family man.
“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch,” NASCAR said Thursday in a statement released jointly with the Busch family and his team, Richard Childress Racing. “A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans.
“Throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series. His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’”
The statement concluded: “NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon.”
Busch is survived by his wife Samantha, son Brexton, 10, daughter Lennix, 4, parents Tom and Gaye Busch, and older brother Kurt Busch, a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee who was the Cup Series champion in 2004.
Kyle Busch, left, and Kurt Busch pose with their mother, Gaye Busch, prior to a race May 8, 2022, in Darlington, S.C.
(James Gilbert / Getty Images)
RCR announced Friday that it is suspending the use of Busch’s No. 8 and will run No. 33 in its place.
“Kyle Busch was instrumental in the design of RCR’s stylized No. 8 and it has become synonymous with Kyle and an important symbol for his fans and the NASCAR industry,” the team said in a statement. “No one can carry it forward to the level that he did. The No. 8 is reserved and ready for Brexton Busch when he is ready to go NASCAR racing.”
Busch spent the early years of his NASCAR career with Hendrick Motorsports.
“This is an incredibly painful shock for all of us and a heartbreaking loss for the NASCAR family,” team owner Rick Hendrick said in a statement. “Kyle was one of the most talented drivers I’ve ever seen and a racer in the truest sense of the word. He had a fire and competitive spirit that drove him to be great.
“I watched Kyle grow up in this sport and valued the friendship we shared long after he drove for our organization. As much as he loved to drive a race car, nothing brought him more joy than being a husband, a father and watching his son race.”
Busch won his first Cup Series race in 2005 and claimed rookie of the year honors the same year.
Jeff Gordon, left, talks with Kyle Busch prior to a race Oct. 30, 2016, in Martinsville, Va.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images)
“Kyle was a fierce competitor who demanded the very best from himself each time he put on the helmet,” former Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon wrote on X. “As teammates, I saw firsthand the passion and intensity he brought to the sport every single day. He was a champion and prolific racer who made a tremendous impact on NASCAR and was a lifelong advocate for all forms of motor sports.”
Fellow former Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson wrote on X: “Kyle Busch wasn’t just one of the fiercest competitors our sport has ever seen, he was one of the most talented race car drivers I’ve ever shared a track with. We spent years as teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, and even as competitors, there was always a deep respect for what he could do behind the wheel.
“Kyle pushed all of us to be better. His passion, intensity, and love for racing were unmatched, and his impact on this sport will be felt forever. I’ll always remember the many laughs and conversations away from the spotlight, and most importantly the way he cared so deeply about his family. …
“NASCAR lost one of its greatest talents today, and we’ve all lost a friend.”
Busch was let go by Hendrick Motorsports after the 2007 season, making room for the team to sign Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“Kyle and I had a really challenging existence for many years,” Earnhardt wrote on X. “But we luckily took the time to figure out our differences and that was something he instigated with a conversation in his bus around how we each managed our racing teams. I was super eager for us to get on better terms. But it was he who made the effort for that to be possible.”
Earnhardt added: “Kyle was one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. No one can deny that. But he was also a father, a husband, brother, son, and a friend to many. My heart is broken for the Busch family. I will never be able to make sense of this loss but I am thankful that we had found a way to become friends.”
Busch then moved to Joe Gibbs Racing, where he remained until 2023 and saw much of his career success.
“Kyle was a fierce competitor, an incredible teammate, and, far more importantly, a devoted husband, father, and son,” Joe Gibbs Racing said in a statement. “His impact on our organization and on the sport of NASCAR will never be forgotten.”
Kyle Busch, left, stands in the garage with Denny Hamlin before a practice Oct. 11, 2007, in Concord, N.C.
(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)
Former JGR teammate Hamlin wrote on X: “Absolutely cannot comprehend this news. We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB.”
Busch was ranked 24th in the Cup Series this year, with his best finish being eighth place at Watkins Glen International in Dix, N.Y., on May 10. He also was racing part-time for Spire Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series. He had two victories in that series this season, including one last week at Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware.
“Simply put, he was one of the best to ever do this,” Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson said in a statement. “But for those closest to him, there was always another side. For years, many of us would tell people there was a softness behind the public persona they rarely saw. As much of a bad ass as he was on the track, some of us were lucky enough to experience how deeply he loved, how much he cared, and yes, how much he hurt. …
“We used to tell people about that side of him, and some would assume we were just trying to reshape public perception. No one could question it now. By now, the world has seen the incredible devotion he had to being a father to Brexton and Lennix. He loved his kids more than anything. The pride in his voice whenever he talked about them is something I will always remember with gratitude. … My heart absolutely breaks for you, Brexton and Lennix.”
Here are more tributes to Busch posted on X by members of the racing community:
— “I made him earn every victory and stole a few from him along the way,” Brad Keselowski wrote. “We took our shots at each other, in the media and on the track. But I’d like to think that somewhere deep down there was an appreciation that we pushed each other to perform at the highest level, even if neither of us would’ve admitted it. Tonight, I feel a little like the coyote with no more roadrunner to chase. His loss is all of our loss, but none more so than his family’s.”
Kyle Busch, left, and Clint Bowyer sit together in the garage during practice Sept. 21, 2007, in Dover, Del.
(Russ Hamilton / Associated Press)
— “There aren’t really words for today,” Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wrote. “I’ve raced against Kyle for a long time, and anyone who’s lined up next to him knows exactly what made him special, he gave you everything he had, every single lap, and he made all of us better for it. But more than the wins and the records, I keep thinking about Samantha, Brexton, and Lennix, and the entire Busch family right now. That’s where my heart is. Rest easy, Rowdy. The sport won’t be the same without you.”
— “I just talked to him Friday,” Clint Bowyer wrote. “In complete shock, as we all are. The devastation and sadness is beyond words. Praying for Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, his entire family and loved ones.”
— “I’m so sad and stunned to hear the news about KB,” William Byron wrote. “He meant so much to a lot of people, not just myself. Kyle was the best mentor you could ever have. He was incredibly unselfish, cared about his people and his family deeply. And helped shaped my career to what it is. I’m heartbroken.”
KATIE Price’s missing hubby is back online after eight days and following a “biker babe”.
Lee Andrews’ Instagram only followed Katie until early today when it added a glam US Navy veteran called Marisol.
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US Navy veteran Marisol, who Katie Price’s missing husband Lee Andrews has followed on InstagramKatie’s last contact with Lee came when he claimed he had been arrested
Katie is said to be disgusted and incensed after “kidnapped” hubby Lee reappeared online.
His shock return came on worried Katie’s 48th birthday. In the early hours fans spotted Andrews had added Marisol — and they alerted Katie.
It appears Marisol previously used an online matchmaking service for millionaires.
Katie’s fans noticed Lee Andrews had started following another account on InstagramHe had only been following Katie until her fans noticed the change and alerted her
A source said: “If she is somehow involved with Lee she needs to get out fast.
“His MO is finding women on social media then befriending them.
Katie is said to be ‘beyond furious’ about the situationCredit: Louis WoodDubai-based Andrews is understood to be on a travel banCredit: wesleeeandrews/Instagram
“It’s exactly what he did with Katie and look how that ended up.
“This Marisol appears to have used dating websites before with millionaires — so either she’s rich or she wants to meet a well-off partner.”
WASHINGTON — Tulsi Gabbard resigned as President Trump’s director of national intelligence on Friday, saying she needed to step away as her husband battles cancer. She is the fourth Cabinet official to depart during Trump’s second term.
“Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026,” Gabbard wrote in her resignation letter, which she posted on X. “My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer.”
There had been rumblings that Gabbard would split with Trump after the president’s decision to strike Iran, which caused some division within his administration. Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation in March, saying he “cannot in good conscience” back the war.
Gabbard, a veteran and former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, built her political name on her opposition to foreign wars. This put her in an awkward position when the U.S. joined Israel in launching attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
During a congressional hearing in March, her measured comments were notable for their careful non-endorsement of Trump’s decision to strike Iran. She repeatedly dodged questions about whether the White House had been warned of potential fallout from the conflict, including Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Gabbard said in written remarks to the Senate Intelligence Committee that there had been no effort by Iran to rebuild its nuclear capability after U.S. attacks last year “obliterated” its nuclear program. That statement contradicted Trump, who has repeatedly asserted that the war was necessary to head off an imminent threat from the Islamic Republic.
This created several awkward exchanges with lawmakers who asked Gabbard for her opinion on the threat posed by Iran as the nation’s top intelligence official. She repeatedly said it was Trump’s decision to strike, not hers.
“It is not the intelligence community’s responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat,” she said.
Gabbard’s departure follows Trump having ousted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in late March, in the midst of mounting criticism over her leadership of the department — including the handling of the administration’s immigration crackdown and disaster response.
The second Cabinet member to leave was Attorney General Pam Bondi, in response to growing frustration over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. And Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned in April, after being the target of various misconduct investigations.
A surprising choice for the job
A veteran but without any intelligence experience, Gabbard was a surprising choice to head the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies. She ran for president in 2020 on a progressive platform and her opposition to U.S. involvement in foreign military conflicts.
Citing her military experience, she argued that U.S. wars in the Middle East had destabilized the region, made the U.S. less safe and cost thousands of American lives. Gabbard later dropped out of the race and endorsed the ultimate winner, President Joe Biden.
Two years later she left the Democratic Party to become an independent, saying her old party was dominated by an “elitist cabal of warmongers” and “woke” ideologues. She subsequently campaigned for several high-profile Republicans and became a contributor to Fox News.
She later endorsed Trump, who also was a strong critic of past U.S. wars in the Middle East and campaigned on a pledge to avoid unnecessary wars and nation-building overseas.
Iran caused early tensions
But friction with the president started soon after he began his second term and tapped Gabbard to lead ODNI, which was set up after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to improve coordination between the nation’s intelligence agencies.
Shortly after taking on the job, Gabbard testified before lawmakers that there was no intelligence suggesting Iran was seeking to develop nuclear weapons. After Trump launched attacks on Iranian nuclear sites in June he said Gabbard was wrong and that he didn’t care what she said.
She appeared to be back in Trump’s good graces when she took a lead role in Trump’s effort to relitigate his 2020 election loss to Biden, whom Gabbard had endorsed. She appeared at an FBI search of election offices in Fulton County, Georgia, even though her office was created to focus on foreign espionage, not state elections.
Earlier this week, however, she testified to lawmakers during an annual threats hearing that last year’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites had “obliterated” their nuclear program and that there had been no subsequent effort to rebuild.
The statement seemed to complicate Trump’s repeated assertions that Iran posed an imminent threat and created several awkward exchanges with lawmakers who asked Gabbard for her opinion on Iran’s threat as the nation’s top intelligence official. She repeatedly said that it was Trump’s decision to strike, not hers.
“It is not the intelligence community’s responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat,” she said at one of this week’s hearings.
Gabbard wrought big changes in one year
Gabbard vowed to eliminate what she said was the politicization of intelligence by government insiders. But she quickly used her office to support some of Trump’s most partisan of arguments — that he won the 2020 election.
She also worked to undermine the results of earlier investigations into Trump’s ties to Russia.
In her year on the job, Gabbard oversaw a sharp reduction in the intelligence workforce, as well as the creation of a new task force that she charged with considering big changes to the intelligence service.
Earlier this year an intelligence sector whistleblower filed a complaint that Gabbard was withholding intelligence for political reasons, a complaint that prompted calls from Democrats for Gabbard’s resignation.
Gabbard, 44, was born in the U.S. territory of American Samoa, raised in Hawaii and spent a year of her childhood in the Philippines. She was first elected as a 21-year-old to Hawaii’s House of Representatives but had to leave after one term when her National Guard unit deployed to Iraq.
As the first Hindu member of the House, Gabbard was sworn into office with her hand on the Bhagavad Gita, the Hindu devotional work. She was also the first American Samoan elected to Congress.
During her four House terms she became known for speaking out against her party’s leadership. Her early support for Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ 2016 Democratic presidential primary run made her a popular figure in progressive politics nationally.
Kinnard, Weissert and Klepper write for the Associated Press.
I’VE been reporting on the darker side of Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews since she married him back in January – and now believe his “kidnapping” is simply another brazen storyline he’s written to try and hoodwink her further.
And now it’s all unravelling faster than he could have imagined, with Katie finally admitting she is giving up on searching for him because (spoiler alert) she’s realised it’s all a massive lie.
Katie Price has now ‘given up’ searching for missing husband Lee AndrewsCredit: Louis WoodDays before his so-called ‘kidnapping’, Andrews was already under pressure after being caught out claiming he was flying from Muscat Airport in Oman, when fans spotted he was actually at Dubai Terminal 2Credit: Instagram
If she chooses one day to share the rest of her story, I would urge you to listen to her. I did, and it made me feel physically sick.
Andrews threatened that he had lodged criminal charges against me in Dubai, which would see me arrested if I ever landed in the country and said he was suing me for defamation, which, comically, he spelt “deformation”.
Andrews then bragged he was going to get me sacked before messaging me on social media with a meme calling me a “c**t.”
Over the past few days, I have taken numerous calls from people all over the world who wanted to share their experiences of Andrews.
People have claimed to me that Andrews owes millions to businesses from failed schemes and warned there are more women who willingly handed over cash to receive nothing in return.
But it’s not unusual for wrong ‘uns who, after realising the jig is up, introduce an elaborate narrative to try and distance themselves from the chaos they’ve left in their wake.
In my opinion, the events of the past seven days are all a narrative being spun by Andrews to be parroted out by Katie, whose friends insist has nothing to do with his lies.
Now she’s reached the end of her patience.
“Katie knows something isn’t right about this scenario deep down,” a friend told me.
“Lee was active on WhatsApp two days after he told her he was going missing. She has heard nothing and has just been ghosted.
“She was so panicked at the start, but now it’s become a drain on her. The people around her have warned that this isn’t normal and that it all seems a bit suspect.”
In my opinion, Andrews has been laying the groundwork for his exit from Katie’s life for some time.
I’d never heard that porker before, and I laughed as I regaled a story his ex-fiancee, Alana, who bravely spoke out to warn Katie off Andrews back in January, had told me about Andrews telling her he had worked for MI5.
Much like his now-debunked claims from his fictional CV, including that he worked for the Labour Party and was the Director of Philanthropy at the King’s Trust, I laughed it off and forgot about it.
Lee Andrews’ ex-fiancée, Alana Percival, said he lied to her about being terminally ill and leaving her his fortuneAlana says Andrews pulled similar disappearing acts during their relationshipCredit: Instagram
But after seeing the messages Andrews sent Katie, where he claimed he had been kidnapped and taken to a “black site”, to me, it suddenly all started to make sense.
In my opinion, Andrews’ MO is twisting narratives in a bid to make out he is something he plainly isn’t.
Suggesting to Katie and others that he works in a more than shady industry as an arms dealer to me suggests he was laying the foundations that he worked in a dangerous underworld.
My esteemed boss Clemmie Moodie persuaded Katie to share the final desperate texts she received from Andrews in The Sun newspaper – and to me, his messages bear all the hallmarks of a man trying to pen a story with a better twist than some of Agatha Christie’s greatest works.
“Katie was basically told by Lee that he was involved in all sorts of business, and not all of it was savoury,” my contact explained.
“He told her he was an international arms dealer. It was something he openly boasted about.
“Lee made her think he had his fingers in all sorts of pies.
“So when he spun her a story about being kidnapped, she fell for it. Because, as far as Katie is concerned, this is the kind of world Lee has connections with and operates in.
“Now with everything that is coming out, she’s realising she may have been played for a fool.”
Far from being kidnapped, I firmly believe Andrews is now simply hiding out in Dubai – a country he cannot leave because, as Katie herself confirmed, he has a travel ban… even though Andrews went on to deny it.
Katie Price has been ghosted by Lee Andrews since last WednesdayCredit: ITVIn chilling messages shared with The Sun, Lee Andrews told Katie Price he had been arrested and taken to a ‘black site’
He initially managed to shrug off the criticism.
But after he publicly humiliated Katie live on Good Morning Britain, and she publicly turned on him for the first time, I believe Andrews realised he had entered uncharted waters and knew it was time to get out.
VENEZUELA Fury’s new husband Noah Price has worn his wedding ring around his neck while on their lavish £30k honeymoon.
The 16-year-old daughter of ‘Gypsy King’ Tyson Fury and Paris Fury said “I do” to amateur boxer Noah Price over the weekend.
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Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are currently enjoying their very lavish honeymoonCredit: InstagramNoah rocked a designer T-shirt with his wedding ring front and centre on a gold chainCredit: INSTAGRAM
The youngsters, who got engaged at Venezuela’s 16th birthday party last September, got married in a lavish ceremonyon Saturday at the Victorian Royal Chapel of St John’s in the Isle of Man.
Venezuela rocked a chic Versace outfit while Noah rocked a Loewe T-shirt.
The couple enjoyed lunch at the Sexy Pasta restaurant and documented their sweet date.
The newlyweds enjoyed some hearty pasta dishes after soaking up the sunshineCredit: InstagramThe couple have been documenting their stunning post-wedding trip on social mediaCredit: instagramRocking designer gear, both Noah and Venezuela have both turned heads with their style choices on their honeymoonCredit: instagramThe couple said ‘I do’ on Saturday at their intimate weddingCredit: Splash
Venezuela’s parents Tyson and Paris paid for their£30,000 honeymoon tripas a wedding present.
It comes after Venezuela’s parents Tyson and Paris gifted the newlyweds a £5million and a traditional gypsy caravan as a wedding gift.
A source revealed to us this week: “Tyson and Paris gave Venezuela and Noah a wedding present of £5million to kick-start their life, obviously, they were over the moon.
“Some family members thought it was a lot of money for a young couple so there were some mixed feelings – but it’s up to Tyson and Paris.
“Tyson also paid for the honeymoon and got them a traditional gypsy wagon as a sentimental gift. Tyson’s got one in his front yard.
“The wedding was magical and they spent £40,000 on Venezuela’s dress alone. That’s the gypsy way – go big.”
The young TV star is trading her family’s £8million mansion on the Isle of Man for the plush static caravan in East Riding of Yorkshire.
Taking toTikTok before jetting to Marbella this week, Venezuela shared a video montage of her new marital home, writing underneath it: “R first ever home so proud of my Noah.”
The luxury caravan home boasted of a stunning marble bathroom with a free-standing bath with gold hardware, a cream kitchen overlooking trees and greenery, and plenty of space throughout.
Venezuela showed off her new home on social mediaCredit: TikTok/ @venezuelaffuryShe shared snaps of her and her husband’s new abode before jetting to MarbellaCredit: TikTok/ @venezuelaffury
The living room has a huge built-in TV cabinet with a fireplace beneath.
And the bedroom has large wardrobes and plush grey carpet throughout.
On the exterior of the property, there is a sign that says: “The Manor House”.
“I love caravans and this is like the ultimate one of luxury! Beautiful. Wish u many happy years together and hope you enjoy your new home,” said one person.
“Class. beautiful wee home to start your new life,” penned a second.
“Looks really elegant wish you every happiness in.your first home,” wrote a third.
HEIDI Klum has let loose during her sunny trip to Cannes with her husband Tom Kaulitz.
The America’s Got Talent alum, 52, went topless in just thong bikini bottoms as she sunbathed on her swanky hotel balcony on May 19.
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Heidi Klum went topless as she sunbathed at her Cannes hotelCredit: The Mega AgencyThe model wore only tiny thong bikini bottoms as she relaxedCredit: The Mega Agency
Heidi was accompanied by her husband, who wore what appeared to be a polka-dot pajama top and sunglasses before taking off his shirt.
Heidi has turned heads at the Cannes Film Festival this year with her stunning looks.
At the Fjord movie premiere, Heidi strolled down the red carpet in a sheer Monique Lhuillier gold gown.
She also attended the La Vénus Electrique premiere in a peach number.
Heidi regularly sunbathes topless while on vacationCredit: The Mega AgencyHeidi’s husband Tom Kaulitz joined her on the balconyCredit: The Mega AgencyTom took off his shirt to take a break with his wifeCredit: The Mega Agency
Heidi was much, much more covered up when she attended the Met Gala earlier this month.
Heidi appears to be on a break from work ahead of her return to Project Runway in July.
She also recently adopted a new rescue pup, Fritz.
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“Little baby Fritz,” she said recently announced. “I know it might sound strange, but he knows he got adopted. He is such a good boy. I am so happy I can take care of him now.”
Heidi stunned in a gold gown in Cannes on May 18Credit: Shutterstock EditorialHeidi was very, very covered-up as a living statue at the Met Gala on May 4Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
CALL Her Daddy host Alex Cooper is pregnant and expecting her first child.
The podcast host revealed that she and husband Matt Kaplan were about to become parents in a new social media upload.
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Call Her Daddy star Alex is pregnant and expecting her first babyCredit: instagram/alexandracooperIt will be the first child for the pairCredit: Getty
Alex flashed her bare baby bump as she sweetly looked into Matt’s eyes in the new snaps.
She could also be seen laughing as she gently placed a hand underneath her bump.
Alex added the caption: “Our family.”
She then took to her stories to re-post the announcement along with the additional caption: “Daddy Gang, there is something I’ve been waiting to share with you…”
Alex has become famous thanks to her runaway podcastCredit: Call Her Daddy on SpotifyThe star was met with plenty of congratulations following the newsCredit: Instagram/callherdaddy
In another snap, Alex could be seen sat on Matt’s lap as she showed off her baby bump once more.
Her fans and celebrity pals were quick to react with congratulations over the baby announcement.
One person said: “I’m screaming!!!!!! I’m so happy for you guys!!!!!!!!”
Love IslandUSA star Huda Mustafa added: “IM GONNA CRY OMGGGG IM SO HAPPY FOR UUUUU!!!!!”
Another penned: “Call her MOMMY!”
With a fourth then stating: “Missed opportunity for the caption to be call him daddy.”
Alex has become the leading female talent in the podcast space thanks to her successful show.
Brian Lindstrom, a filmmaker whose documentaries shined a light on society’s underdogs and inspired social change, has died. He was 65.
Lindstrom’s wife, author Cheryl Strayed, confirmed the news on Instagram Friday.
“Brian Lindstrom died this morning the way he lived — with gentleness and courage, grace and gratitude for his beautiful life,” she wrote. “Our children, Carver and Bobbi, and I held him as he took his last breath and we will hold him forever in our hearts. The only thing more immense than our sorrow that Progressive Supranuclear Palsy took our beloved Brian from us is the endless love we have for him.”
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, PSP is caused by damage to nerve cells in areas of the brain that control thinking and body movements. The rare neurological disease progresses rapidly.
Strayed, who penned the bestselling memoir “Wild,” which was later adapted for the big screen and starred Reese Witherspoon, announced just weeks ago that Lindstrom had been diagnosed “with a serious, fatal illness.”
Lindstrom was born Feb. 12, 1961. The son of a bartender and a liquor salesman, he was raised in Portland, Ore. — which he and his family still called home.
He was the first member of his family to attend college, which he paid for by taking out student loans, landing work-study jobs and working summers in a salmon cannery in Cordova, Alaska. During a 2013 TEDx Talk, Lindstrom said that after he’d exhausted all the video production classes at Portland’s Lewis & Clark College, his professor Stuart Kaplan gave him a gift certificate to a class at the Northwest Film Center. There, Lindstrom made a short film about his grandpa that landed him a spot in the MFA program at Columbia University.
It was a train trip with his grandpa that inspired Lindstrom to tackle challenging topics with a lens that restored dignity to his subjects. His grandpa was a binge-drinker, and on day three of the trip, he woke up with a hangover and was missing his dentures. Lindstrom, only 5 at the time, noticed the way other passengers treated him and his grandpa differently.
“I think what my films are about is that search for my grandfather’s dentures, the humanizing narrative that bridges the gap between us and them and arrives at we,” he said.
Lindstrom said he returned to Portland after film school and “did several projects with the Northwest Film Center that had me putting a camera in the hands of kids on probation, homeless teens, newly recovering addicts, hard-hit people who had hard-hitting stories to share.”
“Those projects taught me so much about the transformative power of art, and they gave me permission I felt in my personal films to ask people if I might follow them, so that an audience could better understand what they were going through, and by extension, better understand themselves,” he said.
Lindstrom’s 2007 award-winning cinéma-vérité-style film, “Finding Normal,” followed long-term drug addicts as they left prison or detox and tried to rebuild their lives with the help of a recovery mentor.
“What I’m most proud about is that ‘Finding Normal’ is the only film to ever be shown to inmates in solitary confinement at Oregon State Penitentiary, and not, I might add, as a punishment,” Lindstrom said.
In 2013, he released “Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse,” a documentary that illuminated the life of a man who grappled with schizophrenia and examined his death, which happened in police custody. Discussing the film with LA Progressive in 2018, Lindstrom said that he doesn’t make films for audiences.
“I make them for the people in the film. It is my small way of honoring them,” he told the outlet. “That doesn’t mean I don’t delve into dark areas or that I ignore that person’s struggles. I’m much more concerned with trying to achieve an honest depiction of that person’s life than I am with any potential audience reaction.”
Lindstrom’s work aimed to inspire empathy and humanize those suffering in the margins of society, but it also catalyzed policy change. His acclaimed 2015 documentary, “Mothering Inside,” followed participants in the Family Preservation Project (FPP), an initiative helping incarnated moms establish and maintain bonds with their children.
Midway through filming the documentary, the Oregon Department of Corrections announced it planned to nix funding for the FPP. Lindstrom hosted early screenings of the film, which inspired grassroots advocacy that reached then-Gov. Kate Brown, who subsequently signed legislation that restored funding. The film’s release also helped make Oregon the first state in the U.S. to pass a bill of rights for children of incarcerated parents.
Partnering with Strayed, Lindstrom made the documentary short, “I Am Not Untouchable. I Just Have My Period,” for the New York Times in 2019. The film highlighted the experience of teen girls in Surkhet, Nepal, and the menstrual stigma they faced. Most recently, the filmmaker released, “Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill,” which examined the folk-rock singer’s life from her traumatic childhood and drug-addled adolescence through her rise in the Laurel Canyon music scene and untimely death.
Lindstrom, discussing “Judee Sill” and his style as a filmmaker, told Oregon ArtsWatch, “It’s the chance to kind of focus on the question: What does it mean to be human? The person that the film is about, what can they teach us, what can we learn from them? What can they learn from themselves?”
In 2017, Lindstrom received the Civil Liberties Award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon for his work advancing civil rights and liberties. That same year, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Lewis & Clark College.
In Strayed’s post announcing Lindstrom’s death, she described their more than 30-year partnership as a stroke of “tremendous luck.”
“We loved each other and our kids with deep devotion and true delight. He was a stellar husband. He was the most magnificent dad. He was a man whose every word and deed was driven by kindness, compassion, and generosity,” she wrote. “He saw the goodness in everyone. He believed that we are all sacred and redeemable.
“His work as a documentary filmmaker was dedicated to telling stories of people who, as he put it, ‘society puts an X through.’ He erased that X with his camera and his astonishing heart.”
Strayed’s memoir — which followed her as she hiked 1,100 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail in the wake of her mother’s death, a battle with drug addiction and divorce from her first husband — concludes with a happy ending. She finished the months-long hike and sat on a white bench near the Bridge of the Gods, a stone’s throw from the spot where, she writes, she’d marry Lindstrom four years later.
“His greatest legacy is Carver and Bobbi, who embody everything good and true about their father. Their extraordinary grace, courage, and fortitude during this harrowing time was unfaltering and grounded in the undying love Brian poured into them every day of their lives,” she wrote. “We do not know how we will live without him. We’re utterly bereft. We can only walk this dark path and search for the beauty Brian knew was there. It will be his eternal light that guides us.”
KATIE Price has dropped a huge hint that she’s already forgiven husband Lee Andrews after their recent public row sparked split speculation.
The former glamour model shared a gushing loved-up post on Instagram just hours after ditching her wedding ring in a new photo.
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Katie Price has dropped a huge clue that she’s still in love with LeeCredit: GettyKatie Price has hinted she’s forgiven Lee following their rowCredit: Instagram
Katie Price had earlier shared a photo where she appeared to ditch the huge diamond wedding ring husband Lee Andrews gave her when they married earlier this year.
However, just hours later, Katie shared a post posing the hypothetical question: “What’s he like?” before responding with what appeared to be a gushing tribute to her husband, who was also tagged.
She wrote: “He’s like all the love I’ve ever poured out into the world finally found its way back to me, wrapped in human form.”
Katie has shared a sweet post which appears to be about Lee AndrewsCredit: Backgrid/InstagramKatie’s husband Lee failed to turn up for an appearance on Good Morning BritainCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
After claiming he missed the flight due to business commitments, Katie defended him, while Lee later shared a social media clip hitting back at claims he had been detained.
However, speaking on her Katie Price Show podcast with sister Sophie Price, Katie admitted: “I have said to him, ‘You’ve made me look like a d**k, you’ve made yourself look like a massive d**k.
“He hasn’t made it to the UK and I’ve said to him he needs to make it to the UK, because if he doesn’t, then there’s obviously something not right going on.”
She added: “And if he does make it to England, it will shut all the rumours up.”
There is ongoing speculation thatKatie‘s husband Lee, 43, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates cityafter allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend Dina Taji’s signature to secure a £200,000 loan – something he’s strongly denied.
FORMER glamour model Katie Price has taken a fresh swipe at “missing” Lee as it seems they weren’t on the same page when he failed to show up in the UK.
Katie Price has slammed Lee on social media, captioning a video ‘Where’s Wa-Lee’ after he failed to show up in the UKCredit: @KatiePriceYoutube/BackgridLee posted snaps from the airport in Dubai but fans are convinced they caught him in another lieCredit: wesleeeandrews/Instagram
Katie was left fuming with the Dubai-based “businessman,” who she married in January, and has even issued him an ultimatum.
Lee Andrews and Katie Price tied the knot in JanuaryCredit: InstagramKatie was left blindsided by Lee when he didn’t arrive for their scheduled GMB interview earlier this weekCredit: BackGrid
It seems Katie is beginning to question her man as she bantered that he was hard to track down.
In the video, she said: “I just want him here, just to visit here and shut everyone up that he can get here.
“So next week when we do the pod we’ll find out whether he’s come to England or not and we’ll see what he’s said.”
Lee has claimed he was going to fly into the country multiple times but is yet to show up.
With Lee still mooching about the UAE, Katie admitted today that she has started to question her husband.
She captioned a post on social media: “Time is running out for Lee and he needs to give a good reason as to why he can’t get back because I am not going back to Dubai.”
During her podcast, The Katie Price Show, she admitted to confronting Lee over the situation.
She said: “It’s the fact you keep saying you’re coming and then don’t come.
“Of course, everyone is going to flag up. Even I’ve flagged it up to him. Big time I’ve flagged it up now. I said, ‘Don’t do that to me again. Me having to go on live TV without you and make me look stupid and a d***”.
“No wonder everyone’s saying, ‘You’re this, you’re that’, because they’ve got a reason to say it. I agree, I agree with everyone.”
Lee, dubbed a “Walter Mitty,” was caught in yet another lie as documented his journey to the UK on Instagram.
KATIE Price has issued husband Lee Andrews a new ultimatum after he failed to fly to the UK AGAIN – ditching their first joint TV interview in the process.
The former glamour model, 47, spoke out about the latest debacle surrounding the self-styled businessman in a chat on Good Morning Britain.
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Katie Price has issued husband Lee Andrews a new ultimatum after he failed to fly to the UK AGAINCredit: ITVIt came after the self-styled businessman was a no show for their first ever joint TV interviewCredit: Instagram
In the chat, Katie defended her man and his absence, and said he had been delayed by business duties – and he has since taken to his Instagram page to double down on her claims.
Instead, the mum of five defended their marriage solo on the ITV daytime show sofaCredit: ITVKatie said she told Lee ‘I said ‘look I keep flying to you, you’ve got to come to England now’Credit: ITVKatie, 47, insisted Lee is at the airport and now preparing to travelCredit: wesleeeandrews/Instagram
She told GMB: “I’ve been in Dubai, I came back on Friday.
“But because I can’t keep going to Dubai, because obviously I’ve got work and my kids here,” before host Susanna Reid quipped: “And it’s expensive”.
Katie replied: “Well, he pays for it anyway.
“But I can’t keep going to Dubai”.
Who is Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews?
KATIE Price tied the knot with Lee Andrews in January 2026. Yet who is he?
Failed actor is just another title to add toLee’s questionable CV, after he claimed to have once worked as the Director of Philanthropy at The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust)
Lee also shared images – since proven to be AI – of him working with Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian
It’s been revealed shameless Lee told former girlfriends that he had studied at Cambridge University, and has a PhD in biotechnology science
But The Sun has seen a response from the university explaining it could not find a record of Lee being registered as a student with a date of birth they had provided
His LinkedIn profile says Lee has been a Member of the Board of Advisors to the Labour Party since 2015
Lee was also mocked for repeating theexact same wedding proposalon Katie – that he did for another woman just four months ago.
Laying down her ultimatum she added: “So he is now shifting to here, so he is going to spend a lot of time here now.
“Because I said ‘look I keep flying to you, you’ve got to come to England now’.
On today’s GMB, presenters Susanna and her co-host Ed Balls told how they had approached the Foreign Office to see if Lee had a travel ban.
They said they had been informed they had “supported a British man detained in the United Arab Emirates”.
When the pair quizzed Katie as to whether this was Lee, she said he had denied it in a voice note and added laughing Emoji icons to his message.
Explaining the reason for his no-show Katie, who wore a pink shirt and gold hoop earrings for her chat, said: “He just didn’t make the flight.
“He’s coming here to spend quite a few months now.
He’s been sorting out my visa, my international driving licence.
“He’s flying from Muscat and he had things to do, he didn’t make the flight but he’s at the airport now”.
She then clarified: “Because of his business he had some things he had to do last minute.
“He is at airport now he is on his way”.
Lee reinforced her words as he took to his social media page from the departures lounge.
He praised Katie’s appearance on GMB and said: “Hello everyone.
“Yes I am at the airport and flying to my wife, who did very well on GMB today.
“And I am on my way to her.
“I had a couple of things that I had to do last minute, I couldn’t make the show, I was hoping to get on there with the ZOOM link but they carried on with Kate, and she did really really well”.
Mum of three Susanna mused: “I wonder if he’s telling you everything, do you trust him?” to which Katie said yes.
Ed then quizzed if “the Foreign Office were right and Lee was arrested ayt the airport?”
He then asked if Lee was normally unreliable, and she replied: “Not with me”.
It isn’t the first time Lee has reneged on his vow to travel to Katie’s home turf.
Lee Andrews and Katie Price have scrapped their first joint TV interviewCredit: InstagramThey were due to appear on ITV daytime series GMB togetherCredit: ITV
Though after the self-styled businessman failed to travel to the UK, GMB media posts advertising the segment were hurriedly removed from the programme’s social media accounts after ITV staffers were told Lee would be unable to reach the UK.
GMB anchor Susanna Reid then confirmed Katie would appear on-screen solo.
She told viewers during the live show: “Katie Price is back with us in the studio.
“We invited them both [Katie and Lee] into the studio and initially yes, we though that would happen.
Katie confirmed the businessman would not be travelling from his home in DubaiCredit: GettyA source again confirmed to us how Lee has a travel ban and cannot leave the UKCredit: wesleeeandrews/Instagram
“But Lee didn’t make his flight from Dubai, we are going to find out why when Katie joins us alone after 8”.
Katie, 47, then posted on her social media – in a video which has now been deleted – to confirm the switch up.
She said on social media: “Where The Hell Is My Husband? Lee will not be on Good Morning Britain with me!!”
Our source said Katie ‘believed’ Lee would be travelling to London for the chatCredit: GettyHe has previously denied being subject to a travel banCredit: Instagram/mistraesthetics/
She added: “Well he is not coming, gutting really as he said he was coming, so I’m getting the house ready for me”.
A source mocked the cancellation and told The Sun: “Lee has a travel ban so he was never going to make GMB for a sit down interview with Katie.
“He assured them he was flying over, even Katie believed him – then it was all cancelled.
“Lee is still in Dubai because he has a travel ban that stops him from leaving.
Who is Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews?
KATIE Price tied the knot with Lee Andrews in January 2026. Yet who is he?
Failed actor is just another title to add toLee’s questionable CV, after he claimed to have once worked as the Director of Philanthropy at The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust)
Lee also shared images – since proven to be AI – of him working with Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian
It’s been revealed shameless Lee told former girlfriends that he had studied at Cambridge University, and has a PhD in biotechnology science
But The Sun has seen a response from the university explaining it could not find a record of Lee being registered as a student with a date of birth they had provided
His LinkedIn profile says Lee has been a Member of the Board of Advisors to the Labour Party since 2015
Lee was also mocked for repeating theexact same wedding proposalon Katie – that he did for another woman just four months ago.
“The sooner people stop falling for his claims he can leave Dubai the better.
“It’s a waste of time and energy.”
Katie returned to the UK from Dubai without Lee – who she married within just weeks of meeting him in at the start of the year – last week.
Despite the change, he has continued to re-post GMB uploads about their interview.
Maya Hawke sits at a picnic table in Griffith Park with an iced tea and a small notebook and happily reports that she still likes her new record.
“Every other album cycle I’ve done, by the time I got to the point where the album came out, I hated it,” says the 27-year-old singer and actor. “I was just exhausted by the internet and by being public, and I wouldn’t want to post about it. So I kind of tried to build this rollout where it could be enjoyable. And it seems to be working.”
On this recent morning, she’s about a week and a half from releasing “Maitreya Corso,” a set of deep-thinking folk-pop songs about love and art and how the two intersect; to help drum up interest in the LP, Hawke’s fourth, she’s on tour playing intimate live gigs like the one she did last night at the Troubadour, where she was accompanied by Christian Lee Hutson, with whom she made the record.
Hutson, who’s known for his work with Phoebe Bridgers, is also Hawke’s husband: After collaborating on her 2022 album “Moss” and 2024’s “Chaos Angel,” the two were married this past Valentine’s Day in Hawke’s hometown of New York. (You may have seen the pictures in People magazine of the couple on the street with Hawke’s parents, Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, and her castmates from “Stranger Things.”)
As we talk, Hawke wears the same vintage Beastie Boys T-shirt she had on at the Troubadour; when we’re finished, she’s got a flight to catch to Denver for her and Hutson’s next show.
I was struck last night by the intense eye contact between you and your husband. I’ve never played guitar before onstage, and so I think a lot of that is me being nervous and wanting to keep rhythm. I’m looking at his eyes but also at his hands. His chordal shapes are different than mine but I’m following the rhythm to make sure I’m staying in the pocket.
Why didn’t you play guitar before? I’ve been playing since I was 11, but I reached a point where I was getting better a lot slower than my brother was or than other people in my life. You pick up the guitar to play and then a bunch of guys sit down next to you and they’re like, “Oh, can we jam?” And you’re like, “I don’t know if I can jam. I was trying to write a song and now you’re noodling all over me. You know what? I’ll just put it down.” Later, when I started making music professionally, I met all these extraordinary musicians, and I thought: Why would I play guitar when I’m not as good as you are? Then I really hated doing shows.
Because of that? I’m not a dancer — I don’t want to be a pop star and do dance moves. I don’t have a big Adele voice. And standing up there and just singing — I was like, I should be at a poetry reading. So I made myself a promise that if I made another record I would have to play guitar and write songs that I can play.
It’s funny: You were both super locked-in during the songs, but then between them your banter was extremely loose. I wanted to build a show that was a concert I would want to go see. I’m weird — I don’t love concerts, but I do I like it when people talk. I can hear the record at home — what I don’t get at home is a sense of the person.
Who would you say are some of music’s great between-song talkers? Hmm.
I think Adele might be the best I’ve seen. She’s really good. I saw her once when I was younger — I had a year where my dad took me to see all the biggest women of that year. I remember thinking: When I leave the theater, I’m filled only with joy and no jealousy because I could never do what she’s doing. That’s a gift from God, and I’m not in competition with that gift.
But after she hits you with that, she’ll just freestyle for three or four minutes. That’s what I want too — I want to see some humanity, especially these days when everybody is being force-fed so much perfection and so much unattainable grace.
There are a tremendous number of words on this record. It’s very verbose.
Why? I love words — lyrics are my favorite part of songs. One of the first songs that got written for this record was “Devil You Know,” which was like an experiment where I wrote this poem in free verse. I’ve been in a fight with my husband about free verse versus poetic form. He’s pro-free-verse, I’m anti-free-verse.
What’s your beef? My beef is: Free verse is great — I wish you could have spent a little more time making it rhythmically sound.
To you it feels like — Like a first draft. The confines of a structure make your brain work in a different way: How do I get this idea across in a sonnet or a villanelle? But I tried writing this free verse thing, and I really liked it and wanted to write more things like that. Normally, I love the arrow of a Willie Nelson lyric, which is: What’s the simplest way I can say the most complicated thing? And I have some of that on this record, like in “Bring Home My Man.” But I also was like, What’s the most complicated way I can say the simplest thing?
OK, speaking of that: I read the essay you had this philosopher Justin Smith-Ruiu write about the album. I understood probably 11% of it. I’m obsessed with him. I read his Substack religiously — it’s called the Hinternet. He’s just a brilliant genius, and I was like, I don’t know what he’s gonna say, and I don’t know if it’ll make sense to anyone, but it’ll make sense to me.
Honestly, some of the songs might also have gone over my head. How important is it to you that the listener grasps everything that’s going on in your music? Zero percent important. I want people to take from it what they take from it. One of the coolest things in my life has been putting out songs and having people form crazy personal attachments — sometimes communal attachments, where all the people think it’s about the same thing and they’re all wrong. That’s so much more interesting to me than if they just thought it was exactly what I thought it was.
How do you listen to the songs you love? Are you trying to figure out where they came from? Yes, but I don’t care if I’m right. I’ve had many a debate about what [Elliott Smith’s] “Say Yes” is about — gone through the lyrics with friends and been like, “Wouldn’t you say that this supports my theory?” But it doesn’t matter to me what it is. It’s just fun to try to connect all the dots.
Maya Hawke and Christian Lee Hutson in New York in March.
(Ilya S. Savenok / Getty Images for Tibet House US)
Break down the chronology of your and Christian’s relationship. You made this record not as married people but — As engaged people.
How did that compare to the previous album? When we made “Chaos Angel” we were maybe in a slightly uncanny valley of being friends who were in love but not together at all. But our working dynamic has always been pretty amazing, even from when we met doing “Moss.” Christian was really the person who made me want to play guitar and write music. He was like, “What do you mean your music isn’t good enough? Why, because you didn’t go to jazz school? I didn’t go to jazz school.” That kind of belief really shaped my journey from “Moss” until this record.
Are you the type of person who needs a facilitator? I really enjoy support and encouragement, and I often need permission.
I wonder why. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was talking to someone, and I was like, I want to spend less time with this person, but I want them to want to spend less time with me. I don’t want to be the one to draw the boundary — I need their permission to draw a boundary between us. My therapist was like, “We can work on that.”
Is this classic child-actor people-pleasing stuff? I wasn’t a child actor.
When did you start? I did my first audition at 15 but I didn’t get the part. Then I didn’t end up working until I was 18.
I’d argue that at 18 the world still sees you — As a young person, yeah.
But I take your point. I don’t know what it has to do with. It’s not exactly people-pleasing. There’s definitely an oldest-sibling thing I have a bit. I’m very interested in sibling-order theory. I think it’s extremely influential to who people are — better than astrology, for sure.
You’re older? I’m oldest of five. Generally, when I meet eldest siblings, there’s a kind of interesting energy of someone who both needs to be in charge and needs a lot of permission.
Has anything changed about the way you and Christian collaborate since you got married? We’re really happy, and we’ve been really happy. It’s awesome that we were friends for a long time first. When I got into relationships in the past, I would kind of pick the person that liked me the least. I didn’t like myself very much, and I thought that someone who didn’t like me must be a genius and that I could overcome my inherent ineptitude by getting them to like me. And in order to get them to like me, I would transform myself into becoming a person that they would like. Then we’d have a very happy couple of months until I got bored of not being myself. What being friends with someone first did was that it made it very hard to trick them.
Some of these new songs seem very clearly to be about the two of you. Totally. A lot of this record is about how much I learned about what love really is — what it could be and how to be good to another person. My ideas about those things really transformed in the last couple of years.
As a child of divorce, were you ambivalent about marriage? I think if anything it was the reverse. I wanted to get married twice in my life. Once was when I was 18 years old, and it was definitely mental illness: I want the nuclear family that I didn’t have, and I want it now. Then I was kind of neutral on whether or not I would get married. Then I met Christian, and I was like, “I don’t know if I’m ready to be in this kind of relationship, but you’re my person.” And we stayed in each other’s lives until it ended up being the right time.
Plenty of people find their person without wanting to have a wedding. Are you a romantic?
I’m not sure I know. When I was younger, I imagined myself in a sort of French marriage where we both cheated on each other but didn’t talk about it and had a lot of mutual respect. But I didn’t find a French marriage — I found my best friend. You know what a piece of s— I am and you still love me? I wake up every morning still happy to see you? That’s a miracle — we gotta have a party.
Last thing: Did finishing “Stranger Things,” which had defined the structure of your life for so long — did that change the way you think about making music? It’s changed the way I think about everything. Basically, from about four months before the show wrapped until a year after that, I was pretty freaked out.
Because you knew a big change was coming? Because I didn’t know how I would be reborn out of it. Even when I was resentful of being like, “I’m booked, and I can’t do this other thing that I want to do,” the show was so grounding. I was really lost without it. I’m not freaked out about it anymore, but I’m in a renegotiation of the structure of what I want my life to look like.
Do you feel some kinship with your former castmates on that? Everyone freaked out in different amounts and at different times and to different degrees of wanting to talk about it. But we all collectively had a very, very intense time moving through the last season.
You’ve got upcoming acting projects — I didn’t actually die like I thought I was going to.
But did the end of that job create space for music to play a bigger role in your life? In some ways, it could become smaller. I had an ensemble part in a show that takes a year to film, which creates a tremendous amount of waiting-around time. I think that’s why so many “Stranger Things” actors have musical projects: You can’t film anything else but you can sit in your house with your keyboard. What I’ve really been feeling since the show ended was an invigorated desire to double down on acting. I’ll never not make music, but the music industry is difficult for me. I don’t know if it’s just that I was raised in the acting industry and I understand the things that are f— up about it better.
The music biz feels more opaque to you? I struggle with some of the things that one should do in that industry to grow their project. When you’re promoting a movie, you’re on a team promoting an external item. When you promote a record, you’re doing self-promotion: “Buy my stuff. Do my thing. Put me on your chest.” It feels a little too “Look at me,” which isn’t my comfort zone.
Better start making those TikToks. Yeah, I can’t. I really can’t.
LORNA Luxe rewore her wedding dress to the BAFTA TV Awards in a touching tribute to her late husband – three months after his sad death.
The popular influencer was left heartbroken in February when her husband John passed away aged 64 following a battle with adrenal cancer.
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Lorna Luxe rewore her wedding dress to the TV Baftas on SundayCredit: InstagramLorna’s husband John passed away in February aged 64Credit: Instagram
But in a touching tribute, Lorna, 43, opted to wear her wedding gown to the annual event in London, keeping her husband close in her thoughts as she continues to figure out life without him.
Earlier in the week, Lorna had shared on TikTok that she was keen to wear her dress, as it also tapped into the awards’ theme of sustainability, but it was a little loose around her rib cage which was off putting.
But on Sunday, Lorna took to Instagram to show off her glam red carpet look and was wearing the dress, which featured a satin bodice, thin straps and a chiffon drape coming from the cleavage and down around the hips to become the skirt.
Lorna tagged her hair and make up team in the video, and also added: “I’m so chuffed I got the dress altered with @abigailwestrupbridal it fits like a glove.”
Lorna had the dress altered so it fit properly again in time for the eventCredit: Instagram
Lorna completed the look with some stunning diamond earrings and a necklace which she said she had borrowed for the evening, but meant that she would be accompanied by a security guard from the jewellers all evening due to their hefty price tag.
But in a further fitting tribute to John, she also revealed she was wearing her huge engagement ring and some diamond bracelets she had also received from her late spouse.
She added: “So it just feels really lovely, and I’m in my dress.”
A close friend of Lorna’s exclusively told The Sun’s Fabulous Magazine: “She had been planning to do it for quite some time. In fact her and John had discussed it as a ‘next chapter’ in her career.
“She made the request to Instagram to change it last year, but it just automatically changed on a Saturday night. It really pleased her as she knew John would have loved it.”
Katie Price has arrived back in the UK after visiting husband Lee Andrews in DubaiCredit: BackGridShe was accompanied by an assistant who wheeled her bags around Gatwick AirportCredit: BackGrid
The Sun exclusively revealed she hasn’t settled her debts – despite hubby Lee claiming to be a billionaire.
The mum of five flashed a smile as she arrived in the UK’s Gatwick Airport, wearing a tight-fit grey crop top which clung to her curves and black joggers.
She pulled on a trendy pair of sunglasses and styled her hair poker straight, looking fresh from the long-haul trip.
Katie – who flashed her huge wedding ring in the Arrivals terminal – was accompanied by an assistant who wheeled three bags of luggage alongside her.
She arrived back on home turf after her husband Lee Andrews was accused of not paying their surgery billsCredit: Instagram / @wesleeeandrewsKatie cut a striking figure in a tight fit top and shadesCredit: BackGridKatie recently appeared to confirm husband Lee’s travel banCredit: BackGridShe flashed her ring as she strolled through the airportCredit: BackGrid
As such, she is the one doing the graft with the long haul flights.
Though this time around, Katie’s spouse has been slammed by a popular UAE-based aesthetic clinician for failing to cough up the money for the cosmetic work they’ve had in recent months.
Katie Price surgery boxout
KATIE Price’s love for surgery is no secret – here’s the details
1998 – Katie underwent her first breast augmentation taking her from a natural B cup to a C cup. She also had her first liposuction
1999 – Katie had two more boob jobs in the same year, one taking her from a C cup to a D cup, and then up to an F cup
2006 – Katie went under the knife to take her breasts up to a G cup
2007 – Katie had a rhinoplasty and veneers on her teeth
2008 – Katie stunned fans by reducing her breasts from an F cup to a C cup
2011 – Going back to an F cup, Katie also underwent body-contouring treatment and cheek and lip fillers
2014/5 – Following a nasty infection, Katie had her breast implants removed
2016 – Opting for bigger breasts yet again, Katie had another set of implants, along with implants, Botox and lip fillers
2017 – After a disastrous ‘threading’ facelift, Katie also had her veneers replaced. She also had her eighth boob job taking her to a GG cup
2018 – Katie went under the knife yet again for a facelift
2019 – After jetting to Turkey, Katie had a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift and a tummy tuck
2020 – Katie has her 12th boob job in Belgium to correct botched surgery and a new set of veneers
2021 – In a complete body overhaul, she opts for eye and lip lifts, liposuction under her chin, fat injected into her bum and full body liposuction
2022 – Katie undergoes another brow and eye lift-and undergoes ‘biggest ever’ boob job in Belgium, her 16th in total
2023 – Opting for a second rhinoplasty, Katie also gets a lip lift at the same time as well as new lip filler throughout the year
2024 – Katie has her 17th boob job in Brussels after revealing she wanted to downsize. She performed at Dublin Pride just days later and surgeons warned the lack of recovery posed a risk of infection
Lee allegedly refused to pay the bill, however he insists the work was ‘complementary’.
The clinic specialises in facial contouring and liquid rhinoplasty among other surgical and non-surgical treatments.
In response to a recent Sun post about Lee using fake money to scam women, the clinician has shared his own experience with the couple.
Just days ago, the beauty clinic owner claimed that he had not received any money and was still chasing the couple.
But in a surprise move, he alleged that he had been blocked, without any explanation for their failure to pay.
He said: “This is expected as they both left without paying for their treatment and after multiple sent invoices, I was blocked.
“Although no mention of being unhappy with the results was ever brou- ght to my attention.
“What Katie is experiencing with her treatment is perfectly normal.”
But Lee has denied these claims when the The Sun reached out to him.
He has insisted that Katie was left “unable to move her mouth” following the procedure and disputes the charges.
FROM declaring himself as a millionaire to the mysterious ‘travel ban’ saga, Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews has seemingly left fans more concerned for the glamour model than ever before.
But as friends of the star grow increasingly worried about the whirlwind marriage, and more of Lee’s apparent untruths come to light, The Sun can reveal why Katie isn’t going anywhere, no matter how muddied the waters get.
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As friends and family continue to fear for Katie Price amid her whirlwind relationship with Lee Andrews, The Sun reveals why she won’t walk awayCredit: GettyThe couple met, got engaged and married earlier this year in a whirlwind romanceCredit: Instagram
“Everyone has told Katie multiple times that Lee is not the man for her and that she needs to walk away. Everyone believes that he is a con artist but she will not listen.
“His lies are mounting up and every week there is something new. Everyone feels helpless or the situation and they can’t keep trying and trying. It’s tiresome,” said the insider.
They continued that Katie is brushing off the worry and working harder than ever to ensure this marriage works out.
“The sad thing is, Katie won’t walk away because she hates being on her own and always has been that way.
“She is never without a man and has never been single. Even though she may appear fiery and strong from the outside deep down she is quite vulnerable and she hates being alone.
“She is very co-dependent and does rely on a man. She’s hates a quiet home it’s her worse nightmare,” they explained.
Lee has raised suspicions after several of his false claims were uncovered and questions were raised over his ‘fortune’Credit: The SunThis marriage is Katie’s fourth union, after first tying the knot with Peter Andre in 2005Credit: GettyNext she wed Alex Reid, but the pair’s marriage ended after less than a yearCredit: Getty – ContributorShe later married Kieran Hayler, and since their 2018 split, doesn’t want another failed marriage on her name, our source saysCredit: Getty
This has led to fears’ for Katie from all angles, but the mum-of-five isn’t listening, says the source.
“Despite the fact that so many men have been her undoing before, she is addicted to love and always thinks the next time will be different.”
“No matter how many times she has her heartbroken, and even when everyone else sees the red flags, she puts blinkers on because she doesn’t want to see them.”
She married for the first time in 2005 to Peter Andre, welcoming two children together before their divorce in 2009.
The following year, she tied the knot with Alex Reid in a Las Vegas wedding, but split from the cage fighter less than a year later.
In 2013 she then headed to the Bahamas to say ‘I Do’ to Kieran Hayler, they then finalised their divorce in 2021, three years after parting ways.
So now, following her Dubai ceremony with Lee earlier this year, our source says that Katie won’t accept another failed union.
“Katie is also very proud and really can’t have another failed marriage. She feels like she would be a laughing stock and a punchline, and she refuses to be the butt of people’s jokes,” they said.
“She’s very stubborn like that, and hates when her doubters are right, even if they have her best interests at heart.”
They continued: “She knows everyone is waiting for her marriage to Lee to fail, especially because of the whirlwind nature in which they got together, so she is determined to prove people wrong, even if that sometimes means turning a blind eye to the warning signs.”
Britain’s first gay surrogate parent, who co-owns Maldon and Tiptree football club, has “strenuously denied” grooming young men for sexual exploitation, a court heard
17:13, 08 May 2026Updated 17:13, 08 May 2026
Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, 57, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Friday alongside his 32-year-old partner, Scott Drewitt-Barlow(Image: Getty Images)
Britain’s first gay surrogate parent has “strenuously denied” grooming young men for sexual exploitation, a court heard. Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, 57, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Friday alongside his 32-year-old partner, Scott Drewitt-Barlow.
The men, both of Danbury, Essex, face multiple charges including rape, sexual assault, and modern slavery trafficking for sexual exploitation. The alleged offences, which are said to have taken place in Essex and Manchester between April 2013 and January this year, relate to four different men, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
The defendants are alleged to have “recruited” young men before grooming them and subjecting them to sexual assaults including rape, the court heard.
Defence barrister Oliver Snodin said the allegations against Barrie and Scott Drewitt-Barlow are “strenuously denied” by them both. Flanked by custody officers, the defendants, wearing hooded sweatshirts, spoke only to confirm their personal details.
The two men were remanded into custody to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on June 5. Prosecutor Serena Berry said: “Barrie Drewitt-Barlow is in a relationship with Scott Drewitt-Barlow… they are what could be termed to be celebrities, who live multi-million [pound] lifestyles and have featured in many documentaries and reality TV shows.
“They own the Maldon and Tiptree football club, and they have other businesses in the Essex area and also abroad in other countries.
“It is alleged they have both targeted young males, they have recruited them, they have befriended them, they have groomed them. They have invited them to their home and other premises.”
Barrie Drewitt-Barlow became Britain’s first gay surrogate parent in 1999 and made a name for himself in the media. He was due to be in ITV reality show Up The Jammers.
The charges follow co-ordinated searches at premises in Danbury, Maldon and Braintree on Wednesday, Essex Police previously said.
He is charged with three counts of sexual assault on a male, four counts of rape of a man 16 or over, and two counts of arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation.
Scott Drewitt-Barlow is charged with one count of sexual assault on a male, one count of rape of a man 16 or over, and two counts of arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation.
Essex Police are appealing for information on the case and ask witnesses to contact them using the major incident public portal (MIPP) on their website, or by calling 0800 051 4526, or 0207 126 7612 internationally.
KATIE Price is plotting to get around her seventh driving ban after her husband Lee Andrews claimed he bought her a Ferrari.
The former glamour model, 47, has received bans totalling more than six years since she wasfirst disqualified in 2010.
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Katie Price is planning to get around her seventh driving banCredit: Katie Price / BackgridThe media star was banned again after failing to respond to police lettersCredit: Getty
And last month, Katie was banned for a seventh time after failing to respond to police letters about an 80mph speeding ticket.
But the media personality said she is now planning to get an international driving licence – despite her UK driving ban.
Katie shared a life update with her social media fans today.
She was joined by her husband Lee as she filmed a clip from the back of a moving car.
Lee Andrews reveals his big plans for him and Katie Price…Hyrox togetherCredit: wesleeeandrews/instagramKatie addressed her seventh driving ban last monthCredit: Alamy
Katie said: “Hey guys, we are just going to the hospital to get my stitches taken out and then we are going to Lee’s dad for a cup of tea.”
She added: “And to get my international driving licence…”
Lee interjected and said: “That’s the easy one, then you’ll see the car,” referring to the £180k Ferrari that Lee claimed he gifted his wife.
But Katie’s followers were quick to correct the star, with one writing: “You cannot drive with an international driving licence with a driving ban. It still stands in other countries, there is no way around it.”
A second said: “I hope Katie realises as I wouldn’t want her to do anything illegal in Dubai.”
A third said: “Not with a ban in the UK, you can’t as the Dubai authorities do checks.”
Another commented: “You cannot get an International Driving Permit or drive in Dubai if you have a current UK driving ban. You must hold a valid full driving licence to apply for an International one and the UK court will have taken her licence so she cannot apply for one.”
This person added: “It appears you cannot legally drive in Dubai with a revoked UK licence.”
According to the GOV UK website, you cannot obtain an International Driving Licence if you are banned from driving in another country.
It is only issued to holders of a valid UK driving licence, which is revoked or suspended when you are banned.
But the motor was completely different from the Ferrari she previously claimed had been a gift from self-confessed multi-millionaire Lee.
She previously told how the flash car, believed to cost around £180,000, had to remain in the UAE.
It is not clear how or when Lee purchased the car and whose name it is in ownership of.
Yet despite previously gushing over the “beautiful” gift it was nowhere to be seen during her recent video.
Lee took charge of filming as Katie got settled behind the wheel and said: “Kate is driving now – is this your first time driving in Dubai?”
She was then heard swearing as she got to grips with the automatic before he assisted and said: “There you go”.
Katie then added: “First time driving in Dubai.
The former glamour girl’s latest run-in with the law comes after a Ford Capri registered to her was caught at 80mph on the A64 near Strutton in North Yorkshire.
CCTV released by the police showed Katie behind the wheel during the incident on October 15, 2025, the same day she appeared on stage with celeb pal Kerry Katona for An Evening with Katie Price & Kerry Katona at Scarborough Spa.
Katie, who was first banned in 2010, was subsequently prosecuted and convicted of failing to respond to police, landing her with a six-month driving ban and a legal bill topping £1,000.
The former pin-up was keen to set the record straight last month.
Speaking on her podcast, The Katie Price Show the star revealed: “I found out I was banned by the papers.
“I am actually livid about that because if I’d got the letters I would have replied to it.”
Revealing what happened, Katie said: “Basically I’ve paid someone to do a job.
“They haven’t done it and… now I’m now banned from driving for six months, but I am gonna go back and see if I can appeal it.”
She then added: ” Yeah, or I just think it’s only six months where I live now, I can walk to the shop. the kids schools are ten minutes up the road.
“I get shopping delivered here anyway, because I’m always at home when I work at home.
“So it’s not like in the past where I’ve been stuck right in the middle of nowhere.”
It comes after Katie’s after new husband Lee claimed he is moving to the UK in May AND revealed details of a second wedding.
They call themselves the Booked Babes. Tonight, the women are gathered in Anna Sokol’s kitchen, surrounding an oven-roasted duck stuffed with apples. The dish is a Ukrainian delicacy from Sokol’s home country, where she was once a fashion designer and influencer. Now, she’s in Venice Beach. Sunlight bleeds in from the window where the sun is setting over the Venice Canals. At the women’s feet, a mini Bernedoodle, Zipper, paces nervously, barking at arriving guests. Screams echo from the upstairs bedrooms, where two husbands are in exile, watching a Green Bay Packers game with a newborn baby.
Tonight’s book club is Eastern European-themed, prompting the women to wear red cardigans and dresses. The book under discussion is “The New Rules” by Russian-born TikTok influencer Margarita Nazarenko, who prescribes gender roles that Sokol recognizes as distinctly Eastern European. Nazarenko is a best-selling author with more than 600,000 followers on Instagram, known for offering practical, blunt dating advice to women. “Her methodology feels very Eastern European in male and female relationships and dynamics,” Sokol explains as her guests pick at deviled eggs and brie cheese with manicured nails.
The guest list for the Booked Babes is small — only six women, with one of them commuting remotely from Miami; this time, she joins over FaceTime. The Booked Babes was founded more than two years ago at a holiday party as a New Year’s resolution to read more and forge new friendships. Since then, the women have become best friends, and the book club meetings they host have taken on a life of their own —becoming more spectacular and competitive with each meeting.
The Booked Babes journeyed to a gothic mansion in La Jolla and dressed as Marie Antoinette in extravagant rococo dresses.
(Anna Sokol)
“It started off very normal in the beginning, very casual,” book club member Cassandra Leisz explains. “I don’t really know when the switch happened.”
With each passing month, the book club became more elaborate and more involved — including vacations in coastal towns, costuming, pickleball tournaments and monogrammed custom merch.
Take the historical literary fiction novel “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” by Patrick Süskind, for example, set in the 18th century. The group journeyed to a gothic mansion in La Jolla and dressed as Marie Antoinette in extravagant rococo dresses. Eighteenth century activities included croquet and designing a custom perfume, all accompanied by fashion photography. Sokol chose the novel for its cult status in Ukraine: “Everyone read it, even though it’s a really weird book.”
For the book club members, the spectacle is part of the fun. “It gives us all a chance to be creative and come together. You get to make it whatever you want it to be. There’s the element of: how do I want to express myself in this time period?” says Leisz.
For the book club pick “Flawless” by Elsie Silver, Ashley Goldsmith planned a cowboy picnic in Franklin Canyon, complete with her mother’s vintage Chevy pickup truck.
(Anna Sokol)
For her turn hosting, Leisz rented a boat — not quite a yacht, she clarifies — in Marina del Rey, paired with lobster rolls and champagne. The novel was “The Wedding People” by Alison Espach, set in a hotel in Newport, R.I. Leisz leaned into the snobby, blue-blood aesthetic described in the book for her outing.
“It is a financial commitment. We put a lot of money into it between the decor, the gifts and the activity,” says Leisz.
Opinions and literary taste often vary among the women. The book club enjoys sparring over polarizing books, but the point is always friendship. “There are a lot of times I don’t like the book, but I love having an opportunity to spend time with girlfriends,” says Ashley Goldsmith.
Custom merch like personalized sweatshirts, elaborate gifting and travel have become a tradition for this book club.
(Anna Sokol)
For her book club on “Flawless” by Elsie Silver, Goldsmith planned a cowboy picnic in Franklin Canyon, complete with her mother’s vintage Chevy pickup truck for photo ops. The meal was followed by a mechanical bull-riding competition at Saddle Ranch. Goldsmith even hired a security guard to secure the public picnic bench beginning at 7 a.m.
The Booked Babes have attracted attention on the members’ social media with eager requests to join. The book club always politely declines, given its specific chemistry. “The second we started posting about this and talking about it, people were like, ‘Oh my God, how do I join?’” says Leisz. Since schedules are already tricky to maneuver, the club does not accept new members.
The Booked Babes raise their glasses.
(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)
In curating a book club, the members insist that diversity of opinion is key. “We’re all quite different from each other. We have very different backgrounds. Some of us come from different countries,” says Leisz. Illana O’Reiley, who joined over Facetime, immigrated from Dublin and is currently living in Miami.
At dinner, the book club sits down for the Ukrainian meal to discuss “The New Rules.” On the table are elaborate rose arrangements and settings draped in red ribbon. Amanda Ghaffari slyly streams the Green Bay Packers game on her iPhone. O’Reiley jokes via Facetime she is eating popcorn and watching the hit gay drama “Heated Rivalry.”
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1.A flower arrangement is set for a themed book club.2.A cheese plate.3.Book club members wear red and pink dresses for their meeting.(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)
The conversation includes some light teasing about each other’s attachment styles — the intimate banter of close friends. Victoria Frenner, who is a therapist, expresses skepticism about the book’s punchy tone. “When someone is speaking on something with a lot of conviction, like, there always has to be some kind of caveat,” Frenner says.
“This is why I wanted you to read it. It’s very Eastern European-focused.” Sokol says. “American girls are a little more on the independent side. She doesn’t say ‘don’t be independent,’ but she talks a lot about femininity.” Sokol recounts the dizzying story of meeting her husband at a wedding in Moscow, which begins with her husband attending a nightclub in Dubai.
Ashley Goldsmith reads her individualized star chart.
(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)
For the activity planned, Sokol, who is eight months pregnant and wearing a dazzling candy-pink dress that matches the chosen book’s cover, presents the members with their own custom Slavic astrology reading, one she procured from a Ukrainian astrologer she visited when she was 19. Fortune telling and mysticism are common in Eastern Europe, she explains. The custom readings are bound in booklets, each featuring a spirit animal, such as a panda, and suggested habits.
“Avoid fast cars and motorcycles. Avoid countries with active war,” one of the booklets read.
Ghaffari explains that ever since she was 3 years old in Milwaukee, her mother has been in a decades-long book club. “She flies back for it, and she’ll recommend books that they just read,” Ghaffari says. Three weeks ago, Ghaffari had her first baby, who is in attendance, whom she jokes is the “book club heir.”
The Booked Babes fall quiet as they thumb through their astrology booklets, reading about destiny, transfixed by the mesmerizing promise of inevitable fate.
Connors is a writer living in Los Angeles. She hosts the literary reading event Unreliable Narrators at Nico’s Wines in Atwater Village every month.