Kate Ferdinand EXCLUSIVE: ‘I struggle to share my life with the children online’: Star discusses her anxiety, trolls and why she decided to be ‘more open and honest’ about family life
Kate Ferdinand admits she struggles to share her life with Rio’s children Lorenz, 13, Tate, 11, and daughter Tia, eight, online.
The reality star, 27, embarked on a relationship with footballer Rio, 41, in 2017 and stepped back from TOWIE to become a mother figure for the trio, after his first wife, Rebecca, tragically passed away in 2015.
As Kate adjusted to becoming a step mum, she admitted posting her life with the children on social media gave her crippling anxiety.
Hard: Kate Ferdinand admits she struggles to share her life with Rio’s children Lorenz, 13, and Tate, 11, and daughter Tia, eight, online
In an exclusive chat with MailOnline, Kate said: ‘I always struggle to share my life with the children and that did give me anxiety.’
The reality star faced a wave of backlash from trolls who labelled her a ‘gold digger’ when her relationship with Rio first came to light.
And in her and Rio’s BBC documentary: Becoming A Family, which aired earlier this month, Kate said getting to know the children and Rio as a unit was a ‘hard couple of years’ as she was met with hostility from extended family members.
Family: The reality star, 27, embarked on a relationship with Rio in 2017 and stepped back from TOWIE to become a mother figure for the footballer’s three children
Two years on, Kate says she is more relaxed about being ‘honest’ about the highs and lows of parenting.
Kate said: ‘I’m just being more open and honest with everything. I’ve found a happy-medium.
‘We compare ourselves to everyone’s best bits and we don’t always know what’s going on.
Difficult: As Kate adjusted to becoming a step mum, she admitted posting her life with the children on social media gave her crippling anxiety (pictured on holiday in December)
‘So I’ve made a conscious effort to try and be more open and honest and share not always the great bits of my life and that makes me feel better aswell because you haven’t got as much pressure to live up to what everything thinks is happening.’
The television personality mused on her low point at the end of 2018, which Kate says was a ‘build up’.
The star previously told how she struggled to find her role as a step mum and felt like ‘a failure’ after she was ‘constantly compared’ to husband Rio’s late wife, who passed away aged 34.
But Kate, who had anxiety and panic attack since her teens- some so bad her hair fell out- said therapy has been a game changer and encourages ‘anyone who is struggling’ to seek help.
Caring: In an exclusive chat with MailOnline, Kate said: ‘I always struggle to share my life with the children and that did give me anxiety’ (pictured their engagement in November 2018)
Kate said: ‘I’ve had therapy for a long time. There wasn’t a tipping point. I had it when I was younger for anxiety and things like that and it’s something that I’ve had throughout the years.
‘I go to and from it. Everyone always think it revolves around finding fame on TOWIE but it doesn’t. I had anxiety when I was younger, before I was even on TOWIE I had therapy. ‘
The blonde beauty, who married Rio in a ceremony in Turkey last year, added: ‘I feel much better coming into this year than at the start of last year.
Growing: The blonde beauty, who married Rio in a ceremony in Turkey last year, added: ‘I feel much better coming into this year than at the start of last year’
Always remembered: Rio found love with Kate in 2017 after his first wife, Rebecca, tragically passed away in 2015 aged 34 after a battle with breast cancer (pictured 2009)
‘I feel a lot more confident, I’ve been on a real journey of self love and I feel in a much better place than what I did at the end of 2018.’
Discussing how she deals with trolls on her social platforms, Kate, who says exercise helps with her anxiety and has launched her own gymwear edit with Dare 2b, said: ‘On my own photos I do read it but I just try not to let it affect me.
‘I know me, I know I’m a nice person, so what anyone writes their opinion shouldn’t change my opinion of myself. I still do struggle and I have days where the comments aren’t very nice but I just try and rise above it.
‘That’s still a journey I’m going on. There’s always going to be negative comments. You’ve got to be prepared for it, you have to not pay attention.’
The Dare 2b Kate Ferdinand Fitness Edit is available from Dare 2b now.
Keeping fit: Kate says exercise has also helped her with her anxiety. Here she is pictured modelling her new Dare 2b edit
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