Kerry Katona has leapt to the defence of her longtime friend Eamonn Holmes after his controversial on-air remark about her “Oriental” look — a comment that sparked backlash and forced him to apologise live on GB News.
The former Atomic Kitten star, 44, took to Instagram Stories to share her thoughts, making it clear she wasn’t offended and that she has nothing but love for the presenter.
“Eamonn Holmes has been one of my oldest and longest friends,” Kerry said. “He didn’t say anything untoward. I adore him and love him to bits. I wasn’t offended in any way, shape or form. Eamonn, I love you truly, I adore you.”
Hours later, Kerry appeared upbeat as she was spotted leaving the Oxford Natural Longevity & Aesthetics Clinic in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, after indulging in an Abarghouei vitamin C facial.
“Everyone’s saying how amazing my skin looks — that’s why it looks amazing,” she beamed, still glowing from her treatment.
The On-Air Comment That Sparked Drama
Kerry had appeared on GB News for a debate about plastic surgery, showing off the results of a facelift she had a year ago.
During the chat, Eamonn asked, “Are you happy with the eyes?” to which Kerry explained:
“I had them done over a year ago now… it was making my eyes feel a bit heavy so I had an uplift. But what I don’t like is when—”
Before she could finish, Eamonn interrupted, saying:
“And you don’t look Oriental or anything, do you?”
Producers quickly stepped in, instructing Eamonn to issue an on-air apology — something he delivered, though clearly begrudgingly.
“Apparently you’re not allowed to describe someone as looking Oriental,” Eamonn said. “I don’t know how else I’d describe Kerry Katona if her eyes change shape… The world is ridiculous. How you have to apologise for people… Anyway.”
Trying to smooth over the moment, his co-host Ellie Costello chimed in: “But Kerry looks beautiful.”
“Kerry looks well,” Eamonn added, still frustrated. “I’m sorry if you don’t look well or we’ve offended you in any way or… oh, I don’t know.”
Why She Cancelled Her Facelift
Earlier this year, Kerry revealed she had planned a lower facelift but cancelled the surgery after her children begged her not to go through with it.
The mum-of-five — who shares Molly, 23, and Lilly-Sue, 22, with Brian McFadden; Heidi, 18, and Maxwell, 17, with Mark Croft; and Dylan-Jorge, 11, with her late husband George Kay — admitted she had been “excited” about the procedure but ultimately changed her mind.
In an interview with The Mirror, Kerry explained how her daughters’ emotional pleas made her rethink the surgery.
“My eldest three girls really didn’t want me to do it,” she said. “They were begging me, saying ‘Mum, please don’t.’ And honestly, their words massively impacted my decision. They don’t think I need it yet, and they know how tough the recovery would be.”
She went on to recall how difficult it was to recover from her corrective nose operation last year, calling it “the most horrendous thing.”
“It’s tough emotionally while recovering because you look so different and it’s hard to get your head around,” she shared. “I had to get it done medically — it wasn’t just vanity — but it was really hard. I don’t think I’m ready to do something else right now.”
Kerry added that with her busy schedule, she simply doesn’t have the time for the lengthy downtime required for another surgery. Still, she insists that at 44, she’s entitled to make tweaks if and when she chooses:
“I have no shame in it — if I want to make little changes, that’s my choice.”
The Bigger Picture
The term “Oriental” has been widely recognised as offensive for years. Back in 2021, the Home Office instructed police to stop using the word in race-hate crime reports, with Labour MP Sarah Owen, the first female MP of Chinese descent, calling it “incredibly outdated.”
Despite the controversy, Kerry has made it clear she stands by Eamonn, insisting that context matters and their decades-long friendship speaks for itself.
Source: Daily Mail
