One of Katie Price’s former partners has criticized the celebrity as she marked her ninth engagement. Gareth Gates, who first encountered the model when he was 17 and she was 25, has accused Katie of building a career around discussing her romantic relationships.
The runner-up of Pop Idol had a brief involvement with Katie when he was 17, and she was 25 and pregnant at the time. Initially denying any relationship, he later admitted to it over a decade later. In an interview with The Mirror, Gates explained his reluctance to revisit their past and addressed Katie’s ongoing mentions of it.
“I was just 17 at the time, and it was a challenging situation,” he revealed. “I don’t actively seek attention. I have always maintained discretion out of respect. Katie has chosen to focus on relationships as her narrative – that’s her choice. I simply shrug it off as ‘That’s Katie.'”
Gareth and Katie, who recently unveiled her engagement shortly after parting ways with JJ Slater, have a strained relationship. Their discord reportedly originated when Gareth initially denied being intimate with her.
Later acknowledging the truth, Gates reflected, “I denied the entire Jordan incident because of my age at 17. I didn’t want my family to learn about my personal life.” He added, “Had I been honest from the start, it wouldn’t have been blown out of proportion, causing disappointment to my family, friends, and fans.”
Katie has claimed that her past connection with Gareth propelled his career. In her 2021 book, “Harvey and Me,” she asserted, “Hello Gareth Gates! He desired a piece of Pricey – even when I was six months pregnant. He initially denied our encounter, but wasn’t that when his career took off? Moving on swiftly…”
In September, Katie brought up Gareth again publicly. Reports surfaced that he was angered by her comments during her joint tour with Kerry Katona. During a performance in Gareth’s hometown of Bradford, Katie responded to persistent heckling about him by exclaiming, “Forget Gareth Gates.”
Sources informed The Sun that Gareth was “furious” yet unsurprised by the incident. They disclosed, “He understands that Katie might mention him whenever she’s onstage, and it’s always distressing. It never gets easier.”
The sources further revealed that while Gareth has moved forward, he perceives Katie as exploiting his name for publicity. According to them, his involvement with Katie is a source of deep regret.
Katie has since moved on, most recently with Lee Andrews. The entrepreneur and Aura Group Future Urban Travel CEO announced his engagement to Katie on January 23.
Gareth shared insights before rehearsals for his forthcoming musical stage production, “Boyband in the Buff.” For more details about Gareth’s musical show or ticket purchases, visit boybandinthebuff.com.
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