Emily Herbert - Katie and Peter: Too Much in Love

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T he news, when it broke, was a shock. One minute one of the most famous duos in the country, Katie Price and Peter Andre, seemed to be the happiest of couples, helping one another through the London Marathon, and giggling about going to bed afterwards, and how much they fancied one another, and the next, the relationship was over. Just like that. A quite spectacular row had taken place, in which words were said that shouldnt have been said and insults flung that couldnt be forgotten, but, whereas most couples go through such moments and try to forget about it afterwards, in this particular case, it was all caught on television cameras. Even if Katie and Peter had managed to put their massive argument behind them, the rest of the world would still be around to witness all the mess.

But then, as events began to unfold, it soon became clear that this row, and the subsequent separation, had been a long time in the making. Various elements were about to emerge from the lyrics of songs Peter had written months earlier to totally unfounded rumours that Katie might have been having an affair that made it clear that the couples relationship had been in turmoil for a long time. The split, it seemed, had become inevitable. The relationship that the whole nation had seen develop years earlier on Im A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!, where the two first met, was over, and in the most acrimonious of circumstances, too.

It was a long way from the couples lavish wedding day, at Highclere Castle, less than four years earlier, and the announcement that the pair of them issued on 11 May 2009 in the wake of the revelation that they were to part could not have been more blunt: Peter Andre and Katie Price are separating after four-and-a-half years of marriage [sic], they said. They have both requested the media respect their families privacy at this difficult time.

So, what had gone wrong? In the immediate aftermath of the split, it was not clear what had happened, other than that Peter was the one who had packed his bags and left, rather than Katie, but no one could work out why. In a highly emotional statement, Katie said, Pete is the love of my life. We have children together and I am devastated and disappointed by his decision to separate and divorce me, as I married him for life. This is not what I want and the decision has been taken out of my hands. I will not comment further or do any interviews regarding the separation, but I will always love my Pete.

The timing was extraordinary. Days earlier, Katie had announced they were hoping for another child. Hopefully, I will get pregnant next year as we are going to start trying, she said. I want to have another three kids biologically and then adopt, but, if something happened and there was a child who needed a home before that, then Id do it.

This was hardly the talk of a woman on the verge of getting divorced. Then there was the fact that shed just made an impromptu visit to Los Angeles, where Pete was recording an album, and during which hed seemed overjoyed to see her although, as was shortly to become apparent, the couple had had a terrible row when she was there. Indeed, rumours had started to circulate that the marriage was in trouble. But, when questioned about it at BAA Heathrow, on her way home, Katie was adamant nothing was wrong. As usual, its a load of nonsense, she said.

During the trip, the couple had been spotted kissing passionately, after which waiting photographers asked them about their plans for the evening.

Do you know what? Im going to have fun with her, said Pete.

But this was not enough to silence the talk. One source close to the couple remarked, Its going from bad to worse for them, while another said that they were treating Petes working trip to LA as a trial separation, as both tried to determine what they really wanted next.

However, the separation soon turned from a trial into the real thing and it wasnt long before the whole story began to emerge. In fact, the full extent of the couples problems became clear when the huge row between them was broadcast on their ITV2 reality show, Katie & Peter: The Next Chapter Stateside. It started innocuously enough, as such rows so often do, until the pair were quite suddenly in the middle of something so blisteringly ferocious neither seemed able to climb down. Was it the end? Yes. There really seemed to be no going back from there.

It came about as follows. Katie and Pete were in a shop having a seemingly casual conversation about nothing very much, when it suddenly blew up into a row about which one of them the shop assistant recognised. When someone knows who you are and you come into a shop and youre blatantly lying, you look a twat, snapped Katie.

Really? Shhh, Kate, zip it, said Pete, before turning to the shop assistant. So, have you heard of Kate?

Im not sure, replied the rather bemused assistant.

How do you feel now? demanded Pete, turning back to Katie. How do you feel?

Although neither said as much, the whole slanging match reeked of being an argument the duo had had many times before. Who was the more famous did it really matter? But to Katie, at least, it clearly did. When the two of them first met, much was made of the fact that Pete was well past his glory days, while Katie, then widely known as the glamour model Jordan, was by far the more famous one. As a couple, their joint profile totally dwarfed any fame either had had before then, but which of the two was now individually more famous was impossible to say. But, if that had previously been a bone of contention, it was now spinning totally out of control.

The row continued, becoming increasingly bad-tempered as it did so.

Youre a fucking knob. I cant stand you! said Katie.

Ahh, did I hurt your feelings? asked Pete. Did he not know who you were?

Oh, as if Im bothered, said Katie. No one knows who you are. Youre an old fucking singer no one knows about!

That was vicious, but matters swiftly got worse.

Youve got a real attitude problem, said Pete, who was looking increasingly riled.

Get over it, Pete. I want to go home! said Katie.

Im so glad you guys are here to film this, said Pete, turning to the film crew.

Im so glad too, so you know what a knob you are, was Katies response.

You can see what kind of a stupid, miserable, arrogant cow she is, said Pete, who was by now giving every appearance of a man who had heard it all before and had well and truly had enough.

Arrogant? What, cos Im talking to someone genuinely and youre sitting there, fucking lying? I cant stand liars, Katie continued.

Really? Youve got fucking issues, said Pete. I cant wait for you to watch this back and see how miserable you are.

Could things get any more unpleasant than that? Oh, yes and they did.

Pete accused Katie of trying to have it all her own way, to which Katie retorted, Im the one making money, Pete, so of course I can have it how I want.

It clearly wounded him to the core. What? Dont I make money? he demanded.

I dont know. Do you? Hurts, doesnt it? Katie replied.

How fucking dare you talk to me like that! Think youre gonna get away with it? demanded Pete.

At this point, clearly realising this was going too far, one of the couples management team, Nicola Partridge, stepped in. But it was too late, not least because everything had been captured on camera and the footage was due to be screened the following week. Katie and Pete were livid with one another and no longer prepared to hide it any more. And so, a bitter breakdown between the two of them had really begun.

It wasnt exactly Loves Young Dream, but then rumours had been circulating for some time that all was not well. The previous night, Katie had been spotted without Pete at Syndicate nightclub in Bristol, where she was photographed whispering to a mystery man, leading to much speculation as to who he was and the exact nature of their relationship. As if that was not enough, she sang a not entirely successful version of Petes hit Mysterious Girl.