Pop stars back in the day really did not rake it in like we thought—not even chart-topping bands like Atomic Kitten.
Kerry Katona, who was an original member of the girl group from 1998 to 2001, has revealed the shocking amount she and her bandmates earned… and it’s not what you’re expecting.
Now aged 44, the Warrington-born star was part of the initial lineup with Liz McClarnon and Heidi Range, with the latter replaced by Natasha Hamilton in 1999.
Together, they achieved a top 10 debut single in the UK with Right Now, going on to release a debut album. Alas, the record peaked at number 29 after a string of singles that failed to ignite chart success, resulting in Kerry leaving the band, also due to conflicts with the other girls.
But despite the number one single Whole Again under her belt (just about—Kerry left days before its official release) and a legion of loyal fans, Atomic Kitten were far from millionaires.
As revealed now by Kerry, the trio was actually taking home £250 per week.
Appearing on Paul C. Brunson’s hit We Need to Talk podcast, the I’m A Celebrity star lifted the lid on what life was really like in a girl band.
Probed on the so-called ‘poor management’ the group endured at the time, Kerry replied: ‘Oh, we was only on like £250 a week.’
‘I left Atomic Kitten with 36 grand in my bank account and bought my mum a house and moved to Ireland. It was ridiculous, you’re given everything for free,’ she revealed.
Kerry went on to discuss her departure: ‘I left just before Whole Again went to number one—it’s my single, my song, my vocals, and then Jenny (Frost) came in to finish off the promotion because I came pregnant with Molly.
‘And I actually realised I didn’t want to be rich and famous; I just wanted to be a mum.’
The I’m A Celebrity campmate delved further into the appeal of Atomic Kitten, which she puts down to their Northern spirit and lack of media training, which made them ‘unique’.
And while Kerry’s Atomic Kitten days are behind her now—she briefly rejoined the group with Liz and Natasha in 2013 for The Big Reunion—she still speaks fondly of it.
On their ‘amazing’ successes together, while Kerry vowed to ‘never, ever forget’ the euphoric feeling of having a top-10 single, she admits that she probably didn’t ‘appreciate’ her lifestyle as much as she should have at the time.
‘I don’t think I really appreciated it at the time, to be honest with you, Paul,’ she confessed to the Celebs Go Dating expert. ‘You’re so busy—it’s not what you think it’s gonna be.
‘I enjoyed the climb, I loved doing the gigs, starting to get recognised, people asking for autographs. I was an entertainer; I was a loose cannon, you know. I cheered everyone up.
‘It’s then when you become super famous, and there’s always one of you in the band that the press decides to focus on.’
The singer went on to joke that, before any musical release, the members each had to ‘sit down with lawyers’ to discuss personal matters that might arise or make the press, with Kerry spending ‘hours’ reciting past ordeals, from parental woes to addiction battles.
In the years since she was in the band, Kerry has been a very open and honest book when it comes to her struggles.
The mum-of-five has made no secret of her substance abuse, having entered rehab on several occasions for alcohol and drug use. In the 2000s, she was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which her mother has too.
Additionally, Kerry has been married three times: Brian McFadden from 2002 to 2004, Mark Croft from 2007 to 2011, and George Kay from 2014 to 2017. Kay died from an overdose in 2019.
And while her love life has always been a hot topic of conversation, Kerry is now being romanced once more and is happier than ever with a younger man.
Enter personal trainer Paolo Margaglione, 33, whom she met on the recent series of Celebs Go Dating. Just months after filming ended, they’re believed to have moved in together.
As for her finances, Kerry is certainly earning much more than £250 per week now, and it’s all thanks to OnlyFans.
The former Iceland ambassador charges £19.99 a month for subscribers to access her adult content, a career choice that she’s said made her a ‘millionaire again’, having been bankrupt in 2008 and 2013.
Revealing her new millionaire status, she previously told The Sun that her kids were back in private education, while she purchased an ‘amazing’ home and flashy Lamborghini with her earnings.
‘It has a lot of sexy pictures similar to stuff I’ve done before for magazines, but new,’ she said of her NSFW content.
‘It’s made me a millionaire again.’
As for Atomic Kitten, Natasha confirmed her departure from the group late last year to work on solo music. Liz also recently shared that she is pregnant with her first child after two miscarriages.
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