Usually unashamedly brash and tough-talking, Katie Price was reduced to tears as she revealed her darkest fears about her beautiful teenage son, Harvey.
The mum-of-five, who is also known as Jordan and was one of Britain’s biggest tabloid sensations over the past 10 years, broke down as she confessed that she can’t bear the thought of putting her 13-year-old into respite care.
Harvey – whose dad is Katie’s ex, former soccer star Dwight Yorke – suffers from a rare genetic condition called Prader Willi syndrome. Among its symptoms include intellectual delay, crossed eyes, speech delay, and obesity. In Harvey’s case, he is on the autism spectrum, can’t walk far unaided, and suffers severe mood swings.
Katie breaks down on the set of her new show.
While speaking to a psychologist on her new show Katie Price: In Therapy, the 37-year-old struggled to maintain her composure as she described juggling caring for Harvey whilst also being a mum to four other children as “a challenge”.
“So many people use respite to have a break with their kids but I won’t do it, I don’t want to leave him,” she says. “I won’t do respite with him yet. I don’t want to feel like I am letting him down by letting him go while I go and have fun with the others.”
Katie is also mum to Junior, 10, and Princess, 7, whose father is Aussie pop star Peter Andre, plus Jett, 2, and Bunny, 1, who were fathered by her current husband Kieran Hayler.
She explains that her other children – particularly Junior – are understanding that she can’t always do things like other mums.
“Junior wants me to watch him play football on a Sunday but he knows that I can’t if Harvey doesn’t want to go. If he doesn’t want to go, he will smash the car up. And I don’t want to leave Harvey with someone so I can go,” she says.
Katie with her ex-husband, Aussie pop star Peter Andre.
Currently, Harvey travels each day to a specialist school 50km from their Sussex home, but Katie refuses to take advantage of the boarding option.
“I would never over my dead body board him,” she declares. “I wouldn’t like it and I know he wouldn’t like it.”
While her psychiatrist insists she needs to start trusting other people to help her care for Harvey, Katie insists she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s a challenge… but I would never change it. Ever,” she says.
