FORMER pop star Kerry Katona has admitted drug taking but says being branded an "unfit mum" made her clean up her act.
The 25-year-old, from Warrington, admits she turned to cocaine and alcohol when Westlife star Brian McFadden ended their four year marriage and began dating Australian singer and actress Delta Goodrum.
The ex-Atomic Kitten star blames her troubled childhood for her drink and drug binges.
Speaking about the claims in her new autobiography Too Much Too Young, Kerry said: "I was drinking and doing drugs because that was all I could think of because my life was such a mess.
"Rather than think I had to sort my life out and deal with all my problems I just f****d myself up even more with cocaine and booze, I was completely out of control.
"When people found out how I was behaving I didn't really care but it broke my heart that I was being called an unfit mother."
She says it was seeing her picture winning Britain's Best Mum award, combined with reports that Brian had branded her a bad mother, that prompted her to check into The Priory, where she was diagnosed with bipolar condition.
Pregnant
She is now three months pregnant by her fiancé Mark Croft Kerry but can no longer take the drugs which could control her condition.
She said: "Someone diagnosing me with a condition made me feel like a weight had been lifted.
"My divorce from Brian will come through in a few weeks and then it'll just be me and Mark. I can't wait to have his baby and get married and be a family."
Kerry, who spent times in care homes and women's refuges as a youngster, is determined to give her children a better start in life.
She said: "If you had the sort of upbringing I've had, it's more normal to ask for drugs than ask for help."
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Eric H, Horwich (08/10/2006 at 18:57)
Madge, As far away from GM as is possible. (09/10/2006 at 13:04)
mrs edge, salford (09/10/2006 at 21:39)
A.J, Warrington (17/10/2006 at 11:04)
I can't imagine the pain she went through on finding out what a total idiot Brian was on his stag night - especially finding out after the wedding and non of his so called mates or him had given her the option to make her own mind up about the marraige based on the facts. Then to be dumped years later by the RAT! yes she has taken drugs, and drank and partied hard at points, but not all of us have privaliged childhoods that give us a great start to life to be able to avoid certain evils.. though i know alot of under privalidged kids go on to NEVER take drugs etc.. thats not what I am saying. I myself have the same type of personality where I fall in things that will only end up destroying you more when I am low, I dont gain strength til a little later when i see what damage I am doing. I seriously wish her well in her life and hope that this new baby and man work out for her, she can all to easily fall from one thing to another looking for the answers to her problems. She deserves to be happy, and I personally love her sense of humour and down to earth character, I'd prefer to go out for a 'babycham' and a laugh with kerry of a friday night than some other personalities I see in the media today! She has made us grin while watching her on tv far more than we've shook a finger at her behaiviour, she's a TV gem. Your welcome round for a cuppa anytime ur in warrington Kerry x
.., .. (17/10/2006 at 16:07)