Kate Ferdinand has opened up about Rio Ferdinand’s sons’ reaction to the prospect of more children in the family.
Speaking on the Blended podcast, Kate said Rio Ferdinand’s two sons did not welcome the idea of more children at first.
The former The Only Way Is Essex star explained that the boys “were not supportive of another baby” when she and former England footballer Rio first got together.
Kate, 35, has often spoken about becoming a stepmum to Rio’s children after the death of their mum Rebecca in 2015.
Rio, 47, shares sons Tate and Lorenz and daughter Tia with Rebecca. He later married Kate, and the couple now share two children, Cree, five, and Shae, two.
Kate Ferdinand and Rio Ferdinand still shaped by those early fears
In the latest podcast episode, Kate’s friend and co-host Nathalie Holmes-Lewis recalled a blunt warning from the boys in the early days.
Nathalie said: “This is reminding me of Tate and Lorenz when Kate and Rio first got together. They said, ‘Oh, if they have a baby, we’re going to put it in the cupboard.'”
Kate laughed at the memory. She replied: “Don’t worry, they’ve not been put in the cupboard.”
She then added: “The two boys were not supportive of another baby.”
The comments point to a difficult start. They also show how much the family dynamic has changed since then.
Kate also reflected on the pressure of parenting children of different ages under one roof.
She said: “I also think anyone with kids of all different ages, it’s a hard bag trying to control and stay calm 24/7. It’s near on impossible.”
Why did the rows with Tia feel so personal?
Kate also admitted life has not always been smooth with stepdaughter Tia, 14.
The pair have had explosive rows, with Tia’s loose time-keeping becoming one flashpoint in the house.
Kate explained that normal parenting moments can land differently with a stepchild. Setting rules or telling a child off can feel heavier for everyone involved.
She also said she is now in her “calmer era”. Even so, she joked that the children have their own label for her when tensions rise.
She said: “And then when I lose it, everyone says, ‘What’s happened to Kate? She’s a psycho. Or Kate’s mental.'”
Tate’s guilt reveals what sat underneath the tension
Tate has also spoken openly on the podcast about the early days of Kate’s relationship with his dad.
He said he felt torn between growing close to Kate and staying loyal to his late mum.
Tate said: “At the start, I felt so guilty for liking Kate and loving Kate. I felt guilty for my mum’s family, for my mum. It’s a really weird feeling.
“One part of me really likes her and wants to like her. And then the other part of me thinks, ‘Oh, there’s a loyalty towards my mum here, what am I doing?'”
Read more: Kate Ferdinand admits she’s ‘trying to hold it together’ amid husband Rio’s absence from family home