Katie Price is said to be keen to marry boyfriend JJ Slater as soon as possible, in a bid to prove to her mum Amy that she’s found ‘the one’ as the former reality star’s health continues to deteriorate
In a heart-wrenching update on her mum’s health, Katie Price has shared that Amy “can’t do the things that she used to do” as she battles idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). An insider has now told OK! that her mum’s ongoing health issues have spurred the 46 year old to speed up plans to wed beau JJ Slater.
“Katie is really keen to marry JJ as soon as possible. It’s important that her mum is there with her at the wedding and to walk her down the aisle before it’s too late. Her being poorly has made Katie speed everything up and panic,” they revealed. Amy Price, mother to Katie, older brother Daniel and younger sister Sophie, was diagnosed with the lung disease IPF in 2017.
Amy was informed at the time of diagnosis that the illness – which results in scarring of the lungs and progressively hampers breathing – meant she had a life expectancy of just five years. However, she underwent a lung transplant in 2022 in an attempt to improve her condition, and now experiences good days and bad days.
Amy’s illness has forced Katie to confront the painful reality of potentially losing her mum, a thought that has been incredibly challenging for her. Reflecting on her harrowing experience on the operation table when she temporarily passed away during a transplant, Amy opened up in 2023, saying: “I went into cardiac arrest and they had to ‘pump’ me to bring me back. I hadn’t known that.”
On ‘The Katie Price Show’ podcast, Katie probed her mum, asking about the number of times she faced death. Amy responded with, “I think it was only that once,” and revealed, “Apparently, I was shouting out, ‘I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, they’re killing me.'”.
Katie recently shed light on her mum’s fragile state, emphasizing that people need to grasp the full extent of her health battles, notably how her mind remains sharp despite physical limitations. “People have to understand what my mum’s gone through, like her brain is still so active and switched on. She can’t do the things that she used to do, which is frustrating for her.”
Sharing on her podcast, she disclosed an instance of her mum’s determination playfully challenging her patience, “Now here’s an example, because I am a patient person, but when my mother teases me and says, ‘Let’s go look at the shops in Isle of Wight, shall I take my walker or wheelchair?’ and I’m like, ‘No, we’re taking your wheelchair because I’m not taking an hour.'”.
Well-known for their strong bond, Katie, and her 73 year old mother, Amy, who has been a fixture in several of Katie’s reality TV endeavours, showcase a tight-knit relationship that has become iconic over time. Amy’s stern approach to evaluating Katie’s romantic interests has been well-documented, though she apparently gave 32 year old JJ her nod of approval.
Katie, the glam model and telly star, and JJ, who shot to fame on the 2023 run of Married At First Sight UK, have been setting tongues wagging since he sparked a cheeky love affair with co-star Ella Morgan on the show—despite her being paired off with another suitor. Alas, their fling fizzled out and Katie swooped in after sliding into JJ’s DMs later that year.
Fast forward to December 2023, they were just mates but the New Year brought them closer, eventually making things Insta-official. Katie, a mum-of-five – to Harvey, Junior, Princess, Jett, and Bunny – is no newbie to wedding bells, having said ‘I do’ three times: first with Peter Andre in 2005, then Alex Reid in a Vegas vow-swap in 2010, and Kieran Hayler in sunny Bahamas nuptials in 2013.
She’s not one to hide her dream of another fairy-tale ending. She spilled last December, “I’d love to get married again! [JJ’s] very old-fashioned, so he hasn’t even put a ring on my finger yet.” Now, with Katie’s mum facing health woes, there’s pressure mounting from our insider. “She wants her mum to see that she’s happy, and prove to her that she’s found a good one,” they dish.
Counting four engagements previously, JJ has his work cut out to make proposal number five as enchanting as ever for Katie. She has been engaged previously to past flames like Carl Woods, Kris Boyson, and Leandro Penna, never quite making it to ‘I do’ with them. Yet, we all remember her splashing out on a £45,000 gown for her iconic wedding with Peter Andre in a fairy-tale castle affair.
Fast forward to now, and Katie’s planning a much more intimate ceremony for her next walk down the aisle with JJ. Sources say it’s set to be a simple celebration surrounded by close friends and family, where the emphasis is on the love shared with JJ over any splashy spectacle.
The kids it is claimed will be stepping up for the special day, says the source. “Harvey will be very much involved and will probably be a pageboy. He gets on really well with JJ. It will be a low-key wedding, not a big affair. It’s going to be a much smaller do than her other weddings, the opposite of when she married Peter.”
And Katie’s heart seems set on this cozy gathering: “She just wants to focus on being with JJ, rather than the extravagance. Although, knowing Katie, there will be something outrageous up her sleeve! But she’s determined to be JJ’s wife – and quickly.”
