Who is Katie Hopkins? What was her libel case about and is she insolvent?
The former Apprentice star lost a libel action against columnist Jack Monroe which has landed her in financial hot water
CONTROVERSIAL television star Katie Hopkins has made headlines for her outspoken views.
However, the former Apprentice and CCB contestant lost a libel action against another columnist which has landed her in financial hot water.
Who is Katie Hopkins?
Born in Devon in 1975, Hopkins studied economics at the University of Exeter.
She attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where her training was hindered as a result of her epilepsy.
Hopkins eventually moved to New York to work for a business consultancy before returning to the UK in 2005.
She joined the Met Office, Britain’s national weather service, the following year as a global brand consultant.
The mum-of-three reached the final of BBC’s The Apprentice in 2006 but pulled out of the contest over problems with her daughters’ childcare.
Hopkins lost her job at the Met Office in 2007 – a dismissal which she partly blamed on her appearances on television.
She later carved out a career as a controversial TV personality and columnist and appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015 alongside Katie Price.
Hopkins now works as contributor for The Rebel Media, a Canadian far-right online political website, alongside former EDL leader Tommy Robinson, hosting Hopkins World.
She has been married twice and has three children.
What was her libel case about?
Food blogger Jack Monroe, 29, sued after Hopkins wrongly accused her on Twitter of supporting vandals who had daubed “F*** Tory scum” on a Whitehall war memorial in 2015.
The motormouth TV star wrote: “@MsJackMonroe scrawled on any memorials recently?
“Vandalised the memory of those who fought for your freedom.
“Grandma got any more medals.”
Monroe quickly demanded Hopkins delete the tweet and apologise.
Hopkins did delete it two hours later, but posted a second tweet calling the chef “social anthrax”.
In March 2017 High Court judge Mr Justice Warby said the tweets caused Monroe “serious harm” and awarded her £24,000 damages.
Hopkins was also ordered to pay £107,000 of Monroe’s legal costs.
Is she insolvent?
Hopkins has launched a legal bid to avoid bankruptcy after losing the £130,000 libel case, it was revealed in September 2018.
The former Apprentice star has entered an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA), according to papers filed with the Insolvency Service.
An IVA is an arrangement made with creditors to pay off your debts over a set period of time, usually five to six years.
Blogger Monroe revealed on Twitter today that Hopkins had filed the IVA but said she was not “celebrating” the columnist’s financial troubles.
Monroe told followers: “I can confirm today that following that landmark libel case, Katie Hopkins has entered into an IVA to avoid bankruptcy.
“I knew for a while but could not say anything for legal reasons.
“The arbitrary defender of free speech didn’t want anyone to know, ironically…
“I have been paid in full, but many of her creditors, including my lawyer, will not be paid what they are owed.
“For the want of an apology, a house, a job, a column, a radio show, and now financial solvency, were lost. It’s all very sad, actually.
“I’m not cruel nor celebrating – that case cost me 18 months of sanity and work, and I think neither of us wanted it to turn out this way.”
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