Kerry Katona’s ex-husband George Kay dead aged 39 from suspected drug overdose
KERRY Katona was in shock after her ex-husband died suddenly from a suspected drug overdose.
George Kay, 39, was found collapsed at home and taken to hospital but doctors were unable to save him.
His tearful brother, who did not give his name, said: “We just heard he has passed away. We’re all in shock. We don’t know much.”
George’s mum was also at the house in Warrington, Cheshire, where he lived. A source said: “It is no secret that George had experienced problems with drugs.”
The former rugby league star met Kerry, 39, as teenagers, but started dating in 2012 after bumping into each other in Warrington.
They married in September 2014, five months after she had their daughter Dylan-Jorge, now five years old.
Kerry was reportedly told of George's death yesterday afternoon and is "devastated".
A friend told : "Kerry is heartbroken, he’s DJ’s dad and she loved him once.
“She can’t bear the thought of explaining to her daughter what has happened."
In October 2015 ex-Atomic Kitten singer Kerry announced they had split, alleging the one-time Warrington Wolves winger assaulted her.
She was also married to Westlife’s Brian McFadden and cabbie Mark Croft.
A friend of Kerry’s said: “She and George weren’t speaking anymore.
“She has no contact with him whatsoever.
“There was a restraining order out against him and he wasn’t allowed to go anywhere near her.”
When Kerry and George wed, the ex-rugby star became step-dad to his new wife's four children.
Kerry shares Molly and younger daughter Lilly-Sue, 14, with ex-husband Brian McFadden, whom she divorced in 2004 following two years of marriage.
She is also mum to daughter Heidi, ten, and and son Max, nine, from her relationship with Mark Croft.
Their marriage was far from plain sailing and the couple ended on bad terms and each made public accusations against the other.
The couple continued to work at their marriage but they finally decided to call it a day two years ago, with Kerry serving George divorce papers in November 2017.
Kerry has since moved on and now lives in a six-bedroom house in Sussex with her kids.
Before George came into the spotlight, he had a pro rugby career that ended in France in 2004.
He blamed the lack of money he was making from the sport for leading him down a dark path that resulted in three and a half years in prison for blackmail.
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He told Now magazine in 2013: "I was a bit of a wild child. I could only make £200 a week playing rugby – you could probably make more than that working in McDonald’s.
"So I found myself going down the wrong path in life. I was involved in stuff that I shouldn’t have been involved with."
He insisted his time behind bars wasn't scary but admitted he did struggle with the boredom.
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