Please choose drink, please choose drink
Kerry Katona is embroiled in a bitter dispute with her management over her next career move: a full-blown drink problem or obesity crisis.
The former Atomic Kitten singer is keen to gorge on kebabs for the next six months in a bid to balloon to 16 stone before embarking on a fitness campaign she hopes will be turned into a best-selling DVD.
But her management is understood to prefer a more measured decline into alcoholism in the run up to Christmas with slots already booked in for a series of public breakdowns.
This year’s split with husband Mark Croft, while boosting her profile in the tabloids, failed to capture the imagination of a public keen for Katona to stretch her headline making talents.
Her management now want the I’m A Celebrity winner to “get her act together” with a more mature approach to her art of celebrity.
“She must do better,” said her agent Bert Weedman, “Drink is the perfect move as far as we’re concerned if Kerry is serious about her celebrity career.
“Boob ops, weight problems, marital difficulties, drugs, fitness DVDs – we’ve done ‘em all, but alcohol wins hands down every time. It’s the gateway stunt.
“In drink she’s more entertaining, attracts the wrong men and is prepared to be photographed in many more compromising positions or situations than we can possibly think of.”
Katona, however, is understood to be digging in her heels and is prepared to work to rule over the coming weeks unless a compromise can be reached.
A friend, who refused to be named, told The News Grind: “Kerry does not want to go down full blown alcoholism path.
“She’s quite prepared to have a few wild nights on the drink to keep them happy as long as she can indulge her kebab habit and make a DVD. If her management don’t back down, I don’t know what is going to happen.”
The News Grind understands her management were considering a last minute olive branch from the celebrity. Weedman is mulling over an offer from Katona to perform a public sex act on a sea mammal in return for a relaxing of kebab rules.
“That’s more like it,” Weedman said last night.
