Reality queen Kate Ferdinand opens up on her 'chaotic and dreamy' new life in Dubai

They moved to UAE last month with their blended family of five children and are loving it

Last updated:
Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Entertainment, Lifestyle and Sport Editor
2 MIN READ
Kate and Rio Ferdinand with their family in Dubai
Kate and Rio Ferdinand with their family in Dubai
Instagram

Dubai: Reality star Kate Ferdinand has opened up about the highs and lows of relocating her family to Dubai, describing their new life as “chaotic” but also 'everything you could wish for'.

In a recent interview with Kent Life Magazine, the 34-year-old former TOWIE (The Only Way is Essex) star spoke about her new adventure. Along with her husband, ex-England footballer and Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand, 46, Kate moved to the UAE last month with their blended family of five children.

The couple share sons Cree, four, and Shae, two, while Rio’s older children Lorenz, 19, Tate, 17, and Tia, 13 — from his late wife Rebecca Ellison — have also joined them in Dubai.

Adjusting to a big move

Speaking to Kent Life Magazine, Kate admitted the transition has been overwhelming at times.

“There’s a lot of over-stimulation. But also, it’s so special and crazy and loving and loud and everything that you could wish it to be. The bond between the kids is amazing.”

The family are sticking to their tradition of eating dinner together, though Kate laughed that it’s “mental.” She added: “There’s food getting thrown about everywhere, drinks being spilled. But it’s the one time we’re all together, normally.”

A new chapter in Al Barari

The Ferdinands swapped Bromley, south-east London, for Dubai’s exclusive gated community of Al Barari, where they’ve set up a lavish new home.

Kate recently gave her Instagram followers a glimpse inside, captioning one post: “A new chapter, a fresh start — because if we don’t try, we’ll never know. We’ve talked about this for so long, and now it’s finally real… we’re here, making a new home in the place we met!”

Although she admitted to missing friends back home, Kate said she feels “scared, excited & nervous — but more than anything, ready for fresh starts and new beginnings.”

Dubai holds sentimental value

Dubai isn’t just a new base — it’s also where Kate and Rio’s love story began. The pair first met there nearly a decade ago through mutual friends, and Rio proposed in nearby Abu Dhabi two years later.

A source close to the couple told The Sun: “The Middle East has always held a special place in their hearts, and both can easily travel back and forth for their work commitments in the UK.”

Kate has already shared glimpses of their new life on Instagram — from family swims in the Gulf to intense gym sessions under the Dubai sun — proving that even amid the chaos, the Ferdinands are embracing their new adventure.

Manjusha Radhakrishnan
Manjusha RadhakrishnanEntertainment, Lifestyle and Sport Editor
Manjusha Radhakrishnan has been slaying entertainment news and celebrity interviews in Dubai for 18 years—and she’s just getting started. As Entertainment Editor, she covers Bollywood movie reviews, Hollywood scoops, Pakistani dramas, and world cinema. Red carpets? She’s walked them all—Europe, North America, Macau—covering IIFA (Bollywood Oscars) and Zee Cine Awards like a pro. She’s been on CNN with Becky Anderson dropping Bollywood truth bombs like Salman Khan Black Buck hunting conviction and hosted panels with directors like Bollywood’s Kabir Khan and Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh. She has also covered film festivals around the globe. Oh, and did we mention she landed the cover of Xpedition Magazine as one of the UAE’s 50 most influential icons? She was also the resident Bollywood guru on Dubai TV’s Insider Arabia and Saudi TV, where she dishes out the latest scoop and celebrity news. Her interview roster reads like a dream guest list—Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Shah Rukh Khan, Robbie Williams, Sean Penn, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Joaquin Phoenix, and Morgan Freeman. From breaking celeb news to making stars spill secrets, Manjusha doesn’t just cover entertainment—she owns it while looking like a star herself.
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