Rio and Kate Ferdinand make ‘fresh start’ in Dubai

By Laura Harding, Deputy Entertainment Editor

Rio and Kate Ferdinand have revealed they have moved to Dubai with their children for “a new chapter” and “a fresh start”.

The former footballer (46) and ex-The Only Way is Essex cast member (33) met in the United Arab Emirates city and had long talked about moving, they said in a joint post on Instagram.

The pair shared photographs of their new life with their children, including snaps from a swimming pool in front of the Burj Khalifa building.

A post shared by Kate Ferdinand (@xkateferdinand)

The former England and Manchester United captain married the TV star in 2019, and she became stepmother to his three children Lorenz (19), Tate (17) and Tia (14) from his first marriage to Rebecca Ellison, who died of breast cancer in 2015 at the age of 34.

The couple are also parents to son Cree (4) and two-year-old daughter Shae.

A video shows Shae hanging a sign reading “Shae’s Room” on the door of her new bedroom, while a photo shows one of the family’s dogs looking out of the window on an aeroplane.

The couple captioned the pictures: “A new chapter, a fresh start — because if we don’t try, we’ll never know.

“Ahhh! We’ve talked about this for so long, and now it’s finally real… we’re here. We are making a new home in the place we met!

“Missing some of our specials already & a bit scared, excited & nervous — but more than anything, ready for fresh starts and new beginnings.”

Kate hosts a podcast called Blended, about blended families.