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Rio and Kate Ferdinand to offer fans an 'intimate' look at their personal life in new documentary


Rio and Kate Ferdinand have allowed cameras into their lives to reveal the struggles around becoming a stepfamily for a new documentary.

The one-off BBC One programme will follow the famous couple as Kate integrates into the family and becomes a stepmother to Rio’s three children after the death of their mother Rebecca Ellison.

The former footballer, 41, and the former TOWIE star, 29, have been in a relationship since 2017 and tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in Turkey in September.

Family: Rio and Kate Ferdinand have allowed cameras into their lives to reveal the struggles around becoming a stepfamily for a new documentary

Family: Rio and Kate Ferdinand have allowed cameras into their lives to reveal the struggles around becoming a stepfamily for a new documentary

The ‘deeply personal’ programme will show the months leading up to their wedding, while looking at the ’emotionally complicated dilemmas’ that the family face together.

It will also explore the challenges Kate deals with in being both a partner and a new stepmother to three grieving children, Lorenz, 13, Tate, 11, and Tia, eight.

Rebecca passed away in 2015 at the age of 34 after being diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time.  

The film, called Rio and Kate: Becoming A Step Family, follows the football star’s previous Bafta-winning documentary in 2017, Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum And Dad, in which he came to terms with the effect of losing his wife while caring for his young family.

Show: The BBC One programme will follow the couple as Kate integrates into the family and becomes a stepmother to Rio's three children after the death of their mother Rebecca Ellison

Show: The BBC One programme will follow the couple as Kate integrates into the family and becomes a stepmother to Rio’s three children after the death of their mother Rebecca Ellison

Rio and Kate said: ‘The positive response to Being Mum And Dad in 2017 and the way it helped others going through a similar situation was overwhelming.

‘For that reason we were both compelled to tell the next chapter in our lives together. 

‘We hope Becoming A Step Family will give a unique insight into step-families and the journey through grief, whilst also providing an intimate look at our lives together.’

Alison Kirkham, BBC’s controller of factual commissioning, said: ‘I’d like to thank Rio and Kate for opening up their lives to us in such an intimate and personal way.

New life: It will also explore the challenges Kate deals with in being both a partner and a new stepmother to Rio's children, Lorenz, 13, Tate, 11, and Tia, eight

New life: It will also explore the challenges Kate deals with in being both a partner and a new stepmother to Rio’s children, Lorenz, 13, Tate, 11, and Tia, eight 

‘The BBC has long been committed to tackling mental health issues and Rio Ferdinand’s programme on bereavement in 2017 helped bring the conversation into the open.

‘We hope this new film will offer meaningful insight into the reality and challenges of living in a step-family. It will also explore how grief affects us all differently.’

The BBC said that step-families were now the fastest-growing family type in the UK, with an estimated one in three of all families being part of one.

The couple meet with other families in similar circumstances to theirs in the programme, exploring the types of support on offer for those in need. 

It comes after Kate recently appeared on This Morning where she discussed her fractious relationship with her body, admitting she has ‘love-hate’ feelings about her figure.

Happy days: Kate wed Rio in September and gave up the spotlight to be stepmother to his kids

Happy days: Kate wed Rio in September and gave up the spotlight to be stepmother to his kids

After the release of her book, Fitter, Happier, Healthier: The Ultimate 4 Week Body Transformation Plan, the star has been blazing the promo trail and detailing how she stays in shape and how she has overcome her body demons.

She said: ‘I feel like I had a love-hate relationship with my body and how others thought about me…

‘I think it controlled me, I got really anxious, I felt overwhelmed and it took over my life. Now I realise my body doesn’t define me. [On being anxious about developing curves at an early age]’…

‘My mum took me to the gym, my school was quite far away. We started swimming together and that’s how I got into the gym.

‘It’s an hour of the day where I don’t think about anything and just gets me started for the day.’

Honest: Kate recently appeared on This Morning where she discussed her fractious relationship with her body, admitting she has 'love-hate' feelings about her figure

Honest: Kate recently appeared on This Morning where she discussed her fractious relationship with her body, admitting she has ‘love-hate’ feelings about her figure 



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