Katie Price took the stand at Lewes Crown Court to deny allegations from the defense that she has harbored a vendetta against her ex-husband, Kieran Hayler, following their 2018 separation. Testifying from behind a screen, the television personality pushed back against claims that she remains “angry and vengeful” toward the 39-year-old, whose current trial centers on serious criminal charges. In her evidence provided on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, Price maintained she had no such agenda, despite the defense suggesting she had systematically targeted him.
The Charges Facing Hayler
The charges stem from an alleged 2016 incident involving a 13-year-old girl in West Sussex. Hayler, who denies all wrongdoing, has maintained through his legal team that Price launched a campaign against him following the breakdown of their marriage. The couple wed in 2013 and finalized their divorce in 2021; the complainant is not connected to the families of either party.
A Strategic Choice of Staff
The cross-examination turned to the intimate details of the couple’s domestic life. Defense lawyer Arlette Piercy pressed Price on her decision to hire a specific nanny during their marriage. Price offered a candid admission: she had chosen the woman because she was “not very attractive” and “a little bit overweight.” She testified, “Absolutely, there was a reason for that so he wouldn’t cheat on me again but he did.” Despite this admission, Price insisted she holds “no venom” toward her ex-husband, describing their split as “amicable.”
Text Messages and Intent
Jurors heard evidence concerning text messages Price sent to the complainant in May 2017. In the exchange, Price questioned the teenager about whether she had kissed Hayler, at one point writing, “I will make you a little star.” While the defense scrutinized the motive behind this language, Price dismissed it as a “figure of speech.” She told the court she had no hidden agenda, adding that she had not seen the full exchange until the trial and found the details “triggering.” She explained that she had “blocked” those memories through therapy at the Priory rehabilitation centre, noting that the events were difficult because Hayler was acting behind her back.
During the testimony, it was revealed that Price had told the girl, “I WON’T say anything and I PROMISE I’ll protect you!” as she sought the truth. Price told jurors she believed the girl was “afraid” and that she had been told in their messages that Hayler “had tried to kiss her” and “had done stuff to her.” Price testified she was “really shocked” by the claims, adding, “I wanted to get information out of [the complainant] because it’s serious.” She also admitted to the jury that she had accessed Hayler’s phone using his fingerprints while he was intoxicated to investigate his behavior.
Conflicting Accounts of Motive
The complainant’s mother offered a starkly different perspective. The mother told the court she believed Price “didn’t care” about her daughter at the time and felt the reality star was “feeling revengeful towards Kieran.” She noted that her daughter became “withdrawn” and distressed in the months following the alleged events.
A Trial Amidst Filming
Price characterized her initial reaction to the allegations as one of shock, noting, “It was a different kettle of fish; it’s a child.” She stated that she had confronted Hayler about the claims previously, but he had consistently denied them. When asked by prosecutor Ryan Richter about Hayler’s reaction, Price said, “I can’t remember his response but his response all the time was ‘no I hadn’t’.”
Life Beyond the Trial Process
Beyond the trial, Price addressed her personal life, noting that her 74-year-old mother, Amy, is currently battling the lung condition Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. The legal process began in 2021 when the complainant contacted the NSPCC. The trial continues.
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