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Kerry Katona put on a very loved-up display with her boyfriend Paolo Margaglione after reports of a bust-up between him and Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews.
The former Atomic Kitten star, 45, and her toyboy beau, 33, were seen together for the first time following claims Lee ‘punched’ Paolo after an argument in Dubai. Claims Katie has denied.
Kerry leaned in close as Paolo gave her a kiss on the forehead before they locked lips and he wrapped his arms around her.
The couple were also seen laughing and joking with one another while being joined by Kerry’s daughter Heidi who turned 19 on Friday.
The reality star wrapped up in a black coat which she wore over a light grey hoodie and matching tracksuit bottoms.
Paolo cut a casual figure in a black jacket and grey slim-fitting jeans.
Ex glamour model Katie, 47, who shocked fans after tying the knot with the business man, 43, following a ‘week long romance’, took to Instagram following claims the altercation had left her and the Atomic Kitten singer’s 22-year friendship ‘strained’.
Kerry and Paolo jetted off to the UAE for a sun-kissed Valentine’s Day trip, where they joined Katie and her new husband. But Paolo flew home after just 14 hours following the alleged punch-up.
The alteration was said to have happened when Paolo deemed Lee to be talking to Katie in an ‘aggressive manner’.
Speaking on her Instagram Stories, Katie not only denied the reports but also said Kerry and Paolo would be ‘special guests’ at her second wedding back in the UK – despite claims Lee is banned from leaving the UAE.
It was claimed the British born Lee spent three weeks locked up in a Dubai jail for allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend’s signature to take out a £200,000 loan in her name and has been banned from leaving the United Arab Emirates. He denies this, but as yet, does not appear to have left the country.
‘Oh my god you guys, there is so much speculation going around at the moment about me and Lee, I don’t know what the fascination is.
‘But one thing I will clear up, there has not been any punch up, punches thrown, between Lee and Paolo, if anything we had a good day and celebrated with them.’
She continued: ‘And that was it, we had a great day, I don’t know where these stories have come from, Lee has never ever been aggressive, angry, or spoken to me in any sort of way, we are so in love and he is my absolute teddy bear.’
‘We can’t can’t wait to get back to the UK to have a big wedding with all our family, friends and obviously Kerry and Paolo will be our special guests.’
Following the announcement that Katie and Lee are planning to ‘have a baby’, there have been claims he has been ‘piggybacking off his wife for fame and followers.’
Kerry and Katie’s 22-year friendship is said to have become strained by the bust-up between their partners, after being close since their 2004 I’m A Celeb appearance and last year went on tour together.
‘Lee was having some cross words with Katie. Paolo then appeared and stepped in. Lee seemed to be very angry and was shouting at him,’ a source told The Sun.
‘It all got very heated and Lee threw some punches and one of them landed Paolo square on the head. It was crazy to see this play out. The situation seemed to be pretty heated but then it erupted very quickly. It all happened so fast.’
The insider said Paolo was ‘shocked’, while Katie was also said to be reeling from the unexpected fallout.
The Daily Mail has contacted Kerry’s representatives for comment. Katie and Lee denied the altercation.
Meanwhile Kerry and Paolo were both seen for the first time since the claims as they stepped out on Thursday.
The singer, 45, who is yet to comment on the claims, appeared in good spirits as she arrived at a hair salon in Alderley Edge, Cheshire.
She sported a navy and white striped zip-up fleece and matching tracksuit bottoms for the outing.
The mother-of-four, who arrived in her bright green luxury car, also wore a pair of white trainers and carried a black handbag.
Meanwhile, Paolo, 33, who is a managing director at Eco Bag UK, was back at work in England as he was seen carrying boxes and cleaning products near his office.
Kerry said this week their holiday was cut short because of a ‘work emergency’ – but now sources have said she is ‘really upset’ with what happened.
Kerry wasn’t said to be present when the alleged row took place but heard about it from Paolo.
The insider added the TV personality ‘loves Katie’ but has now ‘seen a side to Lee they don’t like’.
In her new! magazine column, Kerry didn’t mention the fall out but did say it was an abrupt end to the holiday.
She wrote: ‘Unfortunately during the trip, Paolo had to go back to the UK for a work emergency.
‘I got to spend literally 14 hours with him before he had to leave, which meant I was left alone in Dubai, which we were both gutted about.’
Plans for a UK wedding come despite reports businessman Lee is banned from leaving the UAE.
It was claimed the British born Lee spent three weeks locked up in a Dubai jail for allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend’s signature to take out a £200,000 loan in her name and has been banned from leaving the United Arab Emirates. He denies this, but as yet, does not appear to have left the country.
Insiders told the Daily Mail that he allegedly applied for a £200,000 mortgage on behalf of personal trainer partner Dina Taji without her knowledge last year.
On Wednesday Lee referred to Katie as his ‘sweet little wife’ while she called him her ‘husband’ before telling followers: ‘So we are still in Dubai and we will be coming to England every soon’
‘Within a day right?’ he asked, to which she replied: ‘Watch out England we’re coming’.
Earlier this month Lee denied claims he had been banned from leaving the UAE and posted a screenshot from the MOI UAE App which has features like paying traffic fines, renewing driver’s licences and criminal status checks.
He had the screen on the ‘travel bans’ option which read: ‘No travel bans’.
He said: ‘There’s no travel ban, directly from the police UAE application and it’s my profile so you can check those statuses, fines related to traffic and also if you’re allowed to travel so allow me to share that. It’s not fabricated.
‘I’m going on my honeymoon in a few days guys so definitely not on a travel ban. I’m in the happiest moment of my life so I’m forward to going with my person, my human, on my honeymoon’ – however the couple have seemingly remained in Dubai.
He added: ‘It is exclusive so I can’t talk about it. I know I’m probably the most hated man in Britain, but half this stuff is not even true.’
Lee’s ex Dina found out about his tactics after receiving a phone call from the mortgage company, sparking her decision to file a legal case against him.
According to Dubai law, individuals pending criminal investigations, including unpaid debts or civil lawsuits, are not legally allowed to leave the country.
