Rio Ferdinand has spoken out on being in a Dubai lockdown amid a series of ‘terrifying’ missile strikes around his home by Iran, giving an insight into life in the area and detailing how he and his family have been hiding in their basement.
Manchester United legend Ferdinand, 47, alongside wife Kate, 34, moved their life to the UAE in August last year, along with their children, Shae, two, Cree, five, as well as Rio’s daughter Tia, 14.
In the last few days, however, Dubai has been under attack from Iran, leaving a number of celebrities who have moved to the location afraid and unsure what the future holds.
‘Been a different week for me, not going to lie,’ Ferdinand said on the latest episode of his football show, Rio Ferdinand Presents. ‘Firstly, I’m in great condition this morning as the whole family did a workout. A bit like in Covid, the whole family is doing things we wouldn’t usually be doing together.
‘Home-schooling a bit today. It’s frightening when you hear missiles, planes and fighter jets – I don’t know what it is – going above us, and you’re hearing big bombs, and what that is we don’t know as we don’t know the details of what they are.
‘It’s telling your kids what it is and helping them navigate through this moment, which is important especially as the dad of the house. You want to try and remain calm and keep everybody as calm as possible.
‘I’ve got to be honest guys, it’s been a bit of a scary situation but at the same time weirdly enough I’ve felt very secure and looked after. My studio has become my bunker.
‘We were advised to go into the basement on the first night of all the noise started and we were down here sleeping with duvets and stuff. We are utilising the space wisely.’
Former TOWIE star Kate took to Instagram on Sunday to provide an update on her family’s whereabouts and reassured fans they were safe after a ‘very scary night’.
She wrote: ‘Thank you for all of your messages and sorry for the silence, I haven’t wanted to worry you all I just haven’t been able to find the words. We are safe.
‘The government are doing an amazing job of keeping it that way and despite my nerves I feel we are in very safe hands.
‘We are hoping for a calmer evening tonight, last night was very scary. Although Cree and Shae loved it as they couldn’t believe we all got a sleepover in the basement.
‘Thank you for all of your prayers, this whole experience is very eye-opening and I am praying for anyone affected. Lots of love to everyone.’
Rio’s sons Lorenz, 19, and Tate, 17, did not relocate with the family when they moved to Dubai last year due to their budding football careers back home in the UK.
The influencer previously admitted she was finding it difficult being back after spending a cosy Christmas back in London, as well as missing home comforts.
She said on her Blended podcast previously: ‘I feel like we’ve opened our eyes to a different world. But I love London, I love the UK. I love so many things about the UK. I do feel happy in Dubai, but I’m just missing a part of me.’
Kate added the move has also helped Rio be more ‘present’ with his family, after he stepped back from his role as a pundit for TNT Sports last year.
She said: ‘I think it’s an amazing place to live, I think it’s amazing for the children. The children are thriving and happy and living a life of just outside freedom.
‘Rio loves it so much. I am enjoying it, but I miss home quite a lot. I get upset. I miss the big boys a lot and I’m just struggling with that.
‘I know this decision is right for my younger children and as a family we are settled there, but the boys are following their football careers. So they’re doing what they want to do otherwise they’d be with us.
‘But it’s very hard because we’ve been through so much as a family and we’ve always been together and that’s a huge adjustment.’
Speaking on LBC Radio in November, Rio revealed that the switch has allowed him to spend more time with his family – labelling it as ‘refreshing’.
‘My family are seeing me so much more and I’m spending some quality time with them and I think that’s just been a great thing for me,’ he said.
‘I love England and I’m a patriotic guy in that sense, but a new journey, a new chapter, something different, I think is a refreshing new chapter in my life.’
Those comments come off the back of an interview in The National in August when he delved deeper about the opportunities available for his three youngest children.
‘I thought about moving, then we went back again in February [2025] for a little look at the schools just in case and it just pricked my mind to think about it,’ he said.
‘That was almost like a big kicker for me because the education system felt different, felt better for my kids. The children who are coming are 14, which is perfect because it’s their two years of GCSEs starting this August.
‘Then we’ve got a four and a two-year-old, so it’s perfect timing for them as well. And the curriculum is English curriculum, but it’s just done a different way. I feel the teachers in the UK feel a little bit like undervalued, underpaid.’
As Iranian missiles continue to rain down across the Middle East today, meanwhile, Britons stranded in Dubai have told the Daily Mail of their terror, taking shelter in underground car parks and nightclubs.
Tourists posted videos of drones and debris hitting luxury hotels over the weekend.
Many escorted their guests to safer ground in car parks and service corridors. Videos posted on social media show guests lying on floors, mattresses or just a thin blanket.
