Kate Ferdinand and her husband Rio Ferdinand have relocated their blended family to Dubai, weeks after moving from southeast London to start a new life in the sun. The former TOWIE star, 34, described the household as chaotic but full of love, with five children ranging in age from four to 19 adjusting to a different pace and environment. The move marks a major life shift for the couple and their children, who are pursuing new opportunities and experiences in the United Arab Emirates.
The family’s new bolthole is a £6.5 million mansion in the Al Barari gated community, a symbol of the lifestyle they’ve pursued since relocating. The property had been listed for 32.5 million dirhams (about £6.55 million) as of April. Rio, a former Manchester United and England defender, has stepped back from his punditry role at TNT Sports to focus on business interests in Dubai, saying the move offers a different kind of stability and energy for the kids. The couple have five children together: Cree, four, and Shae, two, and Kate is also stepmother to Rio’s older children Lorenz, 19, Tate, 17, and Tia, 13, from his marriage to Rebecca Ellison, who died in 2015.
Earlier this month the family was reunited with Rio’s older children, as Lorenz and Tate joined a Dubai visit. Lorenz, who has flown out to visit after recently signing his first professional football contract with Brighton, and Tate, who plays for Brighton’s Under-18s, posed with the family in photos shared on Kate’s Instagram. A carousel from the weekend included snaps of the family enjoying a dip in Dubai’s Gulf and clips from gym sessions, with Kate writing a caption about how much they had missed the boys and how lucky she feels to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. A separate clip showed Rio peering out from behind Kate in a mid-outfit moment, underscoring the family’s day-to-day life in the new home.
The days in Dubai have been described by Kate as both hectic and heartwarming. In an interview with Kent Life magazine, she said the household can be loud and overstimulating, but that the family’s routines help anchor them: they eat together when everyone is home, sitting around the table as part of a long-standing family ritual. She acknowledged that the younger children often want to run off, but she insists they must ask to leave the table. "And it’s mental, and there’s food getting thrown about everywhere, drinks are being spilled. But it’s the one time we’re all together, normally," she added, highlighting how meals provide a chance to reconnect amid their busy lives.
The couple’s decision to move follows Rio’s departure from TNT Sports at the end of last season. In subsequent remarks to The National, Rio explained that his choice was part of a broader shift away from a life governed by the fixture list. He described Dubai as a place where the family feels valued and where the lifestyle, safety, weather, and opportunity for a fresh start for the kids influenced their decision. He also highlighted Football Escapes, his business venture, as part of why he wanted a new chapter abroad. "There’s not one reason," he told The National, describing a combination of factors that led to the relocation. "I went for the Global Soccer Awards at Christmas and I hadn’t been there properly for about seven or eight years. I used to go there all the time before. I spent time with a couple of Kate’s friends who lived there and I saw a different side to it."
The move to Dubai represents a major transition for the Ferdinands, and the family appears to be adapting to a lifestyle that blends high-end living with the everyday realities of raising children in a new country. Kate has shared glimpses of their weekend routines, including workouts and family moments, suggesting that the family is working to balance individual needs with the overarching goal of keeping their bond strong. She has also used social media to document fashion moments and lighthearted family interactions, including a clip of Rio appearing from behind as Kate posed in a beige cargo maxi skirt and white T-shirt.
As the family settles into life in the desert oasis of Al Barari, neighbors and fans will be watching to see how their routine evolves. The move comes as Dubai continues to attract high-profile international families seeking a different pace of life, a strong safety profile and a climate conducive to year-round activities. For Kate and Rio, the emphasis remains on togetherness—around the dinner table, during reunions with Rio’s older children, and in the everyday moments that define a newly built life abroad.