Katie Price has denied having "any venom" against her ex-husband, Kieran Hayler, during his rape trial at Lewes Crown Court. Hayler is facing charges of three counts of rape and one of sexual assault against a minor in 2016, all of which he denies.
During cross-examination by defense lawyer Arlette Piercy, Price stated, "I don't have any venom against Kieran, it was amicable when we split," and she rejected the assertion that she was "angry and vengeful" toward him. When asked if she "loved revenge or is it just TV?", Price responded, "It's TV, it's what I say. It's what drives me in my work."
Piercy accused Price of having "evidenced a vendetta against him over a number of years," which Price refuted, stating, "That is not true."
The court also heard about messages exchanged between Price and the alleged victim, who was 14 at the time. Price had contacted the teenager after hearing that Hayler and the girl had kissed and that he had "tried it on" with her. Price testified that her message, which included the phrase "I will make you a little star," was a "figure of speech" and that there was "no agenda or nothing behind it."
The alleged victim, who is not part of either Hayler or Price's extended families, first contacted the NSPCC in 2021 with her allegations. The NSPCC then referred the case to the police, leading to the investigation.
Hayler, who was married to Price at the time of the alleged offenses, has suggested that his ex-wife "launched a campaign" against him when their marriage ended, and that the current allegations are part of this campaign. The couple divorced in 2021. The trial is ongoing.