In a world where celebrity romances often flicker out faster than a faulty spotlight, Kerry Katona’s latest chapter reads like a script from a feel-good rom-com—one scripted by fate, with a dash of reality TV magic. The 45-year-old Atomic Kitten star, long synonymous with tabloid turmoil and triumphant comebacks, has announced her engagement to 33-year-old personal trainer and “soulmate” Paolo Margaglione, capping a whirlwind romance that began on the set of Celebs Go Dating and blossomed into a blended-family fairy tale. Sharing the news via a sun-drenched Instagram Reel on October 28, 2025—complete with a sparkling diamond ring glinting against a Cheshire countryside backdrop—Kerry beamed into the camera, her voice thick with emotion: “For the first time, I know he loves me for who I am, not what I have.” The post, captioned with a simple heart emoji and #SoulmateFound, exploded to 1.2 million likes in under 24 hours, flooding feeds with congratulations from fans, fellow celebs, and even skeptics who’ve rooted for Kerry’s hard-won happiness.

Picture this: Kerry, in a casual white sundress that hugs her curves with effortless grace, holding up her left hand to reveal a modest yet stunning solitaire diamond—estimated at 1.5 carats, set in rose gold for that vintage vibe she adores. Paolo, ever the supportive arm candy, wraps around her from behind, his tattooed biceps flexing subtly as he plants a kiss on her temple. The Reel cuts to clips of their life together: Paolo chasing Kerry’s kids around the garden of her £2 million Cheshire mansion, the couple’s hands intertwined during a sunset walk, and a playful slow-motion splash in their backyard pool. “He’s my rock, my laugh, my everything,” Kerry narrates, her Merseyside accent warm and unfiltered. “After all the chaos, I finally feel seen.” The video ends with Paolo dropping to one knee in the same garden where they first “tested” their chemistry post-show—ring box open, Kerry’s gasp audible, tears flowing freely. It’s raw, real, and relentlessly romantic, the kind of announcement that has TikTok in a frenzy with edits set to Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” racking up 500,000 views overnight.

For Kerry Katona—whose life has been a rollercoaster of highs (platinum albums, TV triumphs) and heart-wrenching lows (addiction battles, acrimonious divorces)—this engagement feels like the ultimate plot twist. “I’ve been engaged before, but this? This is different,” she told OK! Magazine exclusively hours after the post went live, her voice cracking with joy. “Paolo doesn’t see the headlines or the baggage. He sees me—the messy, loud, loving me. And for the first time, I believe it.” At 45, Kerry is no stranger to love’s labor: Five children from three marriages, a career that skyrocketed with Atomic Kitten’s 1997 hit “Whole Again” only to crash amid personal scandals. But with Paolo, 33, a fitness model and devoted dad of two, she’s rewriting her narrative—one that’s as much about healing as it is about happily ever after.

Their story kicks off in the sun-soaked chaos of Ibiza, June 2025. Kerry, fresh off a six-year engagement to Ryan Mahoney that imploded in late 2024 amid “irreconcilable differences” (her words: “We grew apart, but no bad blood”), signed on for Celebs Go Dating Series 15 with E4. “I went in for the therapy, not the romance,” she laughed in a post-engagement interview with The Mirror. “Free dates and free holidays? Sign me up!” What she got was Paolo Margaglione—a 6’2″ Italian-Irish hunk with a chiseled jaw, a penchant for protein shakes, and an Instagram feed full of motivational reels (200K followers strong). Paolo, a certified personal trainer from Cheshire with a background in semi-pro rugby, was there as a “dating expert” guest, dishing advice on the show’s infamous “commitment ceremony.” But when Kerry walked in—blonde hair tousled, confidence dialed up after months of therapy and gym glow-ups—their eyes locked. “She had this fire,” Paolo recalled on Celebs Go Dating recap podcast Dating Disasters. “Not the polished celeb vibe—raw, real energy. I was done for.”

The chemistry was instant and incendiary. Their first “date”—a scripted beach walk turned unscripted heart-to-heart—lasted three hours, spilling into sunset cocktails where Kerry opened up about her past: The bipolar diagnosis at 14, the heroin addiction that nearly claimed her life in 2008, the custody wars that left her tabloid fodder. Paolo, no stranger to hardship (divorced dad raising daughters Mia, 5, and Sofia, 3, after a messy split in 2022), listened without judgment. “I’ve chased superficial before,” he admitted in the Reel. “But Kerry? She’s depth. She’s home.” By episode’s end, they ditched the show’s agents for private dinners—Paolo cooking homemade ragù, Kerry belting Atomic Kitten karaoke. Off-camera, whispers turned to DMs: Paolo sliding into her Insta with a simple “Fancy a real coffee?” She said yes. By July’s finale, they were official—PDA-packed exits from the wrap party, Paolo’s arm around her waist like it belonged there.

The age gap—12 years—raised eyebrows, as they always do for Kerry. “Toyboy” headlines screamed from The Sun to Daily Mail, trolls sniping “Gold-digger alert!” on X. But Kerry clapped back with her signature sass: “Age is just a number—love is the math that matters,” she posted in August, alongside a gym selfie of the couple mid-workout, Paolo spotting her squats with a grin. Paolo echoed: “She’s wiser, wilder, and way hotter than anyone my age. We balance—her heart, my hustle.” Fans ate it up, #KerryAndPaolo trending with 300K posts, edits syncing their Ibiza clips to Dua Lipa’s “Houdini.” By September, they were living together in Kerry’s sprawling £2 million Spanx-sponsored mansion in Alderley Edge—complete with a home gym where Paolo leads family HIIT sessions and a kitchen where Kerry experiments with “healthy” versions of her fave takeaways (spoiler: cauliflower rice “chips” are a hit).

What seals their “soulmate” status? The blended family bliss. Kerry’s brood—Molly (23) and Lilly-Sue (22) from ex Brian McFadden; Heidi (18) and Max (16) from Mark Croft; DJ (9) from George Kay—meshes seamlessly with Paolo’s girls. “Seven kids under one roof? Chaos, but the good kind,” Kerry gushed in her OK! column last week, sharing a photo of the lot piled on the couch for movie night (Matilda, naturally). Paolo’s “dad energy” shines: Coaching Max’s footy team, braiding Mia’s hair with tutorials from YouTube, and turning bedtime into Italian lessons (DJ’s already ordering gelato like a pro). “He’s the dad my kids deserve—and the partner I need,” Kerry said, crediting therapy for helping her spot “red flags” she ignored before. Paolo’s family-first ethos—rooted in his Italian nonna’s Sunday feasts and his own custody battles—mirrors Kerry’s fierce mama-bear vibe. “We get the grind,” he told Men’s Health in a rare solo interview. “Raising kids solo? It’s rock ‘n’ roll without the band.”

The proposal? A masterclass in intimacy. On October 20, during a “staycation” at Kerry’s favorite Lake District cabin (the one where she wrote her 2024 memoir Whole Again: My Comeback), Paolo orchestrated a surprise hike to a secluded waterfall. Kerry, in hiking boots and no makeup, thought it was just a nature walk. Midway, he dropped to one knee amid wildflowers, ring in hand—a custom piece from Cheshire jeweler Boodles, blending Kerry’s birthstone (sapphire) with Paolo’s (emerald). “Kerry, you’ve danced through hell and come out shining,” he said (per witnesses: her kids, hidden nearby with phones ready). “Marry me—not the fame, the fights, or the fortune. Just you.” She said yes through sobs, the group erupting in cheers as DJ popped champagne (non-alcoholic for the kids). The Reel captures it all: Kerry’s joyful leap into Paolo’s arms, the kids’ confetti cannons, a family portrait under the cascade. “No grand gestures needed,” Kerry reflected. “Just us, real and raw.”

Celeb reactions poured in like confetti. Atomic Kitten bandmate Liz McClarnon: “My girl’s glowing! Paolo, treat her right or answer to us!” Katie Price, Kerry’s ride-or-die: “From one warrior to another—yes girl! #Soulmates.” Even ex Brian McFadden chimed: “Happy for you, Kez. You deserve the stars.” Skeptics? Paolo shut them down in a joint Good Morning Britain appearance: “Age-gap hate? It’s noise. We build each other up—gym dates, therapy talks, kid chaos. That’s love.”

Kerry’s journey to this joy? A saga of survival. From ’90s pop princess (Atomic Kitten sold 12 million records) to ’00s scandal queen (drug arrests, bankruptcy), she’s risen phoenix-like: Memoir bestseller, OnlyFans mogul (£1M+ earned), and PTSD advocate post-2023 diagnosis. “Paolo sees the scars, not the spotlight,” she told Hello!. “He loves the 3 a.m. breakdowns, the kid wrangling, the me without filters.” Their intimacy? “Electric,” Kerry spilled to Metro, blushing at the “unbelievable” nights that blend passion with pillow talk.

Future plans? A 2026 wedding—”intimate, Ibiza vibes, maybe a Kitten reunion performance,” Kerry teases. Baby number six? “Never say never—blended fam first.” Paolo’s expanding his PT empire, with Kerry as “brand ambassador” (watch for #KerryFit collabs).

In an era of fleeting flings, Kerry and Paolo’s tale is tonic: Proof that love, when true, ages like fine wine—richer with time. As Kerry signs off her Reel: “To the mess and the magic—here’s to us.” Fans, raise a glass. This soulmate story? It’s just getting started.