Katona: 'I'm so ashamed'

Kerry Katona has apologised for taking drugs after the News of the World revealed footage of her snorting cocaine.

The former Iceland ad star said that the drug taking was "a moment of weakness".

She told the Sunday Mirror: "I am so sorry and so ashamed of my actions. I know I let everyone down - my fans, my family and people I work with.

"If any good can come out of this, then let it be this - I would like to tell every man, woman and child in the UK that taking drugs only ever causes misery in the end.

"They don’t make you look cool, they make you look an idiot, and all your insecurities and self-hate - the main reasons I took them in the first place - are only made worse."

Katona was first introduced to drugs by her mother at the age of 14 and first tried cocaine at a wedding when she was 17.

Now, she is worried about losing custody of her children.

She said: "I have been brought low, I’ve lost my job, I’m bankrupt and at my wit’s end. The biggest fear I could ever have is losing my children. But I’m not aware that Brian wants custody of the girls and I’ve certainly not received any calls or letters saying anything of the sort. I’ll do all I can to keep hold of my girls, they are everything to me."

Katona has denied using her ex-husband Brian McFadden’s maintenance money to buy illegal substances and insisted that the children have not been exposed to drugs.

She alleged: "They have never seen them and they weren’t in the house during the incident last week. I would never have them see anything like this. I love them dearly and always want to protect them and that includes never wanting them to take drugs, ever."

Iceland dropped Katona from their advertising campaign after her drug taking emerged.

She said: "I hope one day when I’ve got myself sorted out they might consider taking me back but I totally understand why they got rid of me. They have stood by me through thick and thin and this is how I repaid them. I’m so sorry I’ve let them down."