Kate Ferdinand says she's feeling 'very emotional and fatigued' after an 'overwhelming' Christmas as she shares struggles with 'feeling the pressure to be on top of everything'

Kate Ferdinand has admitted she is feeling 'very emotional and fatigued' after having an overwhelming Christmas in London. 

The TOWIE star, 34, and her footballer husband Rio, 46, swapped their life in south-east London for the sun-soaked desert in the United Arab Emirates back in August.

The couple and their children returned to the English capital to soak up Christmas with family before recently jetting back to their new life in Dubai.  

Now, Kate has shared an update on Sunday as she opened up about stuggles with 'feeling the pressure to be on top of everything'. 

She said: 'So I have a December hangover, not alcohol but an emotional December hangover and I've toid whether to talk to you guys about this but I don't feel like I'm being myself.

'I'm not feeling myself, I don't want to do my usual activites and I feel highly emotional, I don't have that kickstart January feeling like I normally do. 

'I mean I've been thinking about it and as parents in December we want to get everything right for our children, we're busy and it's like the overwhelm of December, sorting Christmas and working and doing everything. 

'And then we see family that we really miss and that feeling of missing them, sometimes we have to see family we don't really like and fit back into roles we had as children which comes with an emotional hangover as well.

'And then on January first we are expected to be a new woman, new me, ready to go and actually sometimes it does take a bit of time and it's not realistic and I don't feel like that and I'm one of those people up in the gym early and my body is telling me no'. 

Kate said she is 'feeling the presure' to workout but has decided to listen to her body which is 'coming to a hault' and reassured fans that 'it is ok not to be ok'. 

She continued: 'I've been very emotional and I think it's ok to not be ok. 

'I feel the pressure in the industry and today I was going to post my workout but the truth is I went to do the workout and I haven't got the energy and my body is coming to a hault and I'm so fatigued and can't get through it.

'I want to be honest with you guys and I think a lot of people are going through it and I don't think it's very openly spoken about on socials so this is just a reminder that not everyone is good all the time and sometimes it's when you least expect it. 

'For me January is a month of listening to my body, resting and not pushing myself to any extremees and doing things that make me happy and I'm not going to be here, there and everywhere, but I'm just going to say no to people.

'It doesn't have to be the reset month. Anyone like me I'm sending you lots of love and I hope you are ok.'

Over Christmas, Kate shared a series of photos and looked happier than ever as she posed with Rio and one of their children beside the Christmas tree.

In another, she and the child beamed for the camera, before sharing a sweet shot with her stepson Lorenz.

Her carousel of pictures also included a pilates session with Daniella Forbes, a night with the girls, and a sweet outing with her mum, Jacqueline.

'The week before Christmas in London filled with family time and wrapping up work for 2025.' she penned alongside the snaps.

It comes after Kate gave her fans a glimpse inside her lavish mansion in Dubai as she enjoyed family time with her children.

The Daily Mail previously revealed the couple found their new home in the exclusive gated community of Al Barari, with the luxury property listed for 32.5million dirhams (£6,550,310) as of April this year.

Taking to her Instagram over the weekend, Kate shared a vlog where she had a chilled pyjama day and treated her children to pizza and treats.

She showed off the huge house with its modern interiors, cosy lounge with a gigantic TV screen and elegant entrance way to the mansion.

She penned in the caption of her post: 'Real self-care is knowing when to: 1. stay home in your pyjamas 2. watch Netflix guilt-free 3. order the pizza 4. do the bare minimum 5. choose rest over optimisation.

'Your nervous system doesn't care how aesthetically pleasing your routine looks, it cares whether you're actually giving it what it needs...'

The video featured snippets of her son Cree, four, and daughter Shae, two, enjoying their beautiful new home.

Kate is also step-mother to Rio's older children, Lorenz, 19, Tate, 17, and Tia, 13, from his marriage to Rebecca Ellison, who tragically died in 2015.

Announcing their relocation to the UAE in an Instagram post in August, Rio and Kate shared that they were 'scared, excited and nervous' about the move, but were ready for a 'fresh start' in the same city where they met eight years ago.

Kate wrote: 'A new chapter, a fresh start — because if we don't try, we'll never know✨. Ahhh! We've talked about this for so long, and now it's finally real… we're here, we are making a new home in the place we met!

'Missing some of our specials already & a bit scared, excited & nervous — but more than anything, ready for fresh starts and new beginnings ❤️.'

Rio recently revealed the motivation behind his decision to relocate to Dubai just months after quitting his punditry role at TNT Sports.

The former Manchester United and England defender announced in May that he was parting ways with the broadcaster at the end of last season to focus on his business interests.

Rio, whose time on TNT Sports (previously known as BT Sport) spanned 10 years, has decided to relocate with his family to the United Arab Emirates, despite his 19-year-old son Lorenz signing his first professional contract with Brighton in July.

'There's not one reason,' Rio told The National, opening up on the decision. '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.

'We spent time with a couple of (partner) Kate's friends who lived there, and I just saw a different side to it. I also have a business out there, Football Escapes.

'In Dubai, it feels like they're valued, and the lifestyle means that they're happy and vibrant with a good energy for the kids. Lifestyle, safety, weather and just a new life.

'I wanted a new chapter, and I've been doing TNT (TV) since I retired for the last 10-11 years. When I made the decision, I thought, 'this must be 30 years when my life is driven by the fixture list.' Not now. I'm not leaving football, but it's just not the governing body of my life now. I've got to be honest, it feels nice.'

The Manchester United legend went on to admit that his children's education was a key motivation behind the move.

'I thought about moving, then we went back again in February for a little look at the schools just in case, and it just pricked my mind to think about it,' he added.

'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.'