Christmas is a busy time for podcaster and ex-reality TV star Kate Ferdinand, especially with her husband Rio, 46, and five children in tow. But as the author, 33, adds another string to her bow with the release of her fourth activewear line with F&F, Kate exclusively reveals to HELLO! that a certain "rule" is a non-negotiable in her house throughout the festive period and beyond.
"Put the phones down at the dinner table, that's one of our rules," Kate tells us.
"Rio is always the one that breaks that, it's not the kids," Kate, who is a mother to Cree, four, and Shae, one, as well as Rio's three children Lorenz, 18, Tate, 15, Tia, 13, confesses. "Dinner time is one of my favourite times when everyone's home because you're all there, you've got nothing else going on and you can all have great conversations."
Christmas at Kate's
Christmas at the Ferdinands is all about family time and this year their Christmas is bigger than ever. "I'm really excited because normally we're away for Christmas and this year we've got 20 people around for Christmas dinner," the podcast star says.
"Rio's got a really big family so everyone's coming around and I can't wait for all the cousins to be together, waking up in England on Christmas Day. I'm honestly so excited."
Kate tells us their Christmas will include matching PJs, no matter how hard it is to find sets to fit everyone, prepping for nursery nativities for the youngest two, and lots of cooking. On the big day, all of Rio's family members will bring a dish - Kate is the queen of roast potatoes.
While Kate's Christmas list is minimal, Cree has ambitiously asked for a quad bike. "I'm not getting it," Kate jokes. "He's so injury prone. He's four and I was looking through photos for his birthday card and in his third year, he fell over and knocked his tooth out. He broke his arm in two places and dislocated it and he's broken his collarbone. So, an electric bike is not going to be on the list."
In between the madness of such a busy family Christmas, Kate looks forward to quiet dog walks with Rio and the rare chance to enjoy five minutes lying on her Acupressure mat with an LED face mask on for five minutes peace - a ritual she is keen to embrace more in the coming year.
Kate's new collection with F&F
There are excited whispers in the Ferdinand household at the moment as matriarch Kate launches a new activewear line with F&F. From items for keen gym-goers to Pilates fanatics, the collection has it all, and its squat-proof and fashionable - two of Kate's non-negotiables.
"I love it so much. I'm so excited about it because we've always been a bit more classic gym wear but we've got a yoga/Pilates outfit, grey trousers and top and it is just amazing," Kate tells us.
"I'm partial to staying in the gym clothes all day if I put them on. The good thing about the collection is the clothes are lovely so you can wear them to the gym or to Pilates or if you're not doing any of that and just keep them on because they look good.
"On a day when I'm at home and I'm just doing Zooms, I probably will be in them all day."
Kate says that Rio's daughter Tia will even borrow items from the collection as she is already a fan of her stepmother's wardrobe. "We're the same size shoe and clothes which is very dangerous," Kate says.
"She loves the collection. The thing is sometimes we both come down the same thing and it's like, someone's got to take it off. We've got a similar style. It's really funny. She does borrow my clothes, she has to ask first though."
Kate's fitness routine
It is no secret that Kate is a fitness fanatic and she says being part of an active household keeps her motivated.
"Every time I talk about it I change my mind about what I'm doing, but at the moment I'm doing a couple of weight sessions a week, and a couple of Pilates [classes] and walking," Kate says, adding that it is not unusual for her to work out with her ex-England footballer husband, Rio.
"It's nice to be able to do that because time together in the gym [is when] we have a laugh. There are often children running around as well. So it is a bit hectic but it's fun."
Kate's bond with Rio's children
The former TOWIE star has been open about her experience of building a blended family since her relationship with Rio began in 2017. She speaks openly about the bond she has forged with the three older kids.
"I think with each step of parenting, whether that be babies, toddlers, teenagers, you just adapt as you go because you don't really know what you're doing," the star tells us. "I suppose it's different now with the young kids, I'm a mum figure to them. With the big kids, I guide them like more of a friend having deep chats. I think I'm just learning on the job."
She adds: "[We've] got really special relationships which are obviously formed from being younger, being a bit stricter. We're kind of coming out of that now. So it's really lovely to be able to talk to them on a more grown-up level and have really deep conversations with them. We're really lucky."
The sporting gene is certainly strong as while the older boys are into football, Tia loves horse riding alongside her school work.
"I think we're quite an active house so we're always on the go," the author of The Family Tree tells us, admitting she will likely work out on Christmas Eve. "They say that you mimic what your parents and family do. Cree's got his own little dumbbells in the gym and it was so funny yesterday we turned around and he was trying to do press-ups on his own…You are what you're around."
Navigating mum guilt
Rio has been there every step of the way as his partner navigates stepmotherhood, something Kate embarked upon four years before welcoming a child of her own. "As parents, we're conscious that we don't want to get too much wrong. We don't want to have a negative impact on our children," she explains.
"But naturally, as parents, you do get things wrong because we learn on the job as well. No one has a rule book…We talk about it all the time and hope for the best."
This sense of self-acceptance is something that has enabled Kate to tackle mum guilt, a hurdle many mothers face.
"I get it every single day," Kate admits. "I feel bad every single day about something, it's crazy how that just takes over your brain.
"My children are important to me, working out is important to me, working is important to me. I feel like I need to do all of those things to be me and to be a good mum," she continues.
"Sometimes it is hard getting up and I missed the school run this morning, but I'll be there this evening and I think that's fine. It's just telling yourself that it's okay.
You don't have to be there doing everything all of the time and I'm learning to be kind to myself with that or trying to. When I get the mum guilt pop in, I try and tell myself a rational thought, but it's hard because you want to be there for your kids.
"You want to do everything for them. You want to be like the person they come to but you can't do everything. So it's just trying to get your head around that," she concludes.
Beyond Rio, Kate says she has the support of grandparents in raising the children, as well as close friends. "There are lots of children with lots of different schedules and they all need to be at a different place at the same time - sometimes we need a lot of hands to help get everyone to their clubs," Kate explains. "It does take a village."
Being kind to herself
As Kate looks ahead to 2025, being kind to herself will be something she continues to work on. She tells us: "I'm 33 now and I feel much more content in myself this year. I think I've started to just let go of things that aren't important and realise that I can't be there for everyone and [am learning] to say no to things.
"Although that's hard at the beginning, I feel the most peaceful I've been in a long time."
This sense of being kind to herself is something Kate is keen to extend to fellow mothers, which she sets out to achieve via her social media presence. Kate says that she feels it is important to paint a realistic picture of motherhood and life after giving birth, especially when it comes to the pressure women face to 'bounce back'.
"Social media makes you think that everyone does bounce back. But I feel like I am just on my own thing, I'm trying to not let social media influence me too much.
"I think society will make you think you've got to be back in your leather trousers in two weeks. But it's just unrealistic and that's why I think it's important for me to share honestly how I'm feeling."
This sense of moral obligation to be honest about adjusting to motherhood is something Kate felt straight after giving birth to Cree.
"I felt this isn't realistic, what we think is normal. I think we need more people speaking out and being open and being honest and just showing the not-so-perfect moments.
"I think it's helped lots of other people as well because we're all normal with the same struggles.
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Aside from her inner strength, Kate is empowered by Rio. She tells us: "He's so supportive. He's always supportive of anything I do. I'm really lucky and grateful to have someone who's just in my corner all the time."
Kate's curated collection with F&F is available to shop at selected Tesco stores.