Kate Ferdinand responds to Instagram user who criticised her for calling husband Rio’s children ‘family’

Kate Ferdinand has been forced to defend herself after an Instagram follower criticised her for calling her step children ‘family’.

The former TOWIE star shared a throwback photo of her swimming while on holiday over the summer and captioned it, ‘One of my favourite days of this year, out at sea with the family .... no worries, happy & stress free 🌊💙 💫 #specialmemories.’

But, despite the fact that Kate and Rio got married last year and are expecting their first child together, one follower was not happy about her calling her step children - Lorenz, 14, Tate, 12, and nine-year-old Tia - family. 

The user commented, ‘Ooof. Rebeccas family. I’m all for stepmoms etc. And you’ve stepped into a massive hole. But those kids are Rebeccas. And they’ll not thank you for saying otherwise xx apart from that you are a lovely lovely girl. But, those wedding letters to “your” kids was terrible. Imagine if you were her looking down, or her mum n dad... not cool. Xx’

MORE: Experts explain how to navigate the complex challenges of becoming a stepfamily 

Kate was quick to defend herself, replying, ‘Wow. Very very narrow minded. Rebecca is there mum & forever will be – a mother can never be replaced. But let me clarify WE ARE family, families aren’t just about blood, but who is there for us and loves us unconditionally. 

‘Please think before you speak, are all foster & adopted children family less?! Of course not. Family is about love and choosing to be there for one another. We are family by CHOICE it’s so sad you don’t understand, let’s hope you never have to go through such heartache to get it.’

Unsurprisingly most of Kate’s followers were on her side and praised her for the way she has ‘taken on’ Rio and Rebecca’s children. 

One wrote, ‘Kate I watched you throughout TOWIE and let me tell you something, your not a girl, your a woman and it takes a real woman to take on a family. These children are very blessed to have you.’ And another said, ‘If i was looking down i would be so happy and reassured that someone like Kate had come into my family's life. How sad u think the way u do.’

MORE: Kate Ferdinand feeling 'burned out' as homeschooling starts to take its toll

Rio’s first wife Rebecca Ellison tragically lost her battle with cancer in 2017, and Kate previously revealed that she writes letters to Rebecca. 

Speaking during their documentary, Rio and Kate: Becoming a Stepfamily, she said, ‘It's Mother's Day and the kids write letters to their mum and their gran which we laminate and take to their graves so they last longer.

'I always write a message from me - after all I am looking after and bringing up her children with Rio.’ As she got upset while reading out the card she’d written, Kate added, ‘I'm sorry I don't know why this makes me so upset - I feel like I'm grieving for someone I never knew.’