Katie Price has opened up about her decision to keep her eldest son, Harvey, in the public eye, revealing she did so to protect him from paparazzi exploitation. The former glamour model, 48, made the confession in a recent interview promoting her documentary series Katie Price: Nothing to Hide, which aired on Sky and NOW earlier this month.
Family dispute over Harvey's spotlight
The interviewer referenced comments from Katie's mother, Amy, and photographer Jeany Savage, who expressed disagreement in the documentary with how Harvey was put in the spotlight as a child. Harvey, 24, is Katie's son with former footballer Dwight Yorke. He has septo-optic dysplasia, which causes partial blindness, autism, Prader-Willi syndrome, ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder.
When asked if she would reconsider her choices, Katie replied: 'My mum and Jeany Savage, who was a photographer, they couldn't understand why I would do photoshoots and that with Harvey and I'm trying to explain to them, if I don't control it and put pictures out, then a paparazzi would just come and take pictures and make money from it. And they couldn't get their heads around it but now it all makes sense to them why I did it.'
Proud and protective mother
Katie admitted she was 'switched on at a young age' and feels no shame about her son. 'He is my child, he is an ambassador for Mencap, and I'm glad I did show everyone Harvey,' she said. 'I'm proud of him, he's a credit to me and just because he's got his disabilities or complex needs, why should he be hidden away? He's a great character, he's my son and I love him and the same with all my other kids, they were all brought up on TV, and it hasn't harmed them, they absolutely love it.'
Mixed reactions from fans
Fans were moved by Katie's honesty, with many praising her as a 'wonderful mum'. One shared: 'I have a special needs son who I am so very proud of. I know my son has no unkindness or malice in him. He is just kind and like Harvey has a great sense of humour. I do think people who believe that these young people don't deserve to be seen are misguided, they deserve to be seen and appreciated for the innocence and kindness they bring to everyone in their orbit.'
However, another voiced concern: 'Harvey is a great character and a beautiful soul. But now he is an adult, he has a right to privacy and dignity and needs an appropriate adult that is not a family member to oversee his wellbeing and legal rights to media exposure that he has no control over.'
