Lee Andrews' family have spoken out about the “incredibly painful” recent scandals surrounding Katie Price’s husband, saying that he “was never like this”.
Andrews, 43, was thrust into the spotlight in January after marrying Price, 48, in Dubai just days after they met. Within months, self-proclaimed “millionaire” Andrews had vanished, with it later being revealed that he had been held in a Dubai prison. Last week, Andrews was allegedly arrested again and released once more.
Family statement
In a statement shared on social media on behalf of Andrews’ sister Kelly, a former school friend of his wrote (via The Sun): “Kelly Andrews and I just want to take a moment to speak the truth. We are the first to admit when we’re wrong, and now that there is proof, we feel it’s important to acknowledge that. We also want people to understand that this involves Kelly’s brother, which makes this incredibly painful for their family.”
The post continued: “The Lee we knew was never like this, which makes it even harder for us, as his sister and as a friend, to get our heads around everything that’s come to light.”
Legal troubles and allegations
While the post doesn’t make clear what “proof” has “come to light” to Andrews’ family, the Dubai-based businessman has made daily headlines since marrying Price in January. Last week, he was reportedly arrested for a second time over alleged unpaid debts just weeks after being freed from notorious Dubai prison Al Awir. He was said to have been taken to the Lahab police station before another brief stint in Al Awir, but was released earlier this week.
In addition to his legal worries, Andrews has also come under fire over allegations that he has been trying to sell a “sex tape of the pair” – something Price has denied exists. The Sun reported that it had obtained a voice message sent by Andrews to a friend before his second stretch in prison earlier this month. In it, Andrews could allegedly be heard discussing a “short video” involving his wife, which he reportedly claimed could be sold for “a pretty penny”.
Price's response
Price has defended Andrews while promoting her new documentary. Price denied that such a video, or any explicit footage of the couple, existed, sharing a statement on Instagram suggesting that the story was “completely untrue”. “The claims appear to be based on a voicenote sent from Lee discussing a tape… a tape which does not exist and never will,” she wrote. “I feel incredibly upset, abused and humiliated that such serious and false allegations have been shared publicly without any factual basis.”
Price, meanwhile, is currently in the UK promoting the release of her Sky documentary. Earlier this month, she appeared on This Morning where she defended her rapid marriage to Andrews.
