Kerry Katona didn’t mince words in a recent interview as she took a savage swipe at Brooklyn Beckham, calling out what she sees as the fine line between nepotism and actual talent.
In a joint sit-down with her longtime friend Katie Price for The Sun, the two reality TV stars opened up about their dreams for their daughters — including Kerry’s 18-year-old Heidi — and the realities of making it in the industry. While addressing how her daughter might benefit from her public profile, Kerry defended herself against the idea of nepotism, saying:
“Everyone talks about nepotism, right? But everyone has a contact for somebody. I can open a door for you. Whether you get through that door and you stay through it, that’s on your own f*****g merit.”
Then came the jab aimed squarely at Brooklyn Beckham.
“You don’t see Brooklyn Beckham playing f*cking football, because he’s s**t.”
Brooklyn, now 26, once dreamed of following in the legendary footsteps of his father, David Beckham — one of the most decorated footballers in the world. He joined Arsenal’s youth academy but was released at 16, a major blow that led him to quit the sport altogether.
In a 2022 Variety interview, Brooklyn admitted that the pressure of living up to his father’s name played a big part in his decision to quit football.
“To try and live up to what my dad did in football, I was just like, ‘That’s going to be a bit difficult.’”
Since leaving football behind, Brooklyn has dabbled in various creative ventures — including photography, social media influencing, and most recently, launching his own hot sauce brand, Cloud 23. He’s also been open about the “nepo baby” label, saying:
“Obviously I am one. But I couldn’t help how I was born. I’m always gonna get it, no matter what I do. And I’m fine with that. It makes me work harder… I’m gonna prove these people wrong.”
Kerry, meanwhile, insists that helping her daughter enter showbiz isn’t about handouts but about providing opportunities — the same kind she believes exist in every industry.
“Nepotism or not, you’ve got to earn your place. You’ve got to show you’ve got something to offer.”
Brooklyn may be building his empire in the food and lifestyle space, but clearly, Kerry Katona isn’t convinced it compensates for what she sees as a lack of raw talent on the pitch.
No response yet from either Brooklyn or his reps — but one thing’s for sure, this debate is far from over.
