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A New BBC Documentary On Rio And Kate Ferdinand Is Coming

A New BBC Documentary On Rio And Kate Ferdinand Is Coming

The programme will explore the emotional and practical challenges of becoming a stepfamily.

Mary-Jane Wiltsher

Mary-Jane Wiltsher

Reality TV fans, take note.

A one-off documentary about Rio and Kate Ferdinand is coming to BBC One.

The programme, called Rio and Kate: Becoming A Step Family, will follow the couple as Kate integrates into the Ferdinand family and becomes a stepmother to Rio's three children following the death of their mother Rebecca Ellison.

The ex-TOWIE star Kate, 29, and former footballer Rio, 41, first got together in 2017 - later tying the knot in a hilltop ceremony in Turkey in September 2019.

Rio's late wife Rebecca died in 2015 aged 34 after being diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time.

The programme will take a deep dive into the emotional and practical dilemmas that come with becoming a stepfamily.



With the BBC revealing that step-families are now the fastest-growing family type in the UK, the programme couldn't be timelier.

This isn't Rio's first experience of being in a documentary. Back in 2017, he was the focus of the Bafta-winning Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad, which showed the sports star juggling the challenges of single parenthood while coming to terms with the loss of his wife.

The programme was praised for its sensitive portrayal of grief and for opening up conversations about male bereavement.

Becoming a Step Family will be the follow-up chapter, giving insight into the reality of building a stepfamily. Rio wrote on Instagram that the programme had "been a huge personal journey."

"We hope the film will help other step families and those experiencing the journey of grief!'" he added.

Kate, 29, and Rio, 41, first got together in 2017, later tying the knot in Turkey in September 2019 (
PA Images)

Since her departure from The Only Way Is Essex, Kate has opened up about her mental health struggles with anxiety and body image, both on social media and on This Morning, where she shared her 'love-hate' feelings about her body with Holly Willoughby.

In a joint statement about the upcoming documentary, the couple said: "The positive response to Being Mum And Dad in 2017 and the way it helped others going through a similar situation was overwhelming.

"For that reason, we were both compelled to tell the next chapter in our lives together.

"We hope Becoming a Step Family will give a unique insight into step-families and the journey through grief, whilst also providing an intimate look at our lives together."


Alison Kirkham, BBC's controller of factual commissioning, said: 'I'd like to thank Rio and Kate for opening up their lives to us in such an intimate and personal way.

"The BBC has long been committed to tackling mental health issues and Rio Ferdinand's programme on bereavement in 2017 helped bring the conversation into the open.

"We hope this new film will offer meaningful insight into the reality and challenges of living in a step-family. It will also explore how grief affects us all differently."

Featured Image Credit: PA Images

Topics: Reality TV, Celebrity News, TV News, TV Entertainment