Katie Piper has revealed the ‘irrational’ guilt she felt after leaving her daughters to film a new show in the US
The Loose Women star, 39, recently returned to the UK after shooting the new W documentary Katie Piper: Babies Behind Bars, where she will meet women pregnant while in prison
And in a candid interview, the campaigner, who is the mother of Belle, nine- and five-year-old Penelope, spoke openly about the pressures of being a working mum.
She said The mirror: ‘Like many women, I have an irrational sense of guilt about working and leaving the kids behind.
“I really struggled with it in regards to my trip to the US — I missed the school play, I missed their homework.
Honesty: Katie Piper, 39, has revealed the ‘irrational’ guilt she felt after leaving her daughters to film a new show in the US
Speaking out: In a candid interview, the campaigner, who is the mother of Belle, nine- and five-year-old Penelope, spoke openly about the pressures of being a working parent
Before going on to say, “It’s very feminine.” I think when you have a career and a family, you feel a responsibility to make sure there are no cracks in any of the roles. You want to show colleagues that you are capable, but also not let your family down.’
In the show, Katie visits women juggling pregnancy while serving their time, as they face heartbreaking decisions about the fate of their children.
The series will contain five episodes and is scheduled for release in late 2023.
In January, she took to her Instagram Story to document her trip to the US prior to shooting, which ended with tears in her eyes.
The TV personality claimed she experienced it “72 hours from hell,” in which one of her eye blood vessels burst before her luggage was lost or stolen.
In another post, taken from her plane seat, Katie added, “Then continue with 72 hours from hell…”
The former Strictly contestant uploaded a gory photo of her bloodshot eye and continued, “The day before my flight, blood vessels burst in my bad eye. Luckily I was able to fly and I’m fine, it was more mental that caused me stress and anxiety.’
Katie’s latest medical problem came as a result of a long list of complications she suffered after a sulfuric acid attack in 2008.
Family: Katie said: ‘I really struggled with it in regards to my trip to the US – I missed the school play, I missed their homework’ (pictured with her children and husband Richard Sutton)
The mother-of-two is blind in one eye as a result of the attack, carried out by Stefan Sylvestre Lynch at the behest of her obsessive ex-boyfriend Daniel Lynch.
She wrote in another story, “After a 10 hour flight I landed in Atlanta to find out my luggage was lost/stolen. I spent hours at the airport trying to find it, but it was a lost cause.
“I’m now on my next flight to Houston with a pair of pants, a new toothbrush from the airport, and the same outfit I wore yesterday. Had a bit of a sneaky cry in the toilet and felt better!”
While filming herself making her way through George Bush Intercontinental Airport, she said as she turned to the camera, “Okay, I just praised Houston, completed 14 hours of travel.
“I absolutely pray that the only remaining suitcase I have on this trip, in baggage claim, is baggage claim. Please pray for me and send positive thoughts.”
The author and Loose Women panelist will immerse herself in the legal system of the United States for the new series.
Oh dear! In January, she took to her Instagram Story to document her trip to the US before filming, which ended with tears in her eyes.
Oh no! She claimed she experienced ’72 hours from hell’ in which one of her eye blood vessels burst before her luggage was lost or stolen
Already a volunteer in British prisons, Katie is intrigued to see how different things will be across the pond in some of the most high-profile prisons.
She explained, “I am thrilled to be working with W Channel in 2023. I’ve always had a strong interest in real-life documentary formats and Piper Behind Bars is already proving to be a fascinating project.
As a long-time volunteer in British women’s prisons, I am intrigued by the different treatment within the American system.
And it is not the first time she has appeared on screen in documentary format, in four-part series Katie: My Beautiful Face in 2009 and Katie: My Beautiful Friends in 2011.
The first series came a year after Katie fell victim to a vicious acid attack and decided to tell her story through the documentary.
While the second followed her progress two years after the attack and also showed how she started her charity, the Katie Piper Foundation.
Following her journey to rebuild her face after the attack, she also appeared in the Channel 4 show Katie: The Science of Seeing Again.
Katie Piper: Babies Behind Bars will air in 2023 on Channel W and UKTV Play.