Kerry Katona has revealed that she is heartbroken over the death of her childhood sweetheart, who was the first boy to break her heart.
The former Atomic Kitten singer shared the sad news on her Instagram account, posting a photo of her and the late Paul Willett, whom she dated when she was 14 years old.
She wrote: "Just been told some devastating news that my first ever boyfriend, the first boy to ever break my heart, has passed away. RIP Paul Willett. You will always have a place in my heart."
She added: "Sending so much love and strength to his family. Life is too short, guys. Please live every day like it's your last."
Kerry also shared a screenshot of a message she received from Paul's sister, who informed her of his passing and thanked her for being his first love.
Kerry Katona shared the sad news of her childhood sweetheart's death on Instagram (Image: kerrykatona7/Instagram)
Kerry and Paul dated when they were teenagers and lived in Warrington, Cheshire. They met at a youth club and bonded over their love of music.
Kerry once described Paul as "the love of her life" and said he was the reason she became a singer.
She told The Sun in 2017: "He was gorgeous, the first love of my life. He was the one who inspired me to be a singer. He was a singer himself and we'd perform together at the local church."
However, their relationship ended when Kerry moved to London to pursue her music career and joined Atomic Kitten.
She said: "He broke my heart. He dumped me. He cheated on me with my best friend. He was my first love, my first kiss, my first everything."
Kerry Katona and Paul Willett dated when they were 14 years old (Image: kerrykatona7/Instagram)
Kerry went on to have five children and three marriages, but she never forgot Paul.
She said: "I still love him. He's married now with kids. I've seen him a few times over the years. We're friends on Facebook. He's very happy and I'm pleased for him."
Kerry's fans and friends sent her messages of condolences and support after she announced his death.
One wrote: "So sorry for your loss, Kerry. Sending you lots of love and hugs."
Another commented: "Oh Kerry, I'm so sorry. What a beautiful picture of you both. Thinking of you and his family."
A third said: "So sad. Life is precious. RIP Paul.".
