Katie Price bailed after arrest at Heathrow Airport ahead of court appearance

Katie Price has been bailed following her arrest at Heathrow Airport after returning to the UK from her Turkish getaway.

The 46-year-old was arrested moments after her return to the UK last night and was remanded in custody at a west London police station.

However, it’s understood that Price was bailed by an out-of-hours magistrate on Thursday evening.

The former glamour model is expected to appear at the Royal Courts of Justice on Friday, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Yesterday, the TV personality was pictured on the tarmac in the back of a police van after officers arrested her.

She was seen wearing a bandage around her head after undergoing a £12,000 facelift in Turkey.

In one image, she was perched in the boot of the van with her arm lifted to her face next to a Metropolitan Police cop.

Her boyfriend JJ Slater, 31, was also photographed pushing a trolley full of pink luggage through the terminal after Price’s arrest.

Slater looked downcast as he took charge of Price’s suitcases as she was driven in a police van to a station.

A spokesperson for the Met Police told Metro.co.uk: ‘A 46-year-old woman from Surrey was arrested at Heathrow Airport at 19:45hrs on Thursday, 8 August for failing to appear at court.

‘She has been remanded in custody at a west London police station to appear at the Royal Courts of Justice today, Friday, 9 August.’

It comes after an arrest warrant was issued by a judge after she failed to attend a hearing relating to her bankruptcies.

Price previously said she was ‘not running from matters’, but was ‘away working for a documentary on corrective surgeries’ during the court hearing.

Nine days after a warrant was issued for her arrest, Price and Slater left the airport’s Terminal 5 with two friends and their baby at 8:30pm.

A witness who was on the flight said he saw her with the officers at the airport.

Price previously said she expected to be arrested upon landing.

The TV icon and model, who has been declared bankrupt twice, moved out of her £2million Mucky Mansion in May after reportedly being served an eviction notice. She maintains that it was her choice to move out.

Then, at the end of July, Judge Catherine Burton issued an arrest warrant for Price after her failure to attend court hearings over her case.

In response, Price said she was ‘fully aware of the severity of [her] current personal financial situation’ but ‘shocked’ at the response to her missing the hearing.

Taking to her Instagram Story this afternoon amid her financial woes, the former glamour model thanked fans for their support.

It comes after she underwent more plastic surgery while in Istanbul, having stayed at the Sheraton Istanbul Atakoy Hotel to recover from her sixth facelift worth £10,000.

Price has said she was away filming a documentary on corrective surgery.

As she heads back home, the Celebrity Big Brother housemate wrote on social media: ‘I would just like to thank everyone that has been showing support and compassion to my situation this week and pending my arrest.

‘Despite what has been misreported I am now in route back from filming my documentary.

‘I was never just abroad being ignorant to what’s going on and I stand by the facts, which is that there has been miscommunications between a number of people here to do with my bankruptcy.

‘However now I am returning home from work and I am aware that I am about to be detained at the airport which is obviously what the courts feel is necessary.

‘I do hope of course for my son’s sake who is with me that they will allow me some dignity and protection.’

The I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! favourite continued in the lengthy post: ‘Whilst I understand the importance and severity of the matter I do feel like I am being treated like a criminal.

‘I would like to point out once again that this is to do with a very unfortunate financial circumstance which as hard a sit has been does not make a criminal or a bad person.

‘Millions of people suffer losses and go through bankruptcy’s, through many different reasons and mine was due to serious mental health issues and breakdowns from PTSD.’

She added defiantly: ‘Whilst it’s been hard, I repeatedly will stand by the fact am not embarrassed or ashamed that this has happened to me, People loose their lives every day over the embarrassment and fear of these situations and the public bullying l’ve endured on this matter is simply just not ok.

‘I will continue to speak out on this and not be ashamed. I have and am continuing to pay back debtors as ordered by the court.’

Price concluded by vowing to stand her ground when she returns and faces the court, having originally been scheduled to do so last Tuesday.

‘I will address this with the police and courts when I land and I ask for my son Harvey’s sake it’s handled with care and compassion. I am after all only a human being.

‘I appreciate all of you that continue to show me love it means a lot. Kate [sic]’

Speaking to Metro.co.uk, legal experts explained what being arrested would mean for Price.

From Setfords law firm, one expert shared: ‘There should be a hearing on a court sitting day as soon as possible after the arrest.

‘She can be kept in jail until she complies with whatever the court has ordered her to do.’

Rachel Mason, Solicitor in the crime and regulatory team at Slater Heelis, added: ‘It is likely that the warrant was issued for contempt of court following her failure to attend for public examination without “reasonable excuse”.

‘Once in custody, she would then be produced at Court and may be prosecuted for the criminal offence of contempt.’

Mum-of-five Price was chastised by the court after failing to appear before them.

Judge Burton said: ‘She has no real excuse in failing to attend today’s hearing. The reason for her absence today is irrelevant.’

Price was first declared bankrupt in 2019. She was then declared bankrupt a second time in March 2024 over an unpaid tax bill of £761,994.05.

Her case was then postponed in May, with Price expected to tell the court how she intended to pay off the money.

Addressing her legal issues in her new autobiography, This Is Me, she said she would work as an escort to pay it off.

‘Bankruptcy doesn’t hold the same fear now I can see a way out of it. If material stuff is taken from me, I know I can earn it back,’ Price penned.

‘I will get into escorting if I need to, not to sleep with the men, just for company. To be on their arm. I think I’d be good at that.

‘My mum would tell me I need to work on my table manners first though. And by the way, that is a joke.’  

Meanwhile, sources close to Price previously claimed that she was unbothered by what was happening, and planned to enjoy her holiday to Turkey regardless.

‘Katie has been telling people that she doesn’t care if she goes to jail, she thinks it’ll just be like the time she spent in The Priory,’ a friend of Price’s told The Sun, referencing her rehab stint.

‘She thinks she’ll finally be able to get some peace and quiet while she’s away from everyone, and could even make some money out of it too.’

They added that Price has even ‘boasted about being a “good jailbird”.’

‘But really, she doesn’t think that it will ever happen. It’s all a bit of bravado, she thinks she’s untouchable.’

Metro.co.uk has contacted the Met Police for comment.

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