Katie Price has said she is “really concerned” for longtime friend Perez Hilton after the celebrity blogger was taken to hospital following a disturbing TikTok livestream.
Hilton was taken away by ambulance on Tuesday night. In a statement released on Wednesday, his family said he remains in hospital but is now “able to communicate” as he continues to receive treatment.
Price and Hilton struck up an unlikely friendship after she moved to Los Angeles with then-husband Peter Andre in 2008.
They later appeared together on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015 and have remained in touch over the years.
Speaking after the incident, the former glamour model said she was saddened to see his mental health decline and revealed the pair had recently been exchanging messages, including conversations about surrogacy.
“I am really concerned for Perez and his mental health. It's so sad to see him like this,” she told The Sun. “I'm shocked by what has happened. I've always liked Perez.
“I've spoken to him so much over the years, including about surrogacy. I will reach out to him and his family. I'm a celebrity like him, controversial. He's not everyone's cup of tea, but then again neither am I.”
The pair's friendship developed despite Hilton previously criticising Price on his celebrity gossip website, where he mocked both her appearance and personality.
However, Hilton, who has three children, a son and two daughters, born via surrogate, later became one of her most vocal supporters.
In 2018, after Price was declared bankrupt and subjected to online abuse, Hilton publicly defended her.
“She needs and deserves our compassion now, not any scorn,” he wrote at the time. “We don't care what anyone says about her. We know the real Katie. She is kind. She is thoughtful. She is sweet. She is hardworking. She is smart!”
The two are also understood to have remained in regular contact since 2016, when Hilton reached out after learning that Price's mother, Amy, had been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
On Wednesday, Hilton's family confirmed he was continuing to receive medical care in hospital and thanked supporters for their concern.
Emergency services were seen outside the celebrity blogger’s home in Miami on Tuesday after members of the public reported seeing him self-harm in a TikTok livestream.
His account was suspended minutes later.
A statement from Hilton’s family and team said it has been an “incredibly difficult” time for them.
They said: “We have also been able to confirm that Perez is able to communicate, which has given our family hope. We respectfully ask for your continued prayers, understanding, and grace as Perez continues to recover.
“We will share additional updates as we receive confirmed information and are able to do so. For now, we’re taking things one step at a time and keeping our focus where it belongs, on Perez and his recovery.
“Your compassionate humanity during this heartbreaking time has meant more than words can express. This has been incredibly difficult and emotional for us, made even harder because very little information has been made available to our family.
“While we continue to wait for further updates, we remain hopeful.”
In a statement to media on Tuesday, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office confirmed they attended a scene of a man “livestreaming acts of self-harm”, but did not name Hilton.
They said: “In many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritize de-escalation by creating time, distance, and opportunities for communication.
“Unless there is an immediate threat to others, slowing the situation and utilizing crisis intervention techniques can reduce the likelihood of a suicide-by-cop encounter and minimize the risk of injury to the individual, deputies and the public.”
Deputies confirmed the man was alone in the house at the time.
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