Katona's Oxford speech flops

Turnout was low as reality TV star Kerry Katona spoke about her battles with mental illness and the media in a speech to the Oxford Union last night.

The former Atomic Kitten singer told the audience there was nothing off limits in the question-and-answer session at the world-famous debating society.

More than 250 people had been expected to attend, but audience members said the city centre venue was half empty, with barely 100 people listening to the talk.

Katona, 28, arrived with an MTV film crew and headed towards the venue’s bar.

Her husband Mark Croft is thought to have been among the entourage who shielded her with an umbrella as she entered the building.

The mother-of-four spoke to Oxford University students for about an hour last night in the main debating chamber. Speeches usually last up to two hours, a spokeswoman said.

Audience members said Ms Katona’s speech was warmly received however, even though she told them she was nervous before she started.

Henry Evans, 19, a history student from Kent, said: “She talked about being a celebrity, how she deals with fame and how it affects her children.

“I thought she did very well, but very few people turned out. There were far fewer people than the usual turnout for speeches.

“I found it interesting though. It was a lot better than working.”

Jeff Rawson, a 19-year-old English student from Guildford, Surrey, said: “There was a lot said about her bipolar disorder.

“She was quite relaxed, and the talk was quite humorous.”

Anshul Bakhda, 19, from Elstree, Hertfordshire, said: “I thought she was really good. She was very frank and open.

“It was a really refreshing question and answer session, as there was nothing she wouldn’t talk about.

“She talked about her history with mental illness, her mum, and the impact of the media on her family.

“She said she was nervous, but if she was, she hid it really well.

“Kerry went down well with the audience, and seemed a fairly genuine person.”

Ms Katona left shortly after finishing her speech, which was being filmed for a new reality television series.