Tate Ferdinand has returned to Kate Ferdinand’s Blended podcast for another direct conversation about life inside a blended family.
The 18-year-old, who is the son of former England footballer Rio Ferdinand and his late wife Rebecca Ellison, joined Kate and co-host Nathalie Holmes-Lewis for a new episode titled “Tate Ferdinand Is Back: How Does Your Step Child Really Feel?”
The episode description says Tate came back “by popular demand” after listeners responded to his earlier appearance, where he spoke about what it felt like when Kate became part of his family.
Tate Returned to Talk About How Stepchildren Really Feel
View this post on Instagram
The new Blended episode uses listener dilemmas to talk through questions many blended families face privately. The first came from a teenager whose dad and stepmum had split up after years together. The teenager still felt attached to her stepmother, but the adults around her seemed focused mainly on their own breakup.
Kate, Nathalie and Tate discussed whether it is normal for a child to grieve a stepparent after a relationship ends and whether those bonds should continue when the adults are no longer together.
The episode description says Kate also shared how she would feel if her relationship with Rio ever changed, and why she believes those family ties “don’t simply disappear.”
The Episode Also Covered Loyalty and Father’s Day
The second dilemma came from a teenager who felt torn between his biological dad and stepdad. The question was not only about Father’s Day, but also birthdays, special occasions and the fear of celebrating one father figure while hurting the other.
The podcast framed that discussion around loyalty, guilt and the emotional load children can carry in blended families. The episode page says Tate also reflected on his own family journey, including the early challenges he and Kate faced and how their relationship changed over time.
Tate Previously Said He Felt Kate Was “Taking Dad Away”
Tate’s return follows a separate Blended family episode earlier this month with Kate and Rio. During that conversation, Tate spoke about the early days of Rio’s relationship with Kate after the death of his mother, Rebecca Ellison.
The Sun reported that Tate told Kate he initially felt she was “taking dad away” from him. He also said he and his brother Lorenz used to listen through the door when Rio and Kate were talking downstairs.
In a later report, The Sun said Tate admitted he had struggled with guilt toward his late mother when Kate joined the family. He described feeling stuck between liking Kate and feeling disloyal to Rebecca’s side of the family.
Kate and Tate Have Spoken About Their Hardest Early Years
The earlier podcast conversation also included difficult memories from Kate’s first years in the family. The Sun reported that Tate admitted he once spread false rumors that Kate was meeting “random men” at the family home while Rio was away.
Kate explained on the podcast that one misunderstanding began when a man dropped off a phone for Rio at the house. Tate later said Kate had “a hater in the house” at the time and that he had been trying to get into her business because of the emotions he was carrying.
Kate and Rio Have Built Their Public Work Around Blended Families
Rio shared Lorenz, Tate and Tia with Rebecca Ellison, who died from breast cancer in 2015. Kate and Rio began dating later and married in 2019. They have since welcomed two children together, Cree and Shae.
Child Bereavement UK says Rio and Kate became patrons after working with the charity, and that Kate launched Blended as a platform for blended families to share their experiences and support one another.