Inside Katie Price’s heartbreak for pal Perez Hilton – as she reveals her concerned messages to troubled CBB star

AS the internet’s first celebrity blogger, Perez Hilton made a name for himself for his unapologetic, acid-tongue – with no star safe from his wrath. One of his most high profile victims was former glamour model Katie Price, but the pair became unlikely friends after he helped her during her own struggles. Now, Katie tells The Sun about her concern for Perez, revealing her secret messages to the cash-strapped star who appears to be going through his own mental health crisis. Perez Hilton taking Katie Price for an LA lunch date in 2008, alongside Peter Andre Credit: WENN/Apega/Agent47 The cash-strapped star, above in LA in 2022, appears to be going through a mental health crisis after he live-streamed himself self-harming on TikTok Credit: Alamy Cops swarmed the US podcaster’s house and he was rushed to hospital in Miami on Tuesday night after he live-streamed himself self-harming on TikTok for more than half an hour. In images which are too graphic to print in a family newspaper, he showed himself covered head to toe in blood and holding a large knife. Perez — real name Mario Lavandeira — is a single father to a 13-year-old son and two daughters, aged 11 and eight, all of them born via surrogacy. He was home alone during the time of the incident and his TikTok account was suspended soon after. But horrifying footage soon went viral on the internet yesterday, with social media firms battling to remove reposted clips. Perez, 48, is now said to be recovering and receiving medical attention at a Miami hospital. Last night, former Page Three pin-up Katie Price told The Sun she was worried about what had ­happened to her long-time pal. She said: “I am really concerned for Perez and his mental health. It’s so sad to see him like this. “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.” Despite finding fame with his infamous blog perezhilton.com, Perez later turned his back on his toxic past and expressed regret for his attacks — including against Katie. He first began writing about celebrities in the mid-Noughties, using the free wi-fi at a branch of US chain The Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf near his home in LA. Perez’s lurid and often cruel takes on showbiz news quickly became a huge draw, with his blog attracting eight ­millions hits a day long before the age of social media and earning him a reported £22million. The website, which was dubbed the most hated in Hollywood, even published upskirt photos of the biggest female stars, including then-teenagers Miley Cyrus and Amanda Bynes. After Perez dubbed Jennifer Aniston “Maniston”, the actress confronted him in a petrol station forecourt, while Nicole Richie tracked him down to a coffee shop and berated him. An Instagram video talking about Ariana Grande on Tuesday before his knife incident Credit: Unknown Former Page Three pin-up Katie Price said she was worried about what had ­happened to her long-time pal Credit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd Britney Spears appeared on his blog more than any other star — and he even continued his campaign after her public breakdown which culminated with her shaving her head in 2007. Perez, who is openly gay, was also criticised for outing stars he claimed were closeted, including Hollywood actors Neil Patrick Harris and Matt Bomer. In 2006, when NSYNC member Lance Bass came out, he claimed Perez had “bullied” him into revealing he is gay. And the blogger faced the wrath of more celebrities who had become his targets. Black Swan actress Mila Kunis said: “To me, he was the first person that created ugly news, that literally just spread filth. It was just mean, and so it allowed people to be mean.” Police outside Perez’s home in Miami on Tuesday night after the shocking live stream Credit: MiamiPIXX / BACKGRID Perez in a shiny suit giving actress Lindsay Lohan a hug at a 2010 party in California Credit: Alamy Stock Photo She also claimed that the “whole concept of trolling really didn’t exist” prior to his blog. In 2007, Perez featured in several episodes of The View — the US version of Loose Women — and created his own UK series Perez Hilton Superfan for ITV2 in 2012. Following the show’s ­success, he landed a spot on 2015’s Celebrity Big Brother alongside Katie Price before they had become firm friends. But he later spoke of his regret at being mean to ­people. He said: “What’s important for me is not being liked, but it is that people think I am no longer toxic to the world. I’m aware of the fact there are going to be a lot of people with lingering resentment and a lot of sceptics. “And that’s OK because I am not pretending to be perfect.” He later wrote in his 2020 memoir, TMI: My Life In Scandal: “I have a ton of regrets, particularly because I now see that I never needed to be so mean or cruel.” “One of the many things I regret is that I hurt so many people by giving them nasty nicknames, and above all that I was unkind to the children of celebrities. “I had brainwashed myself into saying things like, ‘If people don’t like what I’m writing then they shouldn’t read it.’ Or ‘[Perez is] just a character, these people don’t know the real me.’ But at that point I said, ‘Wow, I need to take ownership of what’s happening and what I’m doing.’ The star without a shirt for a 2009 MTV bash alongside Lady Gaga Credit: Getty Images Perez seen in 2005 with heiress Paris Hilton – whose name he adopted for his pseudonym Credit: WireImage “You can do your job and have an opinion and have it be strong, but not be hurtful or cruel.” Some celebs accepted his apologies, including reality star Katie Price. In 2018, ten years after the unlikely pals first met, Perez publicly defended Katie. At a time when many people were quick to criticise the struggling ­glamour model, the American gamely went in to bat for her — risking the mirth of millions. After all, years earlier he had viciously blasted her, calling Katie’s face “busted and orange” and her personality “vapid”. The blogger wearing a robe with Kim Kardashian at a boxing-themed launch event in 2008 Credit: WireImage Perez, 48, is now said to be recovering and receiving medical attention at a Miami hospital Credit: Getty Images for One Drop He wrote on what was then Twitter: “She needs and deserves our compassion now, not any scorn.” And he added on his website: “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!” His words had an impact. They came when Katie was inundated with abuse after being declared bankrupt and following a string of dating disasters. After his posts, the tide slowly turned. Of course, the fact that Katie forgave him for his previous unpleasantness tells you all you need to know about this woman. She has seen and done it all, and words cannot hurt her as they would others. Her forgiveness meant a lot to Perez. He, too, has been publicly criticised and called out. And he was, by now, a reformed character. Since their reconciliation, Perez has stuck devotedly by Katie. Indeed, yesterday she told The Sun she wanted to share her best wishes for her Miami-based friend. She is, like so many, worried about him and keeping him in her thoughts. Katie also comes from a relatively unique place of fame, and has faced mental health battles herself. And she is keen to stress Perez’s kindness and generosity of spirit. She showed The Sun some of their Instagram DMs. Perez, for instance, reached out to her when Katie’s beloved mum Amy was ill, checking in and ­sending the family love. Since 2016, they have regularly swapped endlessly supportive private messages, each the other’s biggest cheerleader. The self-harm incident is not Perez’s only recent health battle. He claimed to have “found God” in March during a three-week stay in a Las Vegas hospital as he battled sepsis and a perforated ulcer, which he claimed was triggered by taking flu medication on an empty stomach. Later, he underwent surgery twice and was treated for fluid in his lungs, deep vein thrombosis, kidney problems and an irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia. Perez said: “It was God presenting himself to me, and then doing something that I could only describe as a miracle to heal me. “I was still unwell, and then God did something.” Perez told how the health crisis had left him cash-strapped and he released a range of religious-themed clothing to help raise funds. He said: “That’s why your boy is now in hustle mode. I have all that to take care of and I wasn’t able to work for more than a month. “Wear something holy. Praise Him. And support your boy, if you want.” In June, he announced in an Instagram video that he and his three children were moving back to his native Miami after having lived in Las Vegas for three years. He urged his army of social media followers to pray for him. In a bizarre post titled The Devil Is Trying To Bring Me Down, he wrote: “I feel like I should be scared right now, but I’m not. I definitely am worried though. God, show me the way!” Last night, the blogger’s representatives, Golden Artists Entertainment co-CEOs Dante Rusciolelli and Rebekah Kochan, said: “Our primary concern is Perez’s health and wellbeing, as well as the wellbeing of his family. Until we have confirmed information, we will not comment further. “We appreciate everyone’s concern and ask that his privacy be respected during this time.”