Katie Price and Dwight Yorke's sad feud over son Harvey from adoption bid to DNA test

While Katie Price divides opinion, most people can agree she's a devoted mother to her eldest son Harvey. Harvey, 22, has Septo-optic Dysplasia, autism and Prader-Willi syndrome, which means he lives at a college that can provide him with round-the-clock care. Katie, 46, recently told her Katie Price Show podcast her son had sent her a heartbreaking message: "Hey mummy, I don't like to stay at college because I've got a bad cough, because I am so bored to stay at college mummy. I am so sad and angry at staying at college because I hate it.".

The former glamour model has always been open about the difficulties of caring for her disabled son, who has complex needs but little is spoken about Harvey's biological father. The mum-of-five says former international and Premier League footballer Dwight Yorke, 52, doesn't maintain contact with her eldest child. Katie got pregnant when she was briefly dating Dwight, with their relationship was short-lived when she allegedly discovered Dwight had cheated. The model once told how she was on a lingerie photoshoot when she heard that the sportsman had been partying with other women.

During a 2009 interview, Dwight addressed the allegations, admitting he wasn't the 'perfect partner'. "I think anyone who's in a relationship would like their partner to be faithful and I'm saying I wasn't the perfect partner, she knows that," he said. The two warring exes endured a rocky relationship throughout the rest of her pregnancy, with Dwight denying paternity until a paternity test proved otherwise. The footballer did turn up to the hospital to visit his son, and also put his name on the birth certificate while trying to insist that Harvey should take his surname.

However, his visits with his son became few and far between, with Dwight admitting: "It is a combination of different things, one my time schedule and being based up in Manchester and a footballer on an everyday basis. Not sitting here and say I'm a total perfect father, I've made mistakes along the way and I would love to turn the clock back." But in his own book published the same year, Born To Score, he painted a very different picture of his feelings towards his son.

"From the moment I set eyes on the little fella, I have loved my son like I could never ever have imagined possible," he wrote. "I am not going to hear anymore that I did not care for Harvey, or have any understanding of his needs or that I was not interested in his welfare. "Over the years I have heard Katie saying how [Peter] Andre is Harvey's dad and what a terrible, uncaring father I have been, all of which sticks in my throat. Maybe if she had not made life so difficult for me, might have been able to take a far more proactive role.".

At the time, Katie's then-husband Peter Andre wanted to adopt Harvey, but Dwight was furious and wrote that he wanted to "throttle" him. But five years later, Katie claimed that Dwight had no relationship with Harvey. She wrote in her 2014 autobiography: "The last time Harvey's biological father Dwight Yorke saw him, which was around eight years ago, the first thing he asked was why was Harvey so big. Why was I overfeeding him?.

"I'd explained Harvey's condition to Dwight many times, but he refused to understand it and kept going on about him being fat. It's sad that he's unable to accept Harvey for who he is and seems unable or unwilling to work within his limitations. On that occasion, I think Dwight wanted to blame someone for the fact that his son is disabled. "I have always said that if Dwight could see what a courageous and talented boy Harvey is then he would enjoy being with him so much." Katie claimed she has made multiple attempts to reach out to Dwight over the years, insisting it's "never too late" to be in their son's life.

In November 2018, Katie shared a series of baby pics as she acknowledged the struggle of bringing up a child with complex needs - and told Dwight the "door is always open". Katie made a more desperate plea to her ex in December 2019, claiming Harvey "didn't deserve it" as she shared a heartbreaking video of her son asking for his dad. When asked who he would want to write a message to on Instagram by Katie, Harvey replied: "Daddy Dwight." "I love you Daddy Dwight. You look beautiful," added Harvey when asked what he would say.

Katie then wrote to her two million followers in the caption: "Anyone who knows @Officialdwightyorke19 please get him to contact his son Harvey doesn't deserve this, he sees his other son Tiger so I don't understand! He does charity work for different kids charity yet doesn't see or support his own son. I don't get it!". In 2020, Katie revealed drastic plans to introduce Harvey to Dwight after supposed years of no contact. Chatting with pal Mel, Katie said: "What I would like to do is turn up at his dad's place - Dwight Yorke's - ring the doorbell and be there with Harvey, for him to see Harvey. That's what I would like to do and I will do that. I think Dwight should start entering Harvey's life, it's been years.".