Kerry Katona 'kicked out' of reunited Atomic Kitten for calling Natasha a 'toxic c***'

Pop singer and TV personality Kerry Katona has reportedly been booted from her reunited band Atomic Kitten after calling fellow singer Natasha Hamilton a "toxic c**t".

A source told the Daily Star newspaper in a report published Sunday (19 November): "Natasha has ruled out singing with Kerry again. Liz [McClarnon, fellow Kitten] normally stays out of the drama, but has sided with Natasha, and Kerry has once again found herself out of the band."

"Kerry knew she'd gone too far, but she didn't think she would get chucked out of the band. She's absolutely gutted," the unnamed source added.

The controversial comments were caught on video and, as reported by The Sun at the time, occurred during an on-stage appearance in late October this year.

Katona was hosting a drag show competition in Manchester when another judge jokingly advised her to "lose the ginger" in Atomic Kitten, referring to Hamilton.

The singer hit back: "I'm not being funny, Atomic Kitten – I always saw her as a toxic c***."

During the show, Katona also made references to her bankruptcy and attempted to rush the proceedings along because she was "only being paid until midnight". Despite images showing her holding a champagne bottle to her lips, she denied having been drinking.

A rep for Hamilton insisted that Atomic Kitten were still together, The Sun reported.

But according to the Liverpool Echo, a source said: "Natasha is adamant that Kerry is out of the band. Management are hoping to smooth things over but it's not looking likely. Natasha is really hurt and angry. Especially because she has supported Kerry through so much in the past."

Katona left a prior version of Atomic Kitten in 2001 and was replaced by Jenny Frost. She later returned to the fold in 2012 for an ITV2 show called The Big Reunion.

Following the Manchester incident, as reported by OK Magazine, Katona hit back at reports from the event saying that she was drunk, claiming all her comments were meant as a joke.

In an Instagram update, she wrote: "I think my JOKES are funny!!! That is all it was JOKES! The fact I drove myself there and back I would of been drink driving (sic)."

"It's called PLAYING UP to the crowd! Believe me I don't need to be drunk to be crazy!"