Can Kerry bounce back from her new crisis?

● Axed from Atomic Kitten after her foul-mouthed rant at bandmate Natasha Hamilton ● Blames former friend after tension between them reaches breaking point ● Determined to revive her reality TV career

She’s the S comeback queen who has managed to bounce back from bankruptcy, drug addiction and failed marriages to carve out a career as one of the nation’s most compelling TV personalities.

But last week, it appeared that Kerry Katona was on a downward spiral once again when she revealed she had been kicked out of Atomic Kitten – just weeks after publicly branding bandmate Natasha Hamilton a “toxic c***” as she reportedly downed Champagne at a drag show in Manchester.

The 37 year old appeared upbeat in her Instagram post, joking with fans, “I’ll keep to knock, knock jokes from now on!” But insiders say she’s struggling with her axeing from the band – who had embarked on a world tour earlier this year.

A source reveals, “Kerry is absolutely heartbroken over everything. She knows she messed up, but she thought things with Natasha would eventually smooth over. She can’t believe it’s come to this.”

PAST FEUD

Kerry and Natasha have had a turbulent relationship over the years. Kerry was said to have riled Natasha in 2012 when Kerry insisted she was the founding member of the group. Then in 2013, Kerry admitted she took an instant dislike to Natasha when the band first formed in the ’90s, saying, “The first time I met Natasha, she was only 16, and I was like, ‘I don’t like her’ and I said, ‘Either she goes or I go.’”

❛KERRY’S HEARTBROKEN – SHE CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S COME TO THIS❜

The source says, “Kerry and Natasha’s feud has been going on for years. Kerry always felt Natasha was jealous of her popularity, while Natasha thought she was the talent and didn’t understand how Kerry had so much fame. Tensions had been high for ages and Kerry’s comment about Natasha was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Kerry has endured a difficult year. She split from third husband George Kay in July, and saw her brief romance with comedian James English come to an end in October. She’s since been spending time with former I’m A Celeb! jungle mate Jordan – real name Katie Price – and new showbiz pal Lisa Appleton.

But insiders fear her new circle of friends may be a bad influence.

Aside from publicly slamming Natasha during her PA at the drag show in Manchester, Kerry also joked that social services were babysitting her kids and insisted the show hurry up as she was “only being paid until midnight.”

The source reveals, “Pals feel Kerry’s become a lot more feisty and are blaming Katie and Lisa. She’s normally so friendly and chatty during her PAS, but she was quite rude and cocky in Manchester. She admitted Katie told her to say controversial things to get headlines and that no press is bad press.”

But eager to look ahead, sources say Kerry is on a mission to find a man and revive her reality TV career.

CAREER BOOST

Last week, it was reported she was eyeing up a role on hit show Real Housewives Of Cheshire after the star took to Instagram to say that she’s moved in with close pal and cast member Ampika Pickston.

The source reveals, “Kerry’s starred in all the main reality shows like Dancing On Ice, I’m A Celeb! and Celebrity Big Brother. She’s desperate for a reality revival and loves the idea of Real Housewives. She used to live in Cheshire so she knows the area well, and she’s good pals with Ampika. The pair have already been talking about going on the hunt to bag Kerry a rich new man. She thinks this would be her perfect comeback.”