Shaken Kate Ferdinand and Luisa Zissman reveals they slept of their Dubai basements with their kids throughout missile strikes as they reassure followers they’re protected

Kate Ferdinand and Luisa Zissman have revealed they slept in the basement of their Dubai homes with their children as missile strikes hit the city on Saturday night. 

The former TOWIE star, 34, and ex Apprentice candidate, 38, are among a whole host of celebrities and influencers living in Dubai who have shared their fears, after being stuck in widespread Iranian revenge attacks across the Middle East following US airstrikes. 

Kate and her husband Rio, 47, moved their life to the UAE in August last year, along with their children, Shae, two, Cree, five, as well as Rio’s daughter Tia, 14. 

Kate took to Instagram on Sunday to provide an update on their whereabouts and reassured fans they were safe after a ‘very scary night’. 

She wrote: ‘Thank you for all of your messages and sorry for the silence, I haven’t wanted to worry you all I just haven’t been able to find the words. We are safe. 

‘The government are doing an amazing job of keeping it that way and despite my nerves I feel we are in very safe hands. 

‘We are hoping for a calmer evening tonight, last night was very scary. Although Cree and Shae loved it as they couldn’t believe we all got a sleepover in the basement. 

‘Thank you for all of your prayers, this whole experience is very eye opening and I am praying for anyone affected. Lots of love to everyone.’ 

Rio’s sons Lorenz, 19, and Tate, 17, did not relocate with the family when they moved to Dubai last year due to their budding football careers back home in the UK.

The influencer previously admitted she was finding it difficult being back after spending a cosy Christmas back in London, as well as missing home comforts. 

She said on her Blended podcast previously: ‘I feel like we’ve opened our eyes to a different world. But I love London, I love the UK. I love so many things about the UK. I do feel happy in Dubai, but I’m just missing a part of me.’

Kate added the move has also helped Rio be more ‘present’ with his family, after he stepped back from his role as a pundit for TNT Sports last year.

She said: ‘I think it’s an amazing place to live, I think it’s amazing for the children. The children are thriving and happy and living a life of just outside freedom.

‘Rio loves it so much. I am enjoying it, but I miss home quite a lot. I get upset. I miss the big boys a lot and I’m just struggling with that.

‘I know this decision is right for my younger children and as a family we are settled there, but the boys are following their football careers. So they’re doing what they want to do otherwise they’d be with us.

‘But it’s very hard because we’ve been through so much as a family and we’ve always been together and that’s a huge adjustment.’

Meanwhile, Luisa Zissman spoke of how she is having to keep her children entertained indoors after fleeing the park due to the noise of explosions.

Luisa, who is mother to Dixie, 16, Indigo, 10, and Clementine, nine, was forced to retreat to her basement in Dubai after hearing four explosions while out with her children, on Sunday.

She branded the experience ‘surreal and scary’ as she shared her hopes that the UAE defence will keep everyone in the area safe.

Sharing a picture of one her children baking, she said: ‘Home baked bread rolls. Keeping the kids entertained and indoors. 

‘We got itchy feet and went to take them to the park and literally as we went to step foot out the door we heard two massive explosions that shook the house, we retreated and then heard another two. So now movie time in the basement. 

‘So surreal and scary. I do faith that UAE defence will keep us all safe.’

Luisa’s post was commented on by Kate who left a string of red hearts underneath Luisa’s post. Luisa’s close friend Sam Faiers also shared a similar message. 

After telling her followers how she had to flee the park, she later shared an update about how her family were keeping busy indoors 

She said: ‘Hey guys, we’re all still good her we have been inside all day, there’s been quite a few noises. We have made homemade buns, Indigo has made these. They are really soft.

‘She is also currently making homemade burgers. She loves cooking this one. So we are all holding up okay. We’re staying put and hoping this finishes soon.’

A host of celebrities who have moved to Dubai have shared terrified updates after getting caught up in the air attacks, which are now in their second day.

Branding it the ‘scariest, worst nights of our lives’, many spoke of how scared they were hearing the constant bangs overhead, while sheltering in their homes as the strikes rage on across the UAE.

While reassuring their followers that they are currently ‘safe’ as the air defence systems intercept the vast majority of incoming missiles and drones, they implored how scary it was to listen to the explosions all night long.

Luisa, who announced in December last year she was relocating from the UK to Dubai with her family and horses to escape the British weather and rising crime, led the celebs updating fans about the current circumstances.

Alongside a selfie of her taken outside, Luisa wrote: ‘Lots of messages re Dubai. Lots of bangs we are hearing. Stay safe fellow UAE gang.’ 

Taking her to Instagram story to talk about the developing situation, F1 heiress Petra Ecclestone, said: ‘It was one of the most scary, worst nights actually of my life. 

‘I feel like us and the family have been through a lot recently for personal reasons. We came to Dubai to feel safe, and we finally felt like we were settling in, and now this has happened. So it’s really kind of been a shocking turn of events.

‘But thank God we are safe. It was just really, yeah, not a great night. I hope everyone is staying safe and we shall all get through this. I just want to say thank you so much.’

Petra Ecclestone went on to say she doesn’t know how to explain what is happening to her young children, Lavinia, James, Andrew and Minnie, who are living with her in Dubai.

She said: ‘I don’t have the answers to certain things, and that was terrible – just being asked what’s going to happen next, whether it’s going to stop, and hearing the bangs in the night. 

‘I think just trying to protect them and tell them that they’re going to be okay. But then as a mum, obviously you don’t have all the answers. So yeah, that was tough.

‘I can’t even imagine other people in history who have gone through wars and had to live through it day to day, like my dad, and this just being normal life. And then kids having to go to school with that sort of anxiety and worry. It was quite an eye-opening experience last night.’

Iran has so far launched hundreds of missiles and suicide drones at Dubai as it continues its onslaught across the Middle East after the assassination of its Supreme Leader.

Smoke was rising from Dubai International Airport on Sunday morning and blasts heard in a number of regional states, with Iran vowing to unleash its ‘most intense offensive operation in history’.

Tehran is launching revenge strikes after confirming Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed by joint US-Israeli strikes, along with four of his family members and at least two high level military leaders.

On Saturday, Iranian suicide drones hit landmark hotels the Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, sparking panic among tourists.

Explosions were again on Sunday echoing across the city, which has become a haven for wealthy British expats, as it suffers renewed attacks.

Petra’s husband Sam Palmer also used his platform to discuss the strikes, telling his followers that the military were doing a great job of defending the area.

He said: ‘Thanks very much for the lovely messages. We are all safe, although something that hate of mine is when people say, stay safe, like as if it’s an option. What do you think you can do, run around with a target on your back?

‘I’ve got to say, it was a bit alarming when we had all the phones went off at 12:30 last night, and it had the message from the government, take shelter, the missiles incoming, et cetera. All you can hear is loud, loud noises of the missiles being intercepted, it seems, by the defense team doing an amazing job. So keep it up, lads. You’re keeping everyone safe. 

‘I know it looks worse on the news, but yeah, it is scary. The kids are scared. We’re scared. I’ve never been in a missile attack before. Hopefully it’s all over very, very soon. But thank you for your lovely, lovely messages. 

‘It’s nice to know you care. Maybe it’s because I make you laugh. Anyway, stay safe. Text someone today, stay safe, because then they have to delete that message out of the thousands. Stay safe. Thanks.’

Both airports in Dubai are currently closed and flights are suspended due to safety concerns, authorities have told residents and tourists not to attempt to travel.

Reality personality Arabella Chi has explained that her brother who was visiting her is now stuck in Dubai until the situation is resolved.

Sharing her own take, she said: ‘I just want to say thank you so much to everyone who has messaged us. It honestly means more than you know.

‘It’s such a scary time out here at the moment. The past 24 hours have been something I’ve never experienced in my life. We are safe — that’s the main thing. I don’t know if you can hear it, but the bangs are still going off as I’m recording this. We’re staying at home, all together. My brother and sister-in-law are here too. They were actually supposed to fly back to the UK today, but I’m sure those flights will be cancelled.

‘It really puts so much into perspective. It’s frightening — and I know I keep saying that — but it is. When it’s the unknown, and you can hear everything from your house, it’s impossible not to feel scared. Last night we could actually see them not far from where we live, and it was petrifying.

‘Gigi is at an age where she doesn’t understand what’s going on, which is such a blessing. I know so many friends whose children do understand, and my heart goes out to them.

‘To anyone else in Dubai who follows me, all we can really do is support each other and be there for one another during this time. We’re taking every precaution we can and just staying inside together.

‘But truly – thank you to everyone who has reached out. The messages, the love, the support… it doesn’t go unnoticed. It means everything.’

Love Island alum Sammy Root reflected on his poorly-timed visit to Dubai as he revealed it was his first day in the UAE when the strikes began.

Sharing the unfortunate nature of his situation, Sammy wrote: ‘First ever day in Dubai, get me out of Dubai immediately.’

Kady McDermott, who moved to Dubai, confirming her relocation in late 2025 to live with her on-again-off-again partner, Henry Simmons, also posted about the strikes.

She said: ‘Thank you for all of the messages asking about my safety it means a lot, scary times to be in the UAE and seeing missiles flown above your head. The UAE government are doing an amazing job at keeping everyone safe by intercepting the missiles. Everyone stay inside and stay safe through this scary time.

On the first day of the attacks, Israeli socialite Hofit Golan, 40, posted footage from her hotel balcony of rockets and explosions hitting the hotel hours after arriving.

Sharing further updates this morning, Hofit revealed that her building’s alarm was sounding at 6.30am but she had no idea where to go.

She also shared visuals of debris littered across the floor, as she urged: ‘Please stay indoors. Please stay safe everyone.’

Taylor Ward, who lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with her footballer husband Riyad Mahrez, was holidaying in Abu Dhabi before it got cut short by the strikes.

Posting on her Story, she wrote: ‘We were having the most beautiful staycation in Abu Dhabi, before it sadly got cut short!’

TOWIE star Amber Turner relocated to Dubai in 2023, but she assured fans she was safe in the UK attending the BRITs at the time of the air strikes.

She wrote: ‘To everyone who has messaged me I am safe in the UK! My loved ones are all safe too. Praying for the UAE right now. I’ve seen some heartbreaking videos in the last 12 hours & hope everyone effected is OK.’